What the Job Listing Actually Says
Techland quietly posted a job opening for a Lead Online Game Designer that’s raising eyebrows across the gaming community. The position specifically mentions developing “a new online experience in the Dying Light franchise,” which sounds distinctly different from the standard co-op features the series already offers. Even more telling, the job requirements ask for candidates with experience in live-service and Games-as-a-Service titles.
The listing describes responsibilities that go beyond typical multiplayer support. The successful candidate will “define the framework and structure for a new online experience” and lead designs “through the full development cycle: from conception and prototyping through implementation, release and continuous support after launch.” That phrase about continuous support is doing a lot of heavy lifting here.
Among the requirements, Techland specifically calls out experience with “engagement mechanisms and in-game economy” along with progression systems. These aren’t typical asks for someone working on traditional co-op modes. This language strongly suggests Techland is exploring live-service territory, possibly with seasonal content, battle passes, or ongoing content updates.
Why This Feels Different
Every Dying Light game has featured online co-op. The original supported four-player cooperative campaigns and even had a unique PvP invasion mode called “Be the Zombie.” Dying Light 2 continued this tradition with drop-in, drop-out co-op for up to four players. Dying Light: The Beast, which just launched in September 2025, includes similar multiplayer features.
But this job posting isn’t talking about supporting existing features or building standard co-op into a new game. The phrasing “a new online experience in the Dying Light universe” combined with the GaaS requirements points toward something fundamentally different. We’re potentially looking at a separate title or a major new mode designed around ongoing player engagement rather than a one-and-done campaign experience.
Context Makes This More Interesting
Techland had a rough year in 2025. In July, the studio confirmed it cancelled two games in development, including what many believe was their ambitious fantasy RPG announced back in 2022. That project was supposed to be a “AAA Open World Action-RPG in a fantasy setting” with talent pulled from CD Projekt Red, Arkane, and Guerrilla Games. The cancellations happened without layoffs, with Techland stating developers were moved to “a number of games in our pipeline.”
This new job posting could represent one of those pipeline projects. After cancelling a risky new IP, returning to the Dying Light franchise makes business sense. The series has over 45 million players worldwide, and Dying Light 2 brought in record profits for the company in 2022. Building a live-service experience within an established universe is safer than starting from scratch.
What Could This Actually Be
There are a few possibilities here. Techland could be developing a standalone multiplayer-focused Dying Light game, similar to how other franchises have spun off separate online experiences. Think Call of Duty: Warzone existing alongside mainline entries, but with parkour and zombies.
Alternatively, this could be a massive expansion or game mode for an existing title. However, the job description’s emphasis on leading a project “from conception and prototyping” suggests this is early in development rather than an add-on to Dying Light: The Beast.
The third option is a mobile game or smaller-scale project designed specifically for ongoing engagement. The franchise hasn’t ventured into mobile yet, and that space offers opportunities for live-service models without the massive budget requirements of AAA console development.
The Live-Service Question
Live-service games remain controversial. Players have grown tired of battle passes, seasonal content grinds, and games designed more around retention metrics than fun. At the same time, successful live-service titles can sustain studios for years and build dedicated communities.
Dying Light’s existing structure could actually work well in this model. The series emphasizes exploration, looting, character progression, and cooperative play – all elements that translate to ongoing content updates. Seasonal events with new zombie types, limited-time challenges, and evolving maps could keep players coming back without feeling exploitative if executed properly.
The mention of an “in-game economy” in the job listing raises questions though. Will this involve microtransactions? Cosmetic-only items? Or something more aggressive? Techland hasn’t commented on any of this, so speculation is all we have at this point.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Techland officially announcing a new Dying Light game?
No, Techland hasn’t made any official announcements. The information comes from a job listing on their careers page. When contacted for comment, the studio declined to provide additional details about the project.
Will this be a free-to-play game?
The job listing doesn’t specify the business model. However, the emphasis on live-service experience, engagement mechanisms, and in-game economy suggests Techland is at least considering monetization strategies common in free-to-play titles. This could also be a premium game with ongoing content updates.
When will this new Dying Light experience release?
There’s no release window mentioned anywhere. Since Techland is currently hiring lead designers to work on the project from conception through development, this is likely several years away at minimum. Game development timelines for live-service titles typically run three to five years.
What happened to Techland’s fantasy RPG?
While not officially confirmed, reports indicate the fantasy RPG announced in 2022 was among the two projects Techland cancelled in July 2025. The studio moved developers from cancelled projects to other games in their pipeline, which may include this new Dying Light experience.
Does the current Dying Light series have online features?
Yes, all Dying Light games include online co-op for up to four players. The original game also featured an invasion PvP mode called “Be the Zombie” where a fifth player could join as a powerful infected creature. However, this new job listing suggests something beyond traditional co-op features.
Will this replace single-player Dying Light games?
There’s nothing to suggest Techland is abandoning single-player experiences. This appears to be an additional project rather than a replacement for the core series. Dying Light: The Beast, which just released in September 2025, is a traditional single-player focused game with optional co-op.
Could this be a mobile game?
It’s possible but not confirmed. The Dying Light franchise hasn’t expanded to mobile platforms yet, and that space offers opportunities for live-service models. However, the job listing doesn’t specify platforms, so this could be developed for consoles, PC, mobile, or all of the above.
What Happens Next
For now, this remains speculation based on a job posting. Techland is clearly working on multiple projects beyond Dying Light: The Beast, and at least one of them involves a new approach to online gameplay within the franchise. Whether that becomes a full standalone game, a major expansion, or something else entirely depends on how development progresses.
The hiring of a lead designer suggests this project is in early stages, meaning any official announcement is likely years away. Given how plans can change during development – Techland just cancelled two projects this year – nothing is guaranteed. But the job posting offers a glimpse at where the studio might be heading next, and it looks like Dying Light’s future could involve a much bigger online component than what we’ve seen before.