d3t’s sister studio Coconut Lizard is proud to announce their involvement on Dead Island 2, which launches today on Xbox Series X and Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment systems from Microsoft, PlayStation®5 and PlayStation®4 computer entertainment systems and the Epic Games Store for PC.
Set in the iconic, gore-drenched setting of Los Angeles. Players can expect to slay countless foes in exquisitely bloody detail and evolve to become the ultimate zombie slayer!
Commenting on the launch, Daniella-Zelli-Lim, Producer at Coconut Lizard, said: “Working with the team at Deep Silver Dambuster Studios on Dead Island 2 has been a great experience for us all at Coconut Lizard. Particularly our team of Engineers who have been working hard on various aspects of the game alongside the Internal Game Code Team.
“As fans of the Dead Island series, we were overwhelmed to be brought on board, and we look forward to seeing fans experience all that Dead Island 2 has in store for them.”
For more information about the launch of Dead Island 2, check out the official page here, or view the full trailer below.
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
I completed a master’s degree in computer games development at UCLan, where I had my first role in the games industry during my final summer. This was an internship at BossAlien. After then graduating, I joined d3t for the first time, where I had the opportunity to work on some incredible titles alongside an amazing team.
I then went on to spend three years at an indie studio working on a sandbox engineering game called Rawbots. When that project came to an end, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to return to d3t.
Why d3t?
d3t is full of talented programmers and I’m eager to return to carry on learning from all the amazing people here. The atmosphere was great, and I loved working on the incredible projects I was assigned to. It’s safe to say that I can’t wait to get stuck in again!
What do you love about games?
The thing I like the most about games is thinking about how the game mechanics work and how I would go about implementing it myself. When I first got into games development, I would always try to copy the games I played!
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
Currently, I am not actually playing any games and wouldn’t consider myself a serious gamer. However, I do like to play social games with my friends like Jackbox and Overcooked.
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
Last year, I got back into competitive swimming after a 10-year break. Alongside this, I run and weight lift. I also occasionally compete in Rubik’s Cube competitions.
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
I’ve been working in the games industry since 2014. I first started out working for a small indie studio that wanted to make a game similar to Sea of Thieves in Unity. During my time there I worked on implementing multiplayer features and naval combat mechanics.
After that I moved through different companies and have worked on numerous projects, including a VR visualization / simulation project in UE4 for the automotive industry.
My latest experience was working for Tequila Works in Madrid on an Unannounced Project. During my time there I was part of the core technology team which was responsible for helping develop team wide plugins, components and tools to help our projects work faster and share knowledge across teams.
Why d3t?
I first heard about d3t from a friend who had many positive things to say about the people, company, and projects. Co-development has also drawn me in because of the variety of projects I could potentially work on and the different people I could work with. Since I first started the process to join d3t, every person I’ve spoken with and got to meet has been great and very welcoming. I’m looking forward to getting to know the rest of the team and to start working on the projects with them.
What do you love about games?
I love how games can take you to unknown places, make you part of the stories and allow you to have an impact on people. I also love the different sides of games, such as online multiplayer games, which can bring people together, have them compete or collaborate towards a goal and share their experiences together. Creating those experiences for others to enjoy is incredible.
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
Currently I’m mostly playing multiplayer games with friends. Games like; Hell Let Loose, Lethal Company or League of Legends. I can’t really say I have one single favourite game, however some of my favourites are World of Warcraft, Gears of War 2 and a more recent contender is Sifu.
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
I’ve had many hobbies over the years, surfing, skateboarding and soft combat. Also, other than some pet projects, I’m looking to get into airsoft and possibly Warhammer.
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
After finishing my degree in 2016, I’ve been fortunate to gain experience in various roles that have allowed me to grow both technically and professionally. I began as a Junior Programmer and worked my way up to my last role as Technical Director at Tequila Works. Over the last few years, I’ve contributed to improving workflows, implementing new tools, and optimizing systems, including upgrading network infrastructure, enhancing distributed build systems, and leading security audits.
Whilst working as a Lead Programmer, I spearheaded the efforts to create a robust framework alongside my team. My focus was always on optimizing processes, ensuring seamless integration of systems, and mentoring teams to maintain high-quality standards and efficiency.
Why d3t?
A friend told me about the opportunity, and as I researched more about d3t, I became increasingly more excited about the studio. During the interviews, I really enjoyed speaking with the team. Everyone was enthusiastic and genuinely passionate about their work, which left a great impression.
I see this as a unique professional opportunity because, while I’ve worked at companies with their own projects and specific approaches. d3t’s variety of high-quality projects offers me a chance to explore different ways of doing things. This project diversity will continue to help me grow as a professional, as I will be able to learn new approaches and solutions to game development.
What do you love about games?
I’ve always loved playing games with my friends, sharing laughs and memorable moments together. However, it wasn’t until I was 18 that I realized I wanted video games to be a core part of my life. While exploring the career path, I discovered that video games combine so many fascinating fields: maths for transformations and GPU rendering, physics for simulations, anatomy for modelling and animation, psychology for UX, chemistry for material properties, economics for in-game shops, and even Darwin’s theories for evolutionary algorithms in AI and machine learning.
What initially seemed like “playing all day” turned out to be an incredible world of challenges and creativity. I love how every area of life can contribute to making a video game, and this constant innovation inspires me every day.
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
Recently, I’ve been playing Survive the Nights, Project Zomboid, Lethal Company, and occasionally Baldur’s Gate 3. However, I usually play League of Legends with friends, as it’s a great way to unwind and connect.
As for my favourite game, I’d have to go with Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. It was one of the first games that really captivated me, and I still remember replaying it countless times when I was younger.
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
I love live music and enjoy playing instruments like the piano and guitar. I also spend a lot of time with friends: playing board games (I’m currently exploring the Warhammer universe), hiking, playing padel, or engaging in other outdoor activities.
I’m really into solving Rubik’s cubes and other puzzles. I can spend hours working on them, even when they frustrate me a little. It’s all part of the challenge, and I love the satisfaction of figuring them out!
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
I’ve worked in a variety of roles throughout my career including being a Material Artist at Sumo Digital on Sackboy: A Big Adventure, 3D Artist at Inflexion Games Canada on Nightingale, and as a Senior Lighting Artist at Bulkhead/Splash Damage working on Transformers: Reactivate and Wardogs. I also spent a year working in the film industry at Narwhal Studios as a Lead Artist specialising in photogrammetry working alongside Marvel and ILM.
Why d3t?
I had a really positive experience during my interviews for d3t where everyone I met was extremely friendly and welcoming, speaking very highly of life here at d3t. This was only further supported by everything I read online and the numerous best place to work awards!
I also find co-dev really appealing because of the opportunity to work on a variety of projects with different teams from around the world.
What do you love about games?
I love the interactivity of games. It’s something so unique to our industry. That I’m able to jump into these simulated worlds and lose myself in these finely crafted universes is so magical to me.
I also love the challenge of games, the feeling of triumph when you beat that final boss, when you win that race by the skin of your teeth, or you finally work out that puzzle that’s been bewildering you for days. There’s nothing else quite like it!
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
I’ve recently fallen madly in love with Outerwilds! My girlfriend and I have this really fun dynamic when we’re playing this game where she’s really good at all the intellectual stuff and helps me solve all the puzzles and piece together the clues, while I do all the difficult platforming, flying of the ship and avoiding all the hazards on the various planets!
For my all-time favourite game, I’d probably have to go with either the first Jak and Daxter, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, or Bloodborne. Some very different games there but they all hold such dear places in my heart for very different reasons.
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
So, a fun fact that I only recently learned myself is that my great grandfather invented Worcestershire Sauce! I didn’t believe it myself but if you look at really old bottles of it they have my family’s surname on them! Unfortunately, we didn’t see any sort of massive fortune from it because my great grandfather sold the recipe before it really became popular. RIP
As for hobbies, I’m really big into my extreme sports; snowboarding, wakeboarding, rock climbing, mountain biking, etc!
I also really enjoy photography, specifically photographing and creating videos of all the action sports mentioned above!
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
At 18, I left my home in Portugal to pursue my dream of making games. I moved to London to get my BSc in Games, Design, and Animation at the University of West London. There I found that I was most interested in production, because I’m passionate about organisation, creativity and teamwork.
After university, I set up SoundCasterStudios with 2 other founding members. We found and secured funding to keep developing our project. Working on Sound Caster solidified my love for collaborating with a talented team to help bring their creative visions to life.
Why d3t?
I first found out about d3t when I was still at university. It was actually my very first interview in the games industry and although I didn’t get the role at the time, the people I met and everything I learned about d3t’s supportive work culture left a big impression. I knew it was a place I wanted to be a part of one day.
After a year and a half, the opportunity to join d3t came up again and I didn’t hesitate. The studio’s reputation speaks for itself, and I’m excited to keep growing as a producer.
What do you love about games?
I don’t remember exactly when I started playing games, but I vividly remember watching my brother play God of War on the PS2 which changed everything! I love that games can tell stories in such a personal and immersive way, creating moments that stay with players long after they’ve stopped playing. They truly bring people together and being part of creating those experiences is what excites me the most.
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
I’m currently playing Hogwarts Legacy (it’s so exciting to know d3t contributed to it!) and Marvel Rivals with my friends. As for favourites, I have too many to count, but one that truly stands out is Life is Strange. It’s one of the few games that really made me cry, I was so amazed by its emotional storytelling!
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
I’m a big fan of Junji Ito’s work but I can’t get myself to play horror games! I’m also obsessed with dogs (seriously!) and cozy gaming. The Sims is one of my all-time favourites!
Not so fun fact: I once had four jobs at the same time to survive in London. It wasn’t easy, but it taught me a lot about resilience and time management!
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
I’ve been in the games industry since 2007. Originally a software engineer, I moved into design and have since been a Level Designer, Systems Designer, Technical Designer and Game Director over the years.
I’ve been at Frontier, TT Fusion, Cloud Imperium Games and Cardboard Sword working on everything from 500+ person multi-studio projects to 11-man indie titles.
I’ve also released a few small indie games that I made as passion projects in my spare time. None of them has made me fabulously wealthy.
Why d3t?
Three main reasons:
First, co-development is very appealing. I’m excited to get back to working on a variety of different games after the prolonged dev cycles of my last few jobs.
Second, my friends who work here love it. Their strong recommendation was huge as I trust their opinions. Plus, I get to work with them again!
Third, everyone in the interviews seemed sincerely lovely! It seems like d3t genuinely cares about its staff in a way most companies just give lip-service to. Working with great people is my main requirement these days.
What do you love about games?
Being transported to another world and feeling like you can influence events. I’m a big reader for the same reason but with games you actually get to (or have the illusion of) change what happens. That makes me feel more emotionally connected to what’s happening.
I also love games that let me experiment and try different approaches to play. Especially when I get to make a plan, watch it go disastrously wrong and have to make a new plan on-the-fly.
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
I’m currently on my 4th(!) playthrough of Baldur’s Gate 3. When I take breaks from that I’m on Satisfactory, the cosiest game about strip-mining a planet’s resources and destroying its biosphere you’ll ever play.
My favourite games as an adult are probably XCOM 2 and Deus Ex: Human Revolution. As a teenager it was playing Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 and Halo at my best friend’s house. As a kid it was playing Streets of Rage at my best friend’s house (a different best friend, I’m fickle).
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
I love making things, especially weird indie games. I’m also into astronomy (ask me to bore you with my photos of planets) and play bass guitar (ask me to bore you with my terrible music).
What’s your favourite game to date that you’ve played or worked on? My favourite game I have played is either Ghost of Tsushima or Elden Ring – I love RPG and action games.
How did your career begin and how did you get your role at d3t?
Whilst I was at Edge Hill university, d3t came in to do a talk. After it had finished, I reached out to them on LinkedIn and applied for their internship programme. After completing my internship, I was then given the job of Graduate programmer at the studio.
What is it like working at d3t?
I love working at d3t. Everyone is incredibly friendly, there are lots of activities to do on my breaks and outside of work, and then let’s not forget the amazing monthly lunches that take place at the studio!
The work I take part in is fun and there are many benefits to working at d3t.
Every monthly meeting at d3t is very memorable as it’s fun to see everyone and get to know what else has been happening in the studio and on the other projects. Overall, it is an amazing company to work for and it feels like being part of a family.
What do you do day-to-day as a Graduate Programmer?
As a Graduate Programmer I have the role of creating mechanics and gameplay aspects of the project I am working on. I also attend daily meetings relating to the work I am assigned to.
What has been your most memorable moment working at the studio?
My most memorable moment was my first day working at d3t. I got to meet so many new people and made some amazing friends. Being shown around the studio and getting to see what it is like to work for a gaming company was incredibly interesting as it has always been my dream job.
Do you have any tips for people looking to get into the games industry?
Reach out to game companies as much as you can whether that be via LinkedIn or on their websites. Some companies may offer internships which are a great start in introducing you to the industry.
You can also do some courses beforehand if you would like to have prior experience before joining. I studied game design/programming since college, which helped me secure my position.
My number one tip though is don’t be afraid or shy to ask questions.
Is there anything else that you’d like to add?
If you are thinking of applying to d3t, do. I couldn’t recommend it enough! Thanks for reading!
We are hiring
Stay tuned for more spotlight features coming soon. In the meantime, if you’re feeling inspired and want to join our team, check out our vacancies page!
