Techland is giving fans a nostalgic trip back to Harran with the unexpected Retouched update for 2015's Dying Light. Launching June 26, 2025, this free upgrade brings visual polish, an enhanced soundtrack, and quality-of-life improvements to the beloved zombie parkour title across all platforms.
More Than a Facelift, Less Than a Remaster
The development team wants to manage expectations - this isn't a ground-up remake but rather a loving refresh of the original experience. Franchise director Tymon Smektała clarifies the update's purpose: "We're enhancing what already works rather than reinventing the wheel. Think of it as giving your favorite leather jacket a professional cleaning - it's still the jacket you love, just looking its absolute best."
Players will notice subtler details that accumulate into a noticeably better experience: weathered textures with proper depth, realistic light reflections on metal surfaces, and shadows that behave more naturally. The team particularly highlighted improvements to environmental elements like stone pathways and concrete walls where these enhancements shine most.
Dying Light: Retouched Screenshot Gallery
The audio gets equal attention, with original composer Paweł Blaszczak revisiting his iconic soundtrack. The team went the extra mile by re-recording every track on analog tape, delivering richer soundscapes alongside updated ambient effects and combat audio.
Behind the scenes, developers faced unexpected challenges working with decade-old technology. "There's something humbling about rediscovering your own decade-old code," the blog post humorously notes, explaining how modern development techniques needed thoughtful adaptation to preserve the game's stability.
The update serves as a testament to Dying Light's enduring popularity, with consistent player counts that many newer titles envy. More excitingly, it primes the stage for The Beast expansion launching August 2025, which continues Kyle Crane's story in surprising new directions.
For those who never left Harran or want to revisit it with fresh eyes, the Retouched update offers the perfect excuse to jump back in. And if you need convincing, revisit our original 8.5/10 review that praised its groundbreaking parkour-meets-survival-horror formula.
