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Release & story order

Dying Light games in order

This Dying Light games in order page covers Techland’s parkour zombie sandbox from Dying Light (2015) through Dying Light: The Beast (2025)—US release dates, The Following as required Harran countryside expansion, Dying Light 2 Stay Human as a new cast in Villedor, and The Beast as Kyle Crane’s return. Release follows ship order (DL1 → Following → DL2 → Beast). Story keeps Crane’s Harran arc (Dying Light → The Following → The Beast) before treating Dying Light 2 as a separate city/cast chapter set deep into the pandemic. Essentials offers Crane-arc, full-release, or DL2-first. Neighbor survival shelves: Dead Space, Days Gone, and The Last of Us.

Updated September 2026

Pick your path:

Crane arc Full release DL2 first Full release list Story order

Where to start

Pick Crane arc for Dying Light, The Following, and The Beast, Full release for every shipped milestone including Dying Light 2, or DL2 first if you want Villedor parkour before (or without) finishing Crane’s Harran path. Check off only the path you chose.

  • Crane fans → crane-arc; play DL2 anytime as a side city chapter
  • Completionists → full-release in ship order, then reread Story for Crane placement
  • 2022 jump-on players → dl2-first; return to Harran when you want Crane + Beast

Release order

When Techland shipped each major Dying Light chapter in the US—Dying Light (January 27, 2015), Dying Light: The Following expansion (February 9, 2016), Dying Light 2 Stay Human (February 4, 2022), and Dying Light: The Beast (September 18, 2025, moved up one day from the widely trailed September 19 window). The Following is a full countryside expansion entry, not a tiny cosmetic pack.

  • Crane first → Dying Light, then The Following, then The Beast (after or instead of DL2)
  • Full ship history → Release tab start to finish including DL2 before Beast
  • Modern jump-on → Dying Light 2 first; add DL1+Following later for Crane
  • Skip cost → skipping The Following loses Harran countryside closure before Beast
Story order tips

Kyle Crane’s Harran path: Dying Light → The Following → The Beast (Crane returns after years of torment—Story places Beast after Following even though Release shipped it after DL2). Dying Light 2 Stay Human follows Aiden Caldwell in Villedor years into the outbreak—different cast and city; play it as a parallel modern chapter, not Crane Part 2. Release order still works if you want history; Story prioritizes Crane continuity before the Villedor jump.

  • Crane arc: Dying Light → The Following → The Beast
  • Dying Light 2 is Villedor / Aiden—separate cast from Crane’s Harran story
  • Beast Story sits after Following even though it released after DL2
  • On Story order, later entries may be hidden—reveal when ready or use Show all spoilers

Timeline

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When each game was released. Click a game for platforms, dates, and where it fits in your playthrough.

Release order

  1. Dying Light

    Dying Light

    PCPS4Xbox OneNintendo SwitchActionHorrorMainline

    Dying Light (January 27, 2015, US) drops undercover agent Kyle Crane into quarantine Harran—daytime parkour scavenging, nighttime Volatile terror, and co-op zombie brawls that define Techland’s freerunning survival fantasy.

    Overview
    First-person parkour layered onto a day/night infection sandbox made traversal as important as combat. Established Crane, GRE politics, and Harran’s rooftop language every sequel still echoes.
    In-game setting
    Crane/Harran Story opener. The Following continues his countryside campaign; The Beast returns to Crane years later. Dying Light 2 jumps to a new city and cast.
    Should you play it?
    Required Crane start. Skip only for a pure DL2-first experiment—you lose Harran parkour roots and Following/Beast continuity.
    Release date
    US January 27, 2015 on PC, PS4, and Xbox One; Switch port later. Prefer Dying Light: Definitive / Enhanced style bundles that include The Following when offered.
  2. Dying Light: The Following

    Dying Light: The Following

    PCPS4Xbox OneActionHorrorExpansion

    Dying Light: The Following (February 9, 2016, US) is the major Harran countryside expansion—buggies, a new region, and story continuation for Kyle Crane. Treat it as a required Crane chapter, not optional fluff, before The Beast.

    Overview
    Vehicles and rural open space stretch Harran beyond the original city districts while keeping day/night Volatile rules. Closes major Crane threads the base game leaves hanging.
    In-game setting
    Direct Crane continuation after Dying Light. Story-tab next Crane beat is The Beast; Dying Light 2 remains a separate Villedor cast even if you play it between them on Release.
    Should you play it?
    Essential on Crane-arc and full-release paths. Skipping costs countryside story and weakens The Beast’s Crane return setup.
    Release date
    US February 9, 2016; requires Dying Light. Often bundled in Enhanced/Definitive editions—buy the bundle if you do not already own the expansion.
  3. Dying Light 2 Stay Human

    Dying Light 2 Stay Human

    PCPS4PS5Xbox OneXbox Series X/SNintendo SwitchActionHorrorMainline

    Dying Light 2 Stay Human (February 4, 2022, US) relocates the parkour outbreak to Villedor with Aiden Caldwell—faction choices, denser vertical cities, and years-later pandemic stakes. New cast; not Kyle Crane Chapter 2.

    Overview
    Larger vertical metropolis, alignment-tinged world reactions, and modern-gen parkour systems. Biggest setting/cast reset while keeping Techland’s day/night infection DNA.
    In-game setting
    Separate Villedor/Aiden chapter. Release sits before The Beast; Story lists it after Crane’s Harran→Beast path as a different-city era, not a Crane sequel.
    Should you play it?
    Play on full-release or dl2-first Essentials. Soft-skip on pure Crane-arc if you only want Harran→Beast; you miss Villedor’s modern parkour showcase.
    Release date
    US February 4, 2022 across last-gen and current-gen consoles plus PC; Switch version exists with technical tradeoffs. Post-launch upgrades and co-op patches matter—prefer updated builds.
  4. Dying Light: The Beast

    Dying Light: The Beast

    PCPS5Xbox Series X/SActionHorrorMainline

    Dying Light: The Beast (September 18, 2025, US/global window—Techland advanced the date one day from the common September 19 announcement after hitting a pre-order milestone) brings Kyle Crane back as a standalone current-gen chapter after The Following, even though it shipped after Dying Light 2.

    Overview
    Standalone Crane-focused survival that grew from what began as DL2-era expansion plans into its own release. Emphasizes monstrous power fantasy alongside Techland parkour combat.
    In-game setting
    Story placement: after Dying Light + The Following on Crane’s arc. Release placement: after Dying Light 2. Does not replace Aiden’s Villedor campaign—different checklist jobs.
    Should you play it?
    Required Crane-arc finale. Play after Following for story sense; fine after DL2 on Release history. Skip only if you abandon Crane entirely for a DL2-only diet.
    Release date
    Worldwide-style launch September 18, 2025 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S (US morning Pacific window). Some DL2 Ultimate owners received access promotions—verify your storefront entitlement.

FAQ

Where to start, Following requirement, DL2 vs Crane, The Beast placement, and Enhanced Edition notes.

Release order

Crane fans: Dying Light → The Following → The Beast.

Modern parkour jump-on: Dying Light 2 Stay Human, then optionally the Harran games.

Everything: full-release Essentials in ship order. Neighbors: Days Gone, The Last of Us.

Story & Crane

Story: after Dying Light + The Following on Kyle Crane’s arc.

Release: September 18, 2025 (Techland advanced the common September 19 date by one day)—after Dying Light 2 on the ship timeline.

It does not replace Aiden’s Villedor campaign.

Yes. Dying Light 2 stars Aiden in Villedor and works as a soft jump-on. You will miss Crane, Harran landmarks, and some franchise texture—but DL2 does not require finishing The Following or The Beast first.

Expansions & editions

Yes for Crane’s full Harran story and before The Beast. The Following is a major countryside expansion with vehicles and campaign continuation. Prefer Enhanced/Definitive bundles that already include it.

Optional & related

More timelines

Other release-order and story-order guides on this site.