State of Decay 3 | New Details, Evolved Zombies & Playtest Sign-Ups

State of Decay 3 has resurfaced after many years in hiding. Will State of Decay 3 release this year?

New details about Undead Labs’ next zombie instalment have come to light after many years in the shadows - or, better yet, leaving fans in total darkness. With State of Decay 3 now accepting playtest sign-ups, fans can be among the first to try the new zombie survival co-op game coming to Xbox - and likely PlayStation 5 when the game becomes available. We also have new details thanks to, Sunny Games, who interviewed Undead Labs studio head Philip Holt.

State of Decay 3 will be set years into the future, long after the initial outbreak. A select few - known as the “Player Council” - have been providing feedback to the team for over a year as the game develops. Holt has stated that the plague will remain the game’s central focus and an evolving threat; players won’t be able to sit back in their base and wait: “It’s coming for you.”

The threat returns to challenge players in the co-op survival of State of Decay 3, with zombies and special infected that have evolved over the years. Bloaters and juggernauts will be bigger threats this time around. To face them, players will have much-improved combat, with more responsive movement and the fluid locomotion fans have wanted in previous titles.

Like previous State of Decay titles, crafting and base-building will return. However, in State of Decay 3, players will have a more challenging time as resources become scarce and scavenging takes on a more post-apocalyptic survival vibe - think The Last of Us, where supplies are limited and survival feels more essential because the world has already been heavily looted.

Although players may team up with friends, there is still a major focus on the single-player experience. The studio expects most players will play solo, and Undead Labs wants to ensure the game feels complete for players who prefer to play alone rather than with others.

Holt finished the interview by saying that State of Decay 3 “is the most fun, best-looking, most performant game with this much time still to launch that I’ve ever been a part of. So I’m very, very excited for people to have an experience with it.”

When Holt was asked whether he could give fans a release date or a window for when they would be able to get the full game, he simply replied, “NOPE.” They want to be sure they can deliver the best possible game at launch. However, those who would like to try the game for themselves can sign up for the State of Decay 3 playtest and provide feedback to help shape the final release - whenever that is.

What do you think of State of Decay 3? Let us know in the comments.