State of Decay 3 Leader Confirms Game’s Early Conceptual Stage

Undead Labs confirmed a schedule of playtests for State of Decay 3. The studio says testing will roll out throughout the year, with sessions beginning next month. Players will be able to trial four-player co-op, new base-building and resource strategies, plus extensive combat.

Trailer history and early development

The game’s first trailer appeared six years ago. That reveal included a striking zombie deer.

Studio head Philip Holt told Filmogaz.com that the trailer predated a real development team. He said only four or five people were attached at the time. The project then existed largely as notes in a Word document. The cinematic was pre-rendered by Blur and reflected concepts rather than a finished design.

No zombie animals in the final work

Holt made clear some early ideas did not survive development. He explicitly ruled out the zombie deer returning. “No zombie deer,” he emphasized.

He also said while parts of the trailer inspired the team, many elements were conceptual. The leader confirms the project was in an early conceptual stage when that cinematic released.

Design direction and partners

Undead Labs aims to blend the best features of the first two games. The new entry unfolds years after the initial outbreak. This setting increases focus on makeshift survival and repurposing crafting materials to sustain communities.

Microsoft studios are assisting with the technical build. Teams behind Gears of War and Avowed are helping create a much larger, truly shared open world. The collaboration targets a more expansive online experience.

How to participate

The studio is accepting sign-ups for the alpha test. Interested players can register to try the game and provide feedback during the playtests. Developers plan to use that feedback to refine systems ahead of wider release.