
It was met with a positive reception from critics. Upon its release on February 16, 2011, the trailer sparked public interest, and the community reaction led Techland to adjust the content of the actual game. The development team also had the goal to show the inevitability and the helplessness of a family in a zombie outbreak. The trailer does not show any actual gameplay, instead telling a short story about the game's world and the background behind its events. The trailer was designed to be emotional, allowing players to care for the characters and to be distinct from trailers for the game's competitors.

The trailer was produced by Glasgow-based Axis Animation, with music created by Giles Lamb. The trailer begins with the infected daughter, who has turned into a zombie, being thrown to her death from a hotel window. The story of the trailer follows a family who is attacked by a horde of zombies in a hotel. Dead Island Reveal Trailer is an announcement trailer for the video game Dead Island, which was developed by Techland and published by Deep Silver.
