18 December 2012 – Hampshire, UK/... Dead Island Riptide – one of the most anticipated video game titles of 2013 – and bookmaker Paddy Power have today revealed the odds of a worldwide zombie apocalypse occurring on 21 December 2012, the day that signifies the end of the Mayan calendar and, for some doomsday theorists, a date that also represents the end of the world.

The odds of a mass zombie outbreak on 21 December 2012 as depicted in the Dead Island Riptide video game published by Deep Silver has been set at 2,000/1. Meaning that civilisation as we know is more likely to come to an apocalyptic end as a result of an environmental disaster (1,000/1) or a nuclear holocaust (1,500/1). However, that could be small comfort when you consider that we’re more likely to be overrun by the living dead than colliding with another planetary body like a giant asteroid (3,000/1) or being attacked and conquered by extra-terrestrials (5,000/1).

A Paddy Power spokesperson said:

“Punters fancying a cheery 2000/1 flutter that the world will end due to zombie apocalypse on December 21st are more than welcome. For those not totally convinced, Paddy Power is also offering 1/1000* that the sun will rise on the 22nd. Either way, someone’s going to win!”

Gamers will be able to take on the zombie hordes once again when  Dead Island Riptide is published by Deep Silver on 26 April 2013 for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and for Windows PC.

*Max bet £10, sorry. 

About Dead Island Riptide

Having survived the ordeals of the zombie infestation on the once beautiful island resort of Banoi depicted in the original Dead Island game, our group of survivors thought they had finally found a safe place to escape from this terrifying nightmare. But they were wrong. Shortly after the battle-hardened team had landed their helicopter on a military ship, a furious storm hits and havoc quickly spreads on board. Suddenly they find themselves struggling for their lives again with all hope drowning in the rising waves.

With invigorating new elements infused into a proven mix, Dead Island Riptide will reanimate the zombie terror in the original game. A monsoon has hit the once beautiful archipelago and heavy rainstorms have laid waste to large areas of the islands. The city of Henderson and jungle areas on the island of Palanai were flooded leaving boats as the only remaining way of transportation. Dynamic weather conditions will force the team members to adapt to changing visibility conditions.

In new hub defense missions the coop teamplay skills of the survivors will be tested to the limit – they need to strategically place traps, fences and turrets to fend off oncoming Zombie onslaughts and to protect the humans in these sanctuaries. New communication features in coop mode also allow players to enjoy an even more intense and strategic teamplay experience.

For more information, visit one of the following official Dead Island sites:

Official Website:   www.deadisland.com

Facebook:   www.facebook.com/deadislandgame

YouTube:   www.youtube.com/deadislandgame

Twitter: twitter.com/deadislandgame

UK & Ireland press contact for Dead Island:

Stu Taylor

Dead Good Media

hello@deadgoodmedia.com

+44 (0)7780 600 728 

About Deep Silver

Deep Silver develops and distributes interactive games for all platforms. The Deep Silver label means to captivate all gamers who have a passion for thrilling gameplay in exciting game worlds. Deep Silver works with its partners to achieve a maximum of success while maintaining the highest possible quality, always focusing on what the customer desires.

Deep Silver has published more than 200 games since 2003, including own brands like the critically acclaimed zombie action franchise Dead Island, action role-playing games from the Sacred world, successful adventures such as the Secret Files series and the role-playing realms of Risen. Deep Silver has announced upcoming highlights such as Sacred 3 and Dead Island Riptide. For more information please visit www.deepsilver.com

Koch Media is a leading producer and distributor of digital entertainment products (software, games and films). The company's own publishing activities, marketing and distribution extend throughout Europe and the USA. The Koch Media group has more than 18 years of experience in the digital media distribution business, and has risen to become the number one distributor in Europe. It has also formed strategic alliances with numerous games and software publishers: Capcom, Kaspersky Labs, Paradox Entertainment, Sega, Square Enix, Tecmo-Koei, THQ, and System 3 etc. in various European countries. With Headquarters in Planegg near Munich/Germany, Koch Media owns branches in Germany, England, France, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, the Nordic regions, Benelux and the USA. www.kochmedia.com

About Paddy Power

Paddy Power is a leading business in the betting and gaming sector with over 300+ shops in the UK and Ireland, rapidly expanding mobile and online channels, as well as gaming and B2B ventures across Europe and Australia.

Paddy Power takes an unconventional approach to betting and gaming within the industry, offering customers an unparalleled experience based on providing maximum entertainment and value. Headquartered in Dublin, Paddy Power is publicly quoted on both the Irish and London Stock Exchanges.