State of Decay 3: Everything We Know

Let’s face it, Undead Labs’ State of Decay 3 is on the verge of becoming dead meat in a pool of shallow water. In fact, it barely ceases to exist, and has only a host of lukewarm components based on speculation to boot. But in spite of the studio’s habit of dipping in and out of the spotlight, the fact still remains; State of Decay 3 is still, for better or for worse, shaping up for an eventual launch.

But what’s actually happening with the third instalment in the survival-horror sandbox saga? Well, here’s everything we’ve been able to gather on the project since first hearing of it back in 2020. State of Decay 3: what, when, and why?

What Is State of Decay 3?

State of Decay 3 is an upcoming open world survival game by Undead Labs. In a similar vein to its earlier entries, the third chapter will cast its focus on a post-apocalyptic setting—a derelict world in which the flesh-eating hordes thrive and the few remaining survivors struggle to earn a living with the few resources left behind.

If State of Decay 3 is anything even remotely like the first two games, then one can only imagine it’ll feature a non-linear format, and will in turn allow players to forge a story for themselves out of the ash and rubble of post-apocalyptic America. That is, you know, providing the game itself is actually set in the States, and not another country altogether. And honestly, that could very well be the case here, as the snow-drizzled scenery captured in the announcement trailer does give off a Canadian aura. Who knows, maybe Alaskan?

Story

Undead Labs has been pretty quiet on the whole story side of things since first lifting the veil a few years back. Due to this silent treatment, we don’t actually know what the story here is—only that it will take us somewhere cold, wooded, and overrun with corpses and meat-deprived beasts. Hello, Alaska—if that is your real setting.

Of course, we do have the trailer to go by, which depicts a lone survivor out in the icy foothills of a seemingly abandoned woodland. Is this the a sneak preview of what’s to come in the prologue? Will this lone wolf be our primary protagonist? Again, who knows. But if we’re on the money here, then the general consensus is that State of Decay 3 will transport us to Alaska (or somewhere with a history of having snowy biomes), where players will have to not only battle the elements, but learn to survive the ever-evolving undead armies that cloak the world. Don’t take our word for it, though.

Gameplay

Providing it follows a similar gameplay blueprint as the second chapter, State of Decay 3 should feature a pretty bulked out open world setting to explore and quest in. As for what you’ll be getting up to within these icy borders remains unclear, but if State of Decay 2 is anything to go by, then expect dozens of hours of scavenging, farming, and embarking on a wide variety of rescue missions.

Of course, State of Decay is known for its sandbox elements, which essentially allow for players to mold the world into whatever they please. And while it has received an overarching narrative in the past, the majority of the gameplay has been based around finding a path on your own two feet. Outside of that, State of Decay lets you build a base, research facilities and tools, and develop a community that not only contributes to the cause, but provides additional playable characters in the event that your protagonist succumbs to a bite.

Development

Undead Labs first brought news of the third game in the series back in July 2020. Since then, it’s been pretty dead in the water, as no new information has come about, other than the fact the guys over at The Coalition are working with Undead Labs to build it. But that’s about it, which means it’s either still stuck in its pre-production phase, or it has been silently killed and put on the back burner for a later date.

Xbox Game Studios’ Matt Booty in a recent podcast: “You mentioned Undead Labs; they’re working with The Coalition up in Vancouver, our Gears of War studio, using some of the technology around Unreal Engine 5 and some of the stuff that’s been in Gears of War before to bring that into State of Decay 3.”

It goes without saying that, being a game by Xbox Game Studios, Xbox Series users will have first dibs on the title. It hasn’t been said whether or not it will be heading to Xbox One, though given the time frames, it seems unlikely at this point.

Trailer

So, if there isn’t a whole lot of information on State of Decay 3, then what is there? Well, a preview trailer, as it goes. And while it doesn’t quite shed light on any of the gameplay, it does provide a general overview of the setting and its protagonist. So that’s, well, something. You can check it out for yourself in the video embedded above.

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

State of Decay 3 will be coming to Xbox Series X|S, and PC. It hasn’t been confirmed when it will be releasing, though a few rumors do seem to suggest it’ll be shaping up for a 2024 launch. Until Undead Labs make a formal announcement on the matter, though, it’s all but speculation at this stage.

For more information on the State of Decay 3 launch, you can follow Undead Labs on its social feed here. If anything changes ahead of its eventual release, we’ll be sure to let you know all the key details right here on gaming.net.

So, what’s your take? Will you be picking up a copy of State of Decay 3 when it eventually drops? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.