State of decay 3: zombie deer vanish, alpha test looms

Six years after its initial announcement and a trailer that promised a menagerie of monstrous creatures, State of Decay 3 is facing a reality check. The much-anticipated sequel, once showcasing a chilling image of a zombie deer devouring a wolf, will launch without any zombie animals—a concept now deemed unsustainable by developer Undead Labs. The revelation, delivered in a recent interview, has left fans wondering what happened to the ambitious vision initially presented.

The trailer: a pre-production dream

The iconic trailer, released in 2020, ignited excitement within the Xbox community. The zombified deer, a striking visual, signaled a departure from standard zombie fare and suggested a world teeming with mutated wildlife. But, according to Philip Holt, Head of Undead Labs, the trailer was a product of a far earlier stage of development—a “concept” created by Blur when the game itself existed primarily as a Word document. “There really wasn't a game or a game team when we were working on that trailer,” Holt explained to Sunny Games, highlighting the slim team—just four or five individuals—involved in its creation.

The shift in direction wasn’t a sudden decision. As the development team expanded and the game began to take shape, certain initially appealing ideas proved impractical to implement. “We’re just not doing zombie animals,” Holt stated plainly, a statement that, while pragmatic, undoubtedly disappoints many.

Beyond the beasts: snow and camping still on the table?

While the zombie deer are off the table, the interview also touched on other elements teased in the initial trailer. Fans remember the promise of snowy environments and camping mechanics. Sunny Games inquired about their fate, and while details remain scarce, Holt indicated that some of the original concepts will persist in the final product. The alpha test, slated for May, will offer the first opportunity for players to assess whether these promises hold true.

The development of State of Decay 3 has been a long and winding road. After six years of nearly 40 content updates for State of Decay 2, Undead Labs fully dedicated its resources to the sequel in September 2024. The team has also partnered with Obsidian, the studio behind Fallout: New Vegas, Grounded, and Avowed, to integrate a “shared world feature,” leveraging Obsidian’s experience with shared save technology to create a more flexible and dynamic online co-op experience. Microsoft hinted that this feature would allow multiple players to influence and shape the game world.

Undead Labs' journey hasn’t been without its challenges. The studio has faced allegations of a toxic workplace environment and a lack of clear direction, casting a shadow over the project's progress. However, the upcoming alpha test offers a glimpse of hope, a chance for players to witness the evolution of State of Decay 3 and judge for themselves whether the wait has been worthwhile. The lack of zombie animals might sting, but the potential for a truly open and evolving co-op world could ultimately prove to be a far more compelling feature.