Techland just revealed Dying Light: The Beast at Gamescom, but it turns out the standalone title isn't new new.
Speaking with Game Developer, director Nathan Lamaire explained the game was actually born from DLC originally meant for Dying Light 2. After its plot was leaked by hackers last year, Techland pivoted it into a full game.
Leaks have been a part of the industry for a long time, especially recently. A developer leaning into those leaks is rare, and it's even more unusual when it comes to expansions that have bloomed into fuller projects.
Another reason to blow it up? Kyle Crane, returning protagonist of the first Dying Light. As Lamaire explained, veterans from that game felt "10 years younger" once he was chosen to lead The Beast, and there was a desire to do right by that older staff.
From there, Techland decided The Beast needed "to be more than what we already planned for," he said. The studio famously supported the first Dying Light over the years, and The Beast continues that throughline for the sequel.
Players who bought Dying Light 2's ultimate edition (either on current or last-gen) get The Beast at no extra cost, since it was inteded to be the sequel's DLC. For Lamaire, the standalone will be "worth the wait" for longtime players and ones who just parkoured in with Dying Light 2.