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Undead Labs double taps plans for State of Decay multiplayer
State of Decay developer Undead Labs has been "thoroughly evaluating the possibility of adding co-op multiplayer" to the game and apparently determined that there isn't one. Co-op multiplayer was originally planned for the game, but ultimately scrapped as Undead Labs thought its inclusion could delay the launch of State of Decay for as much as half a year. An update on the developer's forums dashes all hopes that multiplayer might've someday made it into the Xbox Live Arcade hit. In an update on the forums, "Undead Jeff" explains that it would take close to nine months to get multiplayer into the game. "We could 'check the box' and shoehorn multiplayer in sooner than that, but it wouldn't be a great experience, and certainly not one we'd be proud of," he explains. On top of that, pursuing multiplayer would inhibit Undead Labs' ability to support the game with further title updates and DLC. As for future games, "Undead Jeff" says, "Multiplayer will be the absolute heart of any future State of Decay games. As many of you know, we've always had ambitious plans for the future of State of Decay, and those plans have not changed."
State of Decay tries again to please Aussie ratings board
State of Decay is up for re-review at the Australian Classification Board, and developer Undead Labs is "feeling pretty optimistic" about getting approval this time around. Going by a recent Facebook post, the sandbox horror's revised version says so long to stimulants, replacing them with "supplements." The ACB originally refused entry to the XBLA breakout hit because of its depiction of drug use, a matter Saints Row 4 fell afoul of, too. "Who could possibly not like vitamins? They're good for you," reads Undead's post. While it waits to hear from the ACB about vitamins that may well include A, C, and B, the Seattle-based studio is keeping itself busy with the game's upcoming PC version. However, Undead doesn't expect to share any news on that for a while yet.
State of Decay fights back with second patch
Undead Labs, developer of State of Decay, has issued another title update hoping to strip away some of the unsightly crud clinging to the Xbox Live Arcade game. The update is substantial, enabling a V-sync option designed to eliminate screen tearing. It also addresses pathing issues for zombies and soldiers in "The Armory" mission, improves analog stick sensitivity when aiming and squashes a bug that prevented story progression involving one of the survivors, Quentin. This second update follows a first attempt by Undead Labs to address some of the technical issues plaguing State of Decay. After its debut earlier this month, State of Decay has been quite the success, reaching 250,000 copies sold in its first 48 hours and eclipsing half a million in sales as of last week. An MMO sequel, codenamed Class4, has always been planned at Undead Labs, though it's currently stuck in limbo at Microsoft.
State of Decay refused Aussie classification, Saints Row 4 ban detailed
Runaway (and "Run away!") hit State of Decay has been refused classification in Australia. And here you thought these stories were done. "We've run afoul of certain prohibitions regarding the depiction of drug use," writes Undead Labs' founder Jeff Strain on the game's forum. "We're working with [publisher] Microsoft to come up with options, including changing names of certain medications in the game to comply with ratings requirements. Whatever our path forward, it's going to take a bit." Coincidentally, the apocalyptic world of Fallout 3 ran into the same drug-naming issue with the Australians back in 2008. After some editing, the game was suitable for distribution. "Microsoft is currently evaluating the options with regards to the title's classification," a spokesperson for the publisher told Joystiq. "The Australian Classification system plays an important role in ensuring that Australians can only access age-appropriate games and content." Strain acknowledged as much in his post, saying, "I know this is frustrating – believe me, we're frustrated too – but each country has the right to set its own rules about content, and it's our responsibility to comply with them. Rest assured we'll do everything we can to find a way to get the game into your hands."
State of Decay MMO sequel, Class4, in limbo at Microsoft
State of Decay developer Undead Labs can't begin working on its follow-up game, an MMO called Class4, until it agrees with Microsoft on a series of terms about future technology, support and goals, Undead's community director Sanya Weathers told Eurogamer. Microsoft owns the IP for Class4, following a deal that funded and developed State of Decay, Weathers said: "We cannot begin working on Class4 without a greenlight from Microsoft ... and a mutually agreeable contract." Undead is still talking with Microsoft about the specifics of Class4. State of Decay was originally called Class3, and Undead viewed it as the first step toward that larger MMO project, Undead founder Jeff Strain told us in 2011. "The minute-by-minute core of the game will all be there in Class3," Strain said. "The only thing it won't have is the massive player participation the sequel will have." Today, Weathers explained the negotiations with Microsoft regarding Class4. "We have to agree on where we think the technology is going to be in a few years (since the game will take a few years to develop); we have to agree that we have the same goals; and we have to agree on how we'll collectively run and support the final game," Weathers said. State of Decay is doing well – since its launch on June 5, it's been crowned the fastest-selling original game on Xbox Live Arcade, ever, with 500,000 sales. We found State of Decay's premise and vibe to be tense (in a mostly good way), but we ran into some technical issues that Undead is currently having problems patching.
State of Decay sells over half a million copies, update being re-patched
State of Decay has sold over half a million copies since launching on Xbox Live Arcade on June 5. This makes the Undead Labs developed game the fastest selling original title ever on Xbox Live Arcade, according to Microsoft. But everything isn't headshots and restful nights with State of Decay, as the game's first title update did experience some hiccups. XBLA Fans reports the patch on Friday night didn't do everything as intended. Undead Labs' founder Jeff Strain went to the company forums and said, "Reports started coming in that other bugs we had verified internally as fixed were apparently not fixed on the live version of the game." No word yet when that patch will be patched. The game is currently in development for a PC release on Steam. Strain says Undead Labs "just need to integrate with the Steam platform and add native support for keyboard and mouse control."
Undead Labs still negotiating with Microsoft on Class4 MMO
Undead Labs' latest game for Xbox Live, State of Decay, is a resounding success. The game moved over 250,000 copies in its first 48 hours of release, landing it the title of "Fastest Selling Xbox Live Game that isn't Minecraft." However, one successful game does not guarantee another, and Undead is still at the mercy of Microsoft when it comes to getting its next game off the ground. The studio is set to begin work on Class4, an MMO follow-up to State of Decay, but cannot proceed until Microsoft gives it the go-ahead. According to Undead's Sanya Weathers, none of this can happen until the two parties reach a "mutually agreeable contract." She also noted that the two companies must agree on the goals of the project and on where the technology will be by the time Class4 finishes its multi-year development cycle. According to Weathers, the discussion between Microsoft and Undead is "in progress."
State of Decay sells over 250k units in first 48 hours
Undead Labs' zombie survival simulator State of Decay sold "more than a quarter million copies" within the first two days of its availability on Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade platform, the developer announced on its official blog. "The only game that ever sold more on XBLA this fast was Minecraft," the update reads. "We are not just riding on this train, however! We're never going to stop pushing to make the best games we can. If you're wondering what we're working on to make this game even better, please check out Jeff's Title Update post." Said title update resolves several bugs and makes minor tweaks to various gameplay mechanics; it is expected to go live sometime next week.
State of Decay review: Don't stop
Don't stop or you'll die. This is the prevailing theme of State of Decay, Undead Labs' sandbox survival-horror game for Xbox Live Arcade. It's a game focused on the chores of survival in a post-apocalyptic world: scavenging for supplies in vacant buildings; trading with and aiding neighboring groups; comforting and managing emotional states of your own survivors; and, of course, dealing with the occasional zombie attack on your home. State of Decay is constantly pulling you in many directions, making it difficult to decide what mission you should take next or what resource you should hunt down. The deluge of missions, radio messages and scavenging cycles never stops, and the hostile nature of the environment itself hardly provides incentive for pause to soak in the scenery.%Gallery-190683%
State of Decay rises on XBLA June 5
Undead Labs' zombie game State of Decay is set to launch on Xbox Live June 5 for 1,600 MS Points ($20). The news comes via Major Nelson on Twitter, with Undead Labs confirming the date on its blog. No word on a date for the PC port yet. Undead Labs announced it was working on a zombie MMO in 2009. In early 2011, the company revealed a title codenamed Class3, which was positioned as an open-world zombie game targeting XBLA that would serve as a precursor to its announced MMO. In 2012, Undead Labs re-branded the downloadable game as State of Decay, which still retains its focus on survival mechanics in an open-world environment.
State of Decay pegged for June 5 release, according to GameStop
GameStop expects Undead Labs' zombie-packed Xbox Live Arcade survival horror game State of Decay to launch on June 5, according to a product listing obtained by IGN. The retailer lists State of Decay at 1,600 Microsoft points ($20), putting it in the same premium price range as big-name XBLA releases like The Walking Dead and Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition. Developer Undead Labs has not officially announced a price for State of Decay, and only divulged a nebulous "June" release date when a trailer launched last month. Undead Labs community director Sanya Weathers notes in a forum post that June 5 is the developer's launch goal, but a final release date has not been determined. "We have not completed certification," she explains. "Until we've completed certification, there is no date."
State of Decay gets new trailer, coming to XBLA in June
Undead Labs has announced a June release window for State of Decay on Xbox Live Arcade. The game, formerly known as Class3, features a whole mess of zombies and survival horror action. While State of Decay will come to PC in addition to XBLA, the release window announcement from Undead Labs only specifically notes that the Xbox 360 version will launch in June.The developer recently unveiled a new trailer for the game as well, which we've embedded above.
Learn to live in a State of Decay with Undead Labs' new survival guide
There's a lot to consider when you're stuck in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. Do you have enough food? Will your shelter hold up against the endless legions of undead? Do you have enough of that ammo that makes zombie heads explode? Thankfully, Undead Labs is here to help make State of Decay players' transitions to the post-apocalypse as simple as possible. The studio has released a day-by-day survival guide written from the viewpoint of characters within the game's universe. The guide provides a flavorful look at some of the features players will be utilizing to survive in State of Decay. Players will learn how to construct a defensible stronghold, how to scavenge for supplies, and of course, how to defend themselves against zed onslaughts. It's quite a read, but a very worthwhile one for anyone who would prefer to remain on the side of the living in the war against the undead.
State of Decay demonstrates the virtues of stealth
Pop quiz, apocalypse survivors: You desperately need to get into a nearby gun store to complete a mission, but it's surrounded by a small horde of zombies. Running through them and shooting your way in are both undesirable options, so what do you do? What do you do? In a short alpha video from Undead Labs, a State of Decay player instead uses tricks and stealth to achieve his goal. He tosses some fireworks from a nearby water tower, prompting the zombies to investigate and leave the scene. Following that, it's a quick dash in and out to trigger a job well done. You can watch this nail-biting footage after the jump, and don't forget to check out Massively's report on the game from PAX.
Undead Labs talks about guns in State of Decay
Today's official blog post about State of Decay is not about careful examination of different cultures. It's not about understanding what creates a zombie and how the sickness can be stopped. It's not even about the careful process of finding and maintaining your food supplies in the wake of societal breakdown. No, this is a blog post about guns. It is all about the weapons you will use to blow the undead into little bite-sized chunks of zombie. The centerpiece is a huge list of guns that players can expect to find and shoot in the game, each with varying properties and ammunition types. It's also meant to expand in the future. So there's no subtlety here, just deadly firearms and the promise of using them to mow down shambling zombies to ensure your own survival. What more could you really want? Aside from functional vehicles and a planet not crawling with monsters that want to eat your brains, of course.
PAX Prime 2012: Undead Labs' State of Decay
Everyone loves zombies, right? Apparently so because they're absolutely everywhere (like Miami, for instance), but we keep on lapping it up. Secretly, though, I think a lot of us are tired of the same old zombie games. After all, if you're one of the truly hardcore that has a zombie apocalypse plan that includes where you'll hole up, how you'll find weapons, what you'll eat, and so forth, it's a little disappointing that most games tend to focus solely on the zombie-shooting part of the zombie apocalypse (not that there's anything wrong with zombie-shooting). Undead Labs' upcoming MMO State of Decay might change all that. The game will take place in a persistent world where players are responsible for rounding up survivors, finding the necessary resources to build defenses and stay alive, and of course, fighting off the zombie hordes. Finally, those of you who have long debated the merits of going to the gun store vs. not going to the gun store in the event of an apocalypse can see whose plan works better. And what's more, at PAX Prime 2012, I got to sit down and play around with it myself, though not for nearly as long as I would have liked. Regardless, if State of Decay is on your radar -- and it should be -- then I'd be glad to tell you all about my 20-odd minutes with the title.
State of Decay is the new name for Class3
It's been a long time since we've heard anything concrete on Class3, the upcoming zombie XBLA game from Undead Labs. Well, that's probably because Class3 is dead – it's now called State of Decay.The latest trailer above reveals the new moniker, and also a new platform: the PC. Microsoft Studios is still publishing State of Decay, and while this new trailer seems counter to the low prominence of combat Jeff Strain promised us so many moons ago, we're just glad this project is still skulking around.
Undead Labs reveals State of Decay gameplay trailer
Undead Labs has been working in relative secrecy for going on two years now. All we knew about the firm's cryptically (and temporarily) titled Class3 was that it had something to do with zombies and that it was coming to the Xbox 360. Now, thanks to a new trailer, we know that the game is officially called State of Decay and it's also coming to the PC. Whether it's an MMO or simply a precursor to the rumored Class4 MMO is still undetermined. All that said, the trailer shows off plenty of open-world third-person shooting action, zombie-centric gore, and even a muscle car and the requisite rusty old pickup truck. Undead says that State of Decay is set in an "open sandbox world [that] develops in real-time" and that gameplay involves "designing and fortifying your home base." Click past the cut for the full video.
Undead Labs on making a believable zombie apocalypse
In their gory, gruesome office, Undead Labs' devs are hard at work figuring out the best way to disembowel you and turn you into a walking nightmare. So far it's going well, according to a new Q&A by CM Sanya Weathers. Weathers sheds some light on the difficulties of creating a zombie-infested world, particularly in relation to spawn points, mob density, and artificial intelligence. "It takes surprisingly smart AI to make zombie behaviors that are believably dumb," she writes. According to her, Undead Labs' Class3 will boast "thousands" of zombies, all of which will be able to react to sounds, light, and explosions. Weathers says that the game is in the final stages of pre-alpha production and we should be seeing gameplay footage from it soon. Other topics covered in the Q&A include player weapons, how to attract zombies, types of zombies, and a fast food joint called the Swine & Bovine.
Undead Labs hires community director, Class3 info forthcoming
With the rash of MMO-related job losses in recent weeks, it's nice to see the occasional blurb about a dev finding a new home. Former Dominus and Dark Age of Camelot community guru Sanya Weathers has landed at Undead Labs, where she'll be heading up -- you guessed it -- the community relations department. This is good news for fans of the firm's tentatively titled Class3 zombie MMO as well. As Undead Labs' Jeff Strain writes, "you don't hire a kick-ass community director if you have nothing to say."
