In 2013, the first State of Decay game was released, and the series has been growing ever since.
After State of Decay 2 hit in 2018, a third installment is now on the way for Xbox and PC. The latest buzz is that production for State of Decay 3 is picking up speed as Undead Labs wraps up work on the second game and shifts focus to the new one. Here’s what we know so far about State of Decay 3.
When is State of Decay 3 coming out?
Announced in 2020, State of Decay 3 still doesn’t have a release date. Both Undead Labs and Microsoft have been pretty quiet about any details.
State of Decay 3 Trailer
The first trailer for State of Decay 3 dropped in 2020, showing a character following a blood trail in the snow and finding a zombified deer. Scary stuff! A second trailer came out in 2024, showcasing more of the game’s world but still no gameplay footage.
You can watch both trailers below.
Preorder State of Decay 3
State of Decay 3 isn’t available for preorder yet. However, Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will be able to play it for free when it launches.
State of Decay 3 Platforms
Just like its predecessors, State of Decay 3 is expected to be an Xbox console exclusive, also releasing on PC. Since Microsoft acquired Undead Labs after State of Decay 2, it’s likely the game will stay exclusive to Xbox. While Microsoft has brought some games to PlayStation recently, nothing has been confirmed for State of Decay 3.
What We Know About State of Decay 3
Since announcing the game in 2020, both Microsoft and Undead Labs have kept things under wraps. But in September 2024, Undead Labs revealed it was finishing up work on State of Decay 2 to focus on State of Decay 3.
“Our ambition is to make the greatest zombie survival sim in the franchise, and to do so, we’ll be shifting our focus and resources to making the upcoming third installment, State of Decay 3,” Undead Labs said.
We fans are super excited for this game!
People are curious about the release date, but Undead Labs is keeping that info secret for now, promising more details “at a later time.”
“Thank you for your continued support and for being the greatest gaming community there is. We’re excited to devote ourselves to making the next game even better,” the studio said.
In 2022, Kotaku published a report about alleged issues within the studio, like sexism, bullying, and burnout. It said Microsoft’s acquisition was “hampered by toxic workplace conditions and lack of direction.” In response, Xbox’s Matt Booty mentioned, “Undead Labs has seen a number of positive changes and we are confident in the direction the team is taking State of Decay 3, one of our most ambitious open-world games in development.”
