The first State of Decay is an open-world zombie sandbox where the player finds and develops strongholds that recruit survivors. These bases act as the few remaining safe zones for humans to gather and live, and the player helps keep these bases going by foraging for food, supplies, and weapons out in the open world. State of Decay 2 does much of the same but expands upon State of Decay’s basic formula by giving players periodic updates over the years. It currently has 32 updates under its belt, with each adding anything from new weapons and zombies to complete graphics and systems overhauls. To stand out, the third entry will have to go in a big, bold direction all its own.
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What State of Decay 3 Can do With The Help of The Coalition
State of Decay 3 currently sits in a silent developmental stage, with Undead Labs not releasing much new about the anticipated third title despite dedicated updates for State of Decay 2 launching every few months. Players received a pre-rendered trailer announcing State of Decay 3 during an Xbox Games Showcase in 2020, which showcased a survivor in the frigid, snowy wilderness hunting wildlife that teased a glimpse of a zombified deer eating a wolf’s corpse. This was a unique evolution of the zombie trope, especially within the State of Decay franchise.
However, only a few things have surfaced in the years since to let the public know State of Decay 3 is being worked on. Undead Labs is working with Gears of War developer The Coalition to bring the third game to Unreal Engine 5, and hopefully some of that new tech is being used to push the zombie angle further. The whole concept of zombies and their impact on video games is pretty played out at this point, and needs its own overhaul.
State of Decay 3 Doesn’t Need Mindless, Shambling Zombies
The first two State of Decay games did an excellent job displaying standard zombie tropes - slow zombies, fast zombies, and special zombies with deadly abilities. Those weren’t the only tropes at play, as zombies would die from seemingly any head trauma while acting fairly mindless. If State of Decay 3 can iterate on these tropes and include new ways to kill zombies that break the current design mold, Undead Labs could have a bestseller on its hands.
Based on the State of Decay 3 cinematic trailer, Undead Labs should double down on the infection spreading to all aspects of wildlife. Making more than just humans a potential zombified threat could quickly expand the gameplay and tension of outdoor exploration. Likewise, zombified humans and animals that gain intelligence through infection could create more unpredictable encounters. By avoiding classic zombie tropes, refreshing and emergent gameplay would surely elevate State of Decay 3. Perhaps by 2023, Undead Labs will have more to share with fans.
State of Decay 3 is currently in development for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
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