Dying Light 2 can only be purchased in Germany as a cut version and digitally from retailers. MeinMMO explains the differences and what to look out for when buying.
What content was cut? Dying Light 2 contains a lot of brutality that shows in many places. It is not only about bloody scenes but also inhumane behavior. However, this has been cut in Germany:
- Human enemies cannot be decapitated or dismembered
- Neutral NPCs cannot be killed
When we played Dying Light 2, these aspects were not necessarily needed for the game. They merely served to highlight the inhumanity of the world. Dying Light 2 is set in a post-apocalypse, and to survive, many people are left with only cruelty.
The story of the game itself and the gameplay is intended to be as close to the original version as possible. The developers are trying to provide German fans with the full experience – at least within the limits of the restrictions.
Playing Dying Light 2 uncut in Germany – Is that possible?
Update February 4: Actually, players who have purchased a digital version from Steam, Epic, or the Techland store will receive the uncut version of Dying Light 2. More about this here: Dying Light 2 is available uncut in Germany, at least for one platform.
This is what happens when you buy the uncut version: In principle, you can play Dying Light 2 uncut in Germany. You just cannot buy the game in the respective version here. However, shops in Austria and Switzerland offer corresponding uncut editions.
According to developers, there is no “region lock”, meaning there is no automatic switch to cut content when you play in Germany. So if you buy Dying Light 2 uncut in another country, it will not suddenly switch to the German version when you activate the game on Steam.
Updates will also be available for the respective version you own, regardless of what country you are in.
What you need to watch out for: If you decide to purchase an uncut version, you will not be able to play co-op with friends who purchased the German version. The two versions exclude each other.
Dying Light 2 offers a co-op mode for up to 4 players. The progress of the story only counts for the host of the game; the save data of the other players remains unaffected. Still, as the owner of an uncut version, you cannot play with players of the cut version.
Additionally, you could have issues in the future. Dying Light 2 is supposed to be supported for 5 years and will certainly receive various DLCs during that time. These are usually rated separately.
If the relevant authorities decide that the following additional content needs to be cut again or even end up on the index, they will not be fully available in Germany again.
Developers are in talks with the USK
The regulations around the cutting of games have changed in Germany over the past years. For example, the latest installment of the Wolfenstein series, Youngblood, is no longer subject to strict regulations and can be played uncut here.
However, Dying Light 2 seems to show too much brutality. The predecessor is still unplayable in Germany as it was indexed. When a game lands “on the index”, its promotion is prohibited and sale is only possible under restrictions.
However, new assessments are already being reviewed, and the developers are working to achieve a different evaluation for Dying Light 2 as well. Whether this will succeed before the release remains to be seen.
When is Dying Light 2 coming out? The release of the new horror survival shooter is now set for February 4 after several delays. Dying Light 2 will be available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
The game offers a unique combination of survival, story, and parkour, which makes it unique in the survival genre. It is quite possible that Dying Light 2 will make it onto our best list:
The best survival games 2021/2022 for PlayStation, PC, and Xbox
