State of decay 3: zombie deer vanish, alpha test looms
Six years after its initial splash, State of Decay 3 is finally edging closer to player hands. But the vision teased in that striking 2020 trailer – a world overrun by zombie deer and other horrifying animal mutations – is dead. Literally. Undead Labs, the game’s developer, is walking back one of its most memorable early promises, a revelation that has left some fans feeling a bit…hunted.
The trailer was just a spark, not a blueprint
During a recent interview with Sunny Games, Philip Holt, Head of Undead Labs, explained the stark reality: the now-iconic trailer showing a zombie deer devouring a wolf was essentially a concept piece, produced before a single line of functional code existed. “No zombie deer,” Holt stated plainly. “That trailer, there really wasn’t a game or a game team when we were working on that.” He described a scenario of just four or five people, a nascent game existing primarily as a Word document, and the trailer crafted by Blur, a pre-rendered vision of what could be.
The initial spark of a world teeming with mutated fauna proved unsustainable as development progressed. The shift in focus, Holt implied, was a product of the brutal realities of game development—some ideas, however compelling initially, simply don't translate into viable gameplay. As the team grew and the game began to take shape, the allure of zombie animals faded.
Beyond the deer: snow, camping, and a shared world
While the zombie deer are gone, hope remains for other elements teased in that initial trailer. Sunny Games also pointed out the promise of snow and camping mechanics. Whether these will materialize remains to be seen, but the impending alpha test – slated for May – should offer a clearer picture of the game’s evolving features.
A significant development is Undead Labs' collaboration with Obsidian, the minds behind Fallout: New Vegas, Grounded, and Avowed, to craft a “shared world feature.” This aims to deliver a more flexible online co-op experience, building upon the foundation laid by Obsidian’s work with Grounded. The promise is a dynamic, player-owned world where multiple players can interact and shape the environment.
The shift to State of Decay 3 as the sole focus of Undead Labs in September 2023, following nearly 40 content updates for State of Decay 2, underscores the developer’s dedication to this ambitious project. However, the company has faced scrutiny regarding workplace conditions and a perceived lack of direction, casting a shadow over the development process.
The alpha test, arriving this spring, represents a critical juncture. Whether State of Decay 3 can live up to the initial hype—minus the zombie deer—and overcome the challenges it has faced remains to be seen. But as of now, the game’s future hinges on the feedback gathered from those brave enough to face the undead in its earliest form.