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PAX South 2015: Moonrise and State of Decay shine at the Undead Labs booth
Most media appointments at an event like PAX South 2015 work like this: You meet the person you're supposed to meet, that person shows you the game her studio is working on, and then you rush off to the next booth on your list while cursing yourself for not scheduling time for a snack. Undead Labs handled my PAX appointment a bit differently, sitting me down for back-to-back play sessions with brand-new tablet game Moonrise and a remastered version of State of Decay, the zombie survival game that put the studio on the map. It was a little jarring to go from adorable pet battles to being torn in half by a zombie, but the two-for-one session provided a nice glimpse of where Undead Labs has been and where it intends to go.
Get prepped for State of Decay: Year One on Xbox One in April
State of Decay: Year One Survival Edition fights for more life on Xbox One starting April 28 in North America, with other countries joining the party on May 1. Microsoft confirmed the game's US price is $30, while owners of the Xbox 360 original can get a 33 percent discount off the Xbox One version up until June 30. The 1080p Xbox One edition of Undead Labs' zombified survival horror comes with add-on packs Breakdown and Lifeline, as well as new content. It's also just part of the developer's "multi-year, multi-title" agreement with Microsoft.
State of Decay Xbox One edition hits in 2015, 1080p
And other numbers. State of Decay: Year-One Survival Edition is heading to Xbox One in spring 2015. The game includes the add-on packs Breakdown and Lifeline, plus new content, and all of it running in 1080p. In January, State of Decay developer Undead Labs announced it had signed a "multi-year, multi-title agreement" with Microsoft Studios. [Image: Microsoft]
PAX Prime 2014: State of Decay takes steps toward something larger
Down at Undead Labs' new studio in Seattle, there is evidence of one low-tech approach to development. It's a very large, flat table that designers use to playtest pen-and-paper games that they create on the spot. By playing back and forth, organic brainstorming occurs and allows for refinement to the systems before precious time is wasted on coding failed ideas. It's this kind of iterative approach that led the team to refining its hit title State of Decay. Today, Undead Labs announced that it will be releasing a new version of the game, called State of Decay: Year-One Survival Edition in the spring of next year on the Xbox One and Steam. Not only will this package in the original game and all of its DLC, but it will benefit from a jump to 1080p visuals, better animations, and immersive environmental effects. Additionally, characters from the Lifeline DLC will be made playable in the original content. It's not the MMO announcement that we might be hoping for on Massively, but it's not a dismissal of that either. The team made a strong point of saying that this was the first step into the next generation and that this edition of the game would be laying down the foundation for the future of the franchise. Massively's on the ground in Seattle during the weekend of August 29th to September 1st, bringing you all the best news from PAX Prime 2014. Whether you're dying to know more about Warlords of Draenor, The Elder Scrolls Online, Landmark, or any MMO in between, you can bet we'll have it covered!
State of Decay dev unveils mobile, multiplayer RPG Moonrise
Undead Labs' next project departs the open-world, zombie apocalypse of State of Decay in favor of optimistic, dreamy fantasy and Pokemon-style companions. Dubbed "Moonrise," the multiplayer, mobile roleplaying game centers on the titular Moonrise, an event that causes creatures known as Solari to turn from humanity's peaceful pals to murderous beasts known as Lunari. As a Warden, it's your job to defeat the Lunari (which, helpfully, turns them back into Solari and adds a new ally to your cause). If you get bored of beating on computer-controlled critters, you can also use your squad of loyal Solari to battle other Wardens via online multiplayer. Undead Labs plans to launch a Moonrise beta test on iPhone, iPad and Android devices this Fall. Assuming all goes to plan, Moonrise will make its official debut in "early 2015." [Image: Undead Labs]
State of Decay 'Lifeline' DLC surges to life on May 30
State of Decay's "Lifeline" DLC is due out on May 30 for $7, Undead Labs announced this week. The DLC is in certification now, and "if all goes well," it'll hit on May 30 alongside the "Rucks in Trucks" Title Update. Lifeline places a squadron of soldiers on a new, zombie-infested map, where they must take down the undead, protect their base and rescue survivors. The map is a concrete jungle and former city center, complete with skyscrapers, freeway tunnels and overpasses, and helicopter pads. The Rucks in Trucks Title Update lets players throw a sack of things into the back of a vehicle and drive it away. Undead went into the gritty details of Rucks in Trucks back in March. [Image: Undead Labs]
Gears of War, Fable and Forza fair game for TV shows
Having announced its first lineup of Xbox Originals, a brand of exclusive television shows made for Xbox platforms, Microsoft is highlighting Gears of War, Fable and Forza Motorsport as potential sources slash victims of adaptation in the future. Speaking to press in San Francisco last week, Vice President of Xbox Entertainment Studios Jordan Levin named a few games that "most immediately come to mind" for a stint in television. Unlike the popular Halo series of first-person shooters, which is already confirmed for a television show and an upcoming feature, these projects are at a stage of "exploratory conversation" and may ultimately go nowhere. Games being explored so far include historical strategy game Age of Empires, zombie survival sim State of Decay, Forza Motorsport, the vibrant Fable series and bulky-men-vs-monsters shooter, Gears of War. If those exploratory conversations last long enough, there's a chance someone will see the potential in combining these intellectual properties into a filmed super-property. Who wouldn't watch a show about zombies overrunning the stone age, or a Ferrari F12 Berlinetta covered in chainsaws and driven by a man in a chicken suit? [Image: Microsoft]
The Daily Grind: Did you reconnect with any games thanks to PAX East?
Now that PAX East is winding down, it seems as good a time as any to take stock of the news coming from this year's convention. On a personal level, I was excited to hear about the (eventual) MMOification of one of my favorite games. I also enjoyed catching up with Guns of Icarus, an indie title already holding its own and with its eyes on a larger persistent world prize. What about you, Massively readers? Did you glean any useful nuggets from PAX East or perhaps rediscover a game you'd not thought about in a while? Massively's on the ground in Boston during the weekend of April 11th to 13th, bringing you all the best news from PAX East 2014. Whether you're dying to know more about WildStar, Landmark, or any MMO in between, we aim to have it covered!
PAX East 2014: State of Decay eyes multiplayer, stays offline
The ground is fairly littered with zombie games of some sort these days. That isn't meant as a mark against Undead Labs' State of Decay, but it does raise questions of focus. How do you make a zombie game more unique? According to the studio's Jeff Strain at this year's PAX East, you focus upon building at the community level rather than individual survival. While games like DayZ focus on the personal, State of Decay is much more focused on the idea of putting society as a whole back together and trying to accumulate resources and structures for survivors as a whole. Of course, most of our readers are more interested in what comes next, specifically Class4. That's the proposed sequel to State of Decay, previously codenamed Class3; it's meant to be a full MMO according to previous statements, a game in which you can worry about rebuilding not just a local community but the world as a whole. And Undead Labs certainly isn't hurting for talent that's familiar with online games, especially with the acquisition of ArenaNet co-founder Patrick Wyatt in January. So what's happening?
State of Decay 'Lifeline' expansion digs up a new map
State of Decay's second expansion pack, Lifeline, is in the internal testing process at Undead Labs. There's no launch date yet, but it includes a new map and the team is currently putting it through its paces on Steam, Community Director Sanya Weathers says on the Undead blog. "We're not yet ready to discuss features or make promises," Weathers says. "All we can tell you is that it will offer you a new way to play your favorite survival game, that we intend to launch on PC and the Xbox 360 at the same time, and that yes, it will broaden your horizons by a few kilometers. Fine, I'll say it straight up: There's a new map, okay?" Undead launched State of Decay's first expansion, Breakdown, in November. In January, Undead extended its relationship with Microsoft Studios in a "multi-year, multi-title" agreement, and it hired ArenaNet founder and MMO developer Patrick Wyatt. [Image: Undead Labs]
Joystiq Tiny Streams: State of Decay and the art of woodsy zombie survival
Welcome back to Joystiq Tiny Streams, our new series of bite-size streams wherein the Joystiq staff takes you on a brief tour of what they're playing. Today's stream comes from one Xav de Matos, who decided to dig into a little State of Decay. Undead Labs' open-world survival game fits right in line with Xav's Four in February horror picks, so it's best to think of his early exploration here as training for the month ahead (as well as training for the zombie apocalypse). If you'd like to check out the full stream, head over to Xav's Twitch channel, and you can watch full Joystiq Streams from our Twitch channel as well. For more Tiny Streams, tune back in every Monday and Friday at 4PM EST right here on Joystiq. [Images: Undead Labs]
State of Decay developer hires MMO veteran Patrick Wyatt
En Masse Entertainment and NCsoft West alumnus Patrick Wyatt has joined up with State of Decay developer Undead Labs to assist the team with upcoming projects. Previously, Wyatt oversaw design and development of TERA's game publishing platform, helping to launch En Masse's MMORPG in 2012. Wyatt additionally developed core server and network platform technology for Guild Wars during his time with ArenaNet, a studio he co-founded before it was purchased by NCsoft West in 2002. Wyatt's role within Undead Labs has not been disclosed, but he may assist in developing Class4, an MMO project that stalled last year during the studio's negotiations with Microsoft. Undead Labs later signed a multi-year contract with Microsoft Studios, suggesting the project may be back on track.
ArenaNet co-founder heads to Undead Labs
Undead Labs announced today that it has hired Patrick Wyatt, co-founder of ArenaNet and co-creator of the original Guild Wars. Wyatt, who left ArenaNet in 2008, joins fellow Guild Wars co-creator Jeff Strain at the State of Decay studio, which has not been shy about its intention to build a zombie-themed MMO. State of Decay, codenamed Class3, launched in 2013 and was confirmed by the studio as a test run for an eventual MMO release, codenamed Class4. Here's Strain on the announcement: Today, I'm very happy to announce that Patrick has joined Undead Labs, and will be working shoulder-to-shoulder with Team Zed as we dive into the development of...well, what's next, and beyond. Undead Labs recently struck a multi-game agreement with Microsoft, paving the way for the studio to continue work on the Class4 project.
State of Decay dev extends relationship with Microsoft Studios
Undead Labs, developer of the runaway zombie hit State of Decay, has signed a "multi-year, multi-title agreement" with Microsoft Studios. "We'll be able to share details later this year, but as with State of Decay, we think it's best if we just keep our heads down and build some prototypes before we talk too much," said company founder Jeff Strain on the Undead Labs blog. "For now, suffice it to say there are big things going on with State of Decay." So, the obvious guess here would be a version of State of Decay for Xbox One à la DayZ. But is that too obvious?
Undead Labs says 'big things are going on with State of Decay'
Is Undead Labs working on its long-rumored State of Decay MMO? Maybe so and maybe no, but the company is working on something big according to founder Jeff Strain's latest blog post. "We'll be able to share details later this year," he writes, "but as with State of Decay, we think it's best if we just keep our heads down and build some prototypes before we talk too much. For now, suffice it to say there are big things going on with State of Decay. Strain also intimates that whatever it is will take quite a while. "It's been a long haul from the original vision to this point, and the road ahead of us will take years to travel. We hope you're up for the trip, because we can't do it without you," he says.
Ask Massively: Giveaways, zombies, and capturing the spirit of Ultima Online
This week in Ask Massively, we're answering questions about eerily quiet games, giveaways, and capturing the spirit of classic sandboxes and The Walking Dead. Holden asked, "Why has Perpetuum dropped off the map? I never hear about it anymore. The only time I even remember it is when I am doing searches for (more) robot/mech desktop wallpapers. Once monoclegate blew over, it was as if Perpetuum fell of the face of the earth, but it seems that it is still around from glancing at the website." This was such a good question that we went digging for an answer before we even added it to Ask Massively. It had been a long time since we'd reported on Perpetuum because it had been a long time since Perpetuum had made a big splash in the news. Readers speculated that the game's playerbase has shrunk over the last two years, but in fact over the winter holiday, developer Avatar Creations posted a dev blog detailing plans for a newbie tutorial island intended to bolster the new player population. Hopefully Holden and other fans of the game will enjoy this "island of noobs" (Avatar's words, not mine!).
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Seven zombie-infested MMOs for the survivalist in you
Let's talk zombies and post-apocalyptic futures. Sure, the undead have become an overused and watered-down genre, but it's easy to see just why it's so successful -- it practically has something for everyone. The horror fans love it for obvious reasons; there's nothing scarier than the reanimated dead. Sandbox fans and survivalist maniacs love that it represents what happens to society when everything -- and I mean everything -- breaks down. MMO fans adore it because it's all about teamwork and developing a society from the ground up alongside other people. So even though the genre is getting spread a bit thin, it's still as promising as any other. I thought it'd be a good idea to round up many of the current zombie MMOs and pseudo-MMOs so that over the holidays you can celebrate by ignoring your family to bash in a few previously deceased skulls. You can thank me later when all of the training you receive while playing these games helps you survive the coming zombie apocalypse.
Perfect Ten: Why we need more post-apocalyptic MMOs
With the recent re-release of the 1988 classic RPG Wasteland and the development progress of Wasteland 2, my mind's swimming in post-apocalyptic wonderment these days. Aside from those titles and the insanely popular Fallout series, post-apoc hasn't proven to be as popular a setting for games as it is in, say, film, TV, and novels. And when it comes to MMOs, the only major effort that's been made to produce a similar title has been limited to Fallen Earth (and in a lesser sense, Defiance and Xsyon). Now, I love me some Fallen Earth, especially as of late, but every time I log in it makes me think of just how rich and fertile this setting is for MMO studios. Considering just how rampant fantasy titles are, I feel strongly that devs need to be exploring outside this well-trod path to other genres, and the post-apocalypse is a perfect place to start. Here are my reasons that we need more post-apoc MMOs, and no, I'm not going to list "rampant prostitution and drug use" because that would also apply to a Los Angeles MMO.
State of Decay's first expansion coming Black Friday
The zombie-riffic survival game State of Decay, just recently available to PC players in the Steam library, is getting its first ever DLC expansion in time for a Black Friday shopping spree. Undead Labs has announced that Breakdown will go on sale November 29th for $6.99 on both Steam and XBLA. Players who purchase the expansion can expect more difficulty along with new achievements and new weapons as they dive into new playable survivors. This expansion also promises less story and more survival; sounds a little bit like Black Friday, no? Check out the action in the new Breakdown trailer below.
State of Decay: Breakdown feeds November 29
State of Decay's first bite of downloadable content, Breakdown, will be ready to run on November 29. Separate from the expansion, the game's Title Update 4 will also be added the same day. It includes bug fixes and a new loot distribution system. "Our first expansion comes largely from you and your dreams. Less story, more survival. Long-term survival," wrote Undead Labs' Sanya Weathers in the announcement post. "More difficulty. New achievements, survivors, and weapons." For Steam users, the fully remappable keybind feature will be available a few days before the November 29 launch. Breakdown is priced at $6.99.
