In the US, preorders through GameStop came with the special edition automatically. In Europe, it was sold freely in stores, and some releases had full game content without mentioning "special edition", but with alternate cover art.
The gameplay of Dead Island is a fast-paced first-person shooter (FPS) experience. Players take on the role of one of four main characters: Sam, Clay, Logan, or Soda. The game takes place in a zombie-infested island, where the objective is to scavenge for supplies, craft items, and fight off hordes of undead.