Square Enix to Publish Dead Island In North America

Well, now it looks as if Square-Enix has another non-Japanese created potential mega hit on the way. Naturally, the anti-Square fanatics will be livid and the folks who don't give a hoot in hell will just smile and buy the game in droves when it's released. I'm in the latter camp as long as the PR folks are co-operative in getting assets this way and the game is as good as it looks. Techland absolutely knows what its doing on the graphics front and their games have been getting better and better over the years as far as gameplay goes... Press release below the jump.

LARKSPUR, CA – May 3, 2011 - Deep Silver and Square Enix, Inc. announced today a collaboration in which Square Enix will be the Americas region distributor for Dead Island™, the highly anticipated zombie action game with role-playing elements for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft®, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Windows-based PCs.

“Square Enix’s impressive distribution and marketing capabilities, combined with their proven success with launching top-notch AAA titles, makes them the absolute best partner for Dead Island,” said Deep Silver Chief Operating Officer Geoff Mulligan. “We’re thrilled to be partnering with their dedicated and talented team and look forward to collaborating with them in order to bring Dead Island to gamers.”

Developed by Techland, Dead Island combines first-person action with a heavy focus on melee combat, character development and customization of a vast array of weapons. The engaging survival-focused gameplay aspects are combined with a rich and immersive storyline in which a small group of people find themselves in a tropical paradise turned into total chaos and carnage after a mysterious zombie outbreak. Cut off from the rest of the world, the player’s only chance to survive is to fight to the death and find a way to escape from the island.

With firearms and ammunition being scarce, the player must utilize day-to-day items as weapons for self-defense to fight off zombie hordes in intense, gruesome melee combat. Featuring four customizable, unique character classes and engrossing role-playing elements combined with an intense four player co-op experience, Dead Island stands out as one of the most comprehensive zombie experiences to date.

"Dead Island is a truly extraordinary title and we couldn’t be more excited about leveraging our unified Square Enix resources in bringing it to audiences in the Americas." said Mike Fischer, president and chief executive officer, Square Enix, Inc.

Dead Island will be released for Xbox 360, the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Windows PC later this year.