On the occasion of the release of Dying Light: The Beast (review here), we had the opportunity to talk to Techland's franchise director, Mr. Tymon Smektala, who was happy to answer our questions.
1) What was your main inspiration in the development of Dying Light: The Beast? Did the whole pandemic and Covid-19 situation affect the way you developed the game’s script?
The main inspiration came from our desire to return to Dying Light’s survival horror roots while exploring something more intimate and emotional. We wanted to tell a story about transformation - not just physical, but psychological. Kyle Crane’s journey mirrors the human struggle between control and chaos, humanity and instinct. As for the pandemic - it didn’t have a direct influence, we’re trying to forget about it as much as every other person on the planet, but on the other hand it obviously left a mark on us. It reminded us how fragile our sense of safety is, and how quickly an apocalypse can happen. That atmosphere of early COVID days will surely be in our consciousness forever.
2) At what point, during the development of Dying Light: The Beast, you decided to publish it as a standalone game and not as a “DLC/expansion”, as you did in the past (the “Following” for example). Was the “leak” of main story/script the reason, as it is rumored or it was something else? Also, does that mean that “The Beast” is, in fact, Dying Light 3 or are there any plans for a “normal” Dying Light 3?
The leak definitely played a major role - it was a difficult moment for the entire team. We had to stop, take a step back, and ask ourselves what the right path forward was. Eventually, we made a tough but necessary decision: to cancel the initially planned DLC and start fresh. We took only very few select ideas and mechanics and started the project anew - it was a new beginning..
For us, this is Dying Light 3 - the next main entry in the series, even if it doesn’t carry a number in the title. It continues the story, builds on a decade of design lessons, and lays the foundation for the future of the franchise. It’s hard to tell now, maybe we won’t even use numbers anymore - but Dying Light: The Beast definitely is the next, legit, Dying Light adventure.
3) We recently did a fresh playthrough of the first game in the series and found that its gameplay stands the test of time, especially parkour (it also runs fine on Legion Go handheld). Looking back, is there something you would have done differently while creating it?
Honestly, not much - the first Dying Light had a kind of raw authenticity that still holds up today. Of course, looking back with ten years of experience, we’d refine certain things - maybe the pacing of the progression system, especially at the end game, maybe a few story beats - but the parkour, the physicality of movement, that sense of weight and gravity? That still feels right. We didn’t realize at the time that we were setting a benchmark for first-person traversal, and that’s something we still take pride in.
4) What do you think are the strongest gameplay features of Dying Light: The Beast?
The game really stands on four core pillars that define the Dying Light experience - parkour, melee combat, the day and night cycle, and now - the Beast Mode. These systems all feed into one another to create that immersive experience players know us for. Parkour remains the backbone - grounded, physical, and responsive - letting players express themselves through movement. Combat builds on that physicality too; it’s brutal and weighty, with melee weapons at its heart. And of course bloody as hell!
The day and night cycle continues to shape the world dynamically - the same place that feels relatively safe during the day becomes a nightmare once darkness falls. And, of course, Beast Mode adds an entirely new layer - it’s not just a new ability, it’s a shift in power fantasy and pace. Each of these pillars connects to the others, keeping the gameplay loop fresh, intense, and unmistakably Dying Light.
