State of decay 3's zombie deer? a premature promise, says dev
Six years after its initial announcement and a trailer featuring a rather memorable zombie deer, State of Decay 3 is finally entering alpha testing. But gamers eager to face off against hordes of undead wildlife will be disappointed: those zombie animals, including the infamous deer, are officially off the table. The news, delivered during a recent interview with Sunny Games, underscores the significant evolution – and some backtracking – in the game's development cycle.
The trailer: a glimpse of an idea, not a blueprint
According to Philip Holt, Head of Undead Labs, the trailer that initially sparked widespread excitement was created during a vastly different stage of development. “There really wasn’t a game or a game team when we were working on that trailer,” Holt explained. “It was so early. There were like four or five people. The game was in a Word document. There was really like the very beginnings of software.” The visuals, rendered by Blur, represented a conceptual exploration – a ‘what if’ scenario rather than a concrete feature.
The initial vision, while intriguing, proved unsustainable as the team grew and the game began to take shape. “As we’ve had a chance to build the team and get going on the game, some of those elements are going to persist,” Holt clarified, “and some of those things, we’re just like, yeah, we’re not doing zombie animals.” It's a stark reminder that even the most captivating trailers can be divorced from the realities of game development.
Beyond the beasts: snow, camping, and a shared world
While the zombie deer might be gone, hope remains for other elements teased in the original trailer. Sunny Games pointed out that the trailer also hinted at snow and camping mechanics, and Holt suggested these could still make an appearance. The alpha test, launching in May, will provide a crucial opportunity to gauge player feedback and solidify the game's core features.
Beyond individual gameplay elements, State of Decay 3 is aiming for a groundbreaking online co-op experience. Undead Labs has partnered with Obsidian, the studio behind Fallout: New Vegas, Grounded, and Avowed, to develop a “shared world feature.” This technology, already proven in Grounded, will allow multiple players to inhabit and shape a persistent online world – a significant departure from the traditional co-op models seen in the survival genre.
The development hasn't been without its challenges. Undead Labs shifted its sole focus to State of Decay 3 in September 2023, ending support for State of Decay 2 after releasing nearly 40 content updates over six years. Furthermore, the studio has faced allegations of a toxic workplace environment and a lack of clear direction, adding another layer of complexity to the game’s journey.
The alpha test represents a critical juncture for State of Decay 3. Will the game live up to the initial promise, or will it evolve into something entirely different? The answer, for now, remains elusive. But one thing is clear: the zombie deer, a symbol of the game's early ambitions, has become a casualty of the development process.