Dead Island: Riptide Zombie Bait edition shipping despite apologies from publisher

Techland’s first-person shooter Dead Island: Riptide was met with controversy for its Zombie Bait edition last year, but that has not stopped the product from being sold at retail.

The Zombie Bait edition features a 31cm resin statue of a decapitated near-naked female upper body. The bloody torso was a centerpiece in the special edition exclusive to the United Kingdom, Europe, and Australia. Publisher Deep Silver apologised for any offense caused by the statue, which drew much criticism after its announcement.

"We sincerely regret this choice," the company said in January, "We are collecting feedback continuously from the Dead Island community, as well as the international gaming community at large. We want to reiterate to the community, fans and industry how deeply sorry we are, and that we are committed to making sure this will never happen again."

However, despite issuing the apology, the Zombie Bait edition has gone on sale at UK retailers and in limited quantities in Australia.

The Dead Island: Riptide Zombie Bait edition also includes a steelbook case for the game, collectible artwork cards, and an exclusive pack of weapon mods.

Dead Island: Riptide is available now for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.