Dying Light 2 writer and former art director leaves Techland after 22 years

Dying Light 2 writer Pawel Selinger has left developer Techland after more than 20 years at the company. Selinger announced his departure from the studio in a post on LinkedIn.

Selinger told his connections that "after over twenty-two years, I decided to end my cooperation with Techland. I would like to express my gratitude to the company that has allowed me to develop and fulfill myself for half my life. Techland, I will always be rooting for you, as well as the great people I have met thanks to you." Selinger closed his message by saying that "I wish [...] that Dying Light 2 and subsequent projects will become world hits."

Selinger worked as the studio's art director for 12 years starting in 2007. According to his LinkedIn profile, however, he moved onto a writing role in February 2019 before departing the company in December 2020. Before the Dying Light series, Selinger had also worked on the Dead Island and Call of Juarez games.

This departure is another notable bump in the road for Techland, which has reportedly struggled with the development of Dying Light 2. Originally scheduled for a Spring 2020 release,  the game was delayed indefinitely last January, with reports suggesting a fraught relationship between creative director Adrian Ciszewski and former head writer Chris Avellone, with whom the studio cut ties after allegations of sexual harassment were made against him. 

In his message, Selinger doesn't offer a reason for his departure, and as a writer and former artist, it's possible that the majority of his work on the project - which Techland has suggested could be set to release in 2021 - is already done. Even if that is the case, however, losing a twenty-year studio veteran ahead of a major launch is still likely to be a bit of a blow for Techland.

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