Do you need to play the previous games before Dying Light: The Beast?

Dying Light: The Beast is the newest chapter in Techland's open-world survival zombie parkour series. Canonically set after the events of the past two DL games, fans will step back into the shoes of the beloved returning protagonist Kyle Crane and embark on his latest adventures in the all-new sandbox of Castor Woods.

Since this hotly anticipated upcoming game maintains series continuity regarding lore and worldbuilding, fans may be curious if knowledge of the previous Dying Light games is needed to understand this latest chapter. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the answer is yes. Here's why.

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Why you should play the other Dying Light games before Dying Light: The Beast

Kyle's journey began in Harran, the origin of the virus outbreak (Image via Techland)

While originally conceived as story DLC for Dying Light 2: Stay Human and even set after the events of the 2022 title, this latest entry is a standalone game that features the protagonist of the original 2015 entry. We don't intend to spoil anything, but those who have finished The Following DLC know what situation the hero was left in.

Since then, he had been captured and experimented on over the course of a decade by the villain known as The Baron, which in turn blossomed his zombie powers. Now, after escaping captivity and finding himself in the new region of Castor Woods, Crane seeks revenge for all the wrongs done to him.

For those who have not played the first game or its DLC, and intend to jump into Dying Light: The Beast, the cause behind Kyle's capture and why he has powers to begin with will be left unanswered. So we recommend playing the first game through its The Following DLC to gain an understanding of how and why, which will provide further context on the lore and background of the upcoming game.

On the flipside, Dying Light 2: Stay Human features a different protagonist, Aiden Caldwell, and is set in the fictional city of Villedor in search of a cure to the Harran virus that has spread through the world. Interestingly, beating the first game also sheds light on how Stay Human's events play out, making playing through the original title even more important for understanding the entire series' lore.

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Dying Light: The Beast arrives on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S on September 19, 2025, with PS4 and Xbox One versions arriving sometime later in the year.

Check out more articles:

• How long does it take to beat Dying Light: The Beast?
• Everything new in the Dying Light: Retouched Update
• Dying Light 2025 roadmap: What to expect in the future