'Dying Light' Release Date Next Week, 'Be The Zombie' DLC Free To All Buyers

Good news for zombie lovers: “Dying Light” will reach the Windows PC as a downloadable game on Jan. 27, and it will arrive on the eighth-generation Xbox One and PlayStation 4 the same day. The news was confirmed by Polish video game developer Techland in a press release Friday.

The game won’t reach Australia, Asia, Europe or the Middle East until Jan. 28 – and it will be available only digitally. The disc-based version will reach buyers on Feb. 27. In all countries, those who preordered the game will receive “extra weapon dockets.”

“Be the Zombie,” a downloadable content mode that allows players to take on the roles of blood-thirsty zombies, will be free to everyone. Last September, the studio announced that “Be the Zombie” DLC would be available only to those who preordered the game, but it decided to release the mode free to “show all of you our appreciation for your continued support.”

The zombie apocalypse title will be set in an open-world environment similar to South American slums and cities. During the day, players will explore a massive urban landscape plagued by a malicious outbreak of the undead, searching and scavenging for supplies they can take back to safe zones. They can also create traps and save other survivors. At night, the infected enemies become more aggressive, gaining the ability to chase and harm players.

The game is told from a first-person perspective. Players can equip themselves with weapons like a spiked baseball bat, a pistol and an electric ax. They can also swim through water, climb walls and explore the rooftops of buildings.

“Dying Light” was originally scheduled for release on five platforms, including the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, but the game’s last-gen versions were cancelled last October.