Undead Labs revealed the first alpha playtest for State of Decay 3, its zombie survival sequel in development for over six years. The Seattle-based studio is inviting fans to provide feedback on the multiplayer sandbox game. This update follows years of quiet progress since its initial reveal.
State of Decay 3 first appeared during Xbox's 2020 summer showcase and resurfaced at Microsoft's 2024 event, but had seen no public updates until now. Undead Labs has continued work on the project amid cancellations elsewhere in Microsoft's lineup. The studio emphasized community input in shaping the sequel to address likes and dislikes from State of Decay 2 while expanding its ambitions. “We’ve been keeping a close eye on what you liked about State of Decay 2 and what you didn’t,” said Fitzgerald in a recent video. “We’ve read your feedback on Discord. We’ve watched your gameplay clips and live streams on YouTube. And through it all we’ve seen how powerful and tight-knit this community is. [...] It became clear the community is survival and that we need your help. And if you’ve made it this far, great.” The alpha playtest signals potential progress toward launch, possibly allowing early course corrections similar to other live-service titles. A larger reveal could come at Xbox's confirmed June showcase.