Dambuster Studios has talked up Dead Island 2, confirming the game will include a durability mechanic intended to compel players to try different weapons.

The Dead Island 2 mechanic was discussed in a recent interview where game director David Stenton discussed their intention to force players to invest resources into using their favorite weapon, or try something new in Dead Island 2.

“With the durability, we’re not super harsh about it… We’re not trying to be a survivor simulator or a survivor horror game,” Stenton said to Game Informer.

He added, “It’s there as an instrument so that we can encourage players to go back to a workbench, and rather than repair your weapon or level match your weapon, maybe I’m level 10, and that favorite weapon that…was my favorite a few hours ago is still level 5.

“Do I really want to pay the cost of level matching that weapon, or actually maybe I’ll spend the money at a vendor and buy a new pre-modded weapon. Or maybe I’ll spend the money applying this new mod and some of the ingredients I’ve got. It’s about giving the player options and encouraging them to go back to a workbench and try something new.”

More often than not, durability mechanics are a source of frustration or inconvenience rather than a source of innovation. There’s a reason Elden Ring did away with weapon durability whhile it had been part of the Dark Souls series.

With new weapons around every corner, it’s highly possible you’ll find the same type of weapon and maybe even with similar stats. With an abundance of choice it’s possible you’ll be able to stick with your favorite weapon (or a new version of it) through your entire playthrough; which begs the question: what’s the point of durability?

Dead Island 2 is set to launch on April 28, 2023 for Windows PC (via the Epic Games Store), Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.