Dead Island 2's character packs are not pre-order bonuses [Update]

By now, you've probably made up your mind about Dead Island 2. Though the game only released a few days ago, reviews have been out for a little longer. Our very own Kelsey Raynor called it, "A HELL-A zany take on the co-op zombie shooter", awarding it four stars.

But whether or not you already made the trip to sunny HELL-A, this pre-order bonus situation is confusing for everyone.

UPDATE: Despite the way it was worded in the tweet below, the character packs for Amy, and Jacob are not actually pre-order bonuses. Instead, they are bonuses for buying the more expensive editions of the game, in this case the Gold/Deluxe/HELL-A.

Deep Silver has clarified to VG247 that the actual pre-order bonus, that being the Memories of Banoi Pack, is currently in the game. Players who pre-ordered any version of the game should already have that content.

You can read the original story below.

See, Dead Island 2 has three editions apart from the standard one. They are the Gold, Deluxe, and HELL-A Edition. Pre-ordering any of the three editions nets you two exclusive character packs for Amy, and Jacob.

Packs are themed, and each one of those comes with a unique skin, and a matching weapon. As a pre-order bonus, you'd rightly expect those to be available at launch or very shortly after. Indeed, just three days before the game's release, the official Dead Island Twitter account posted a pre-order reminder, referencing the same bonuses.

At the time, they were set to arrive "soon after release". However, on the day of release, the Dead Island Twitter account clarified in a reply to the same tweet that said character packs should instead be expected "in the summer."

On the one hand, the start of the summer - in mid-June - could charitably be referred to as "shortly after release." That said, players expect pre-order bonuses at launch, or in a matter of days at most. Considering the wide target of "summer", many of those who pre-ordered the game will likely be done playing it by that point, making the bonuses far less interesting.

That's exactly the sentiment many shared in their replies to the tweet, though some are not bothered by the delay, praising the game in its current state as they look forward to returning once all extra content has been delivered. The Gold, and HELL-A editions both include an expansion pass, so there should be more than just skins for players to look forward to in the future.

Whether or not you're bothered by this unusual situation, you'll find a wealth of tips, quest walkthroughs, and more in our Dead Island 2 guide.

Thanks, GamesRadar+.