E3 2018: Undead Labs Joining Microsoft Studios

Fellow survivors,

Today at the Xbox E3 2018 Briefing, Head of Gaming Phil Spencer announced that Undead Labs, the studio behind the State of Decay franchise, is joining the Microsoft Studios family. The team at Undead Labs has worked in close partnership with Microsoft Studios since 2010, and we are now joining forces to take State of Decay even further.

Five years ago we released the original State of Decay for Xbox 360, a unique survival-fantasy game that broke many established rules of game design, including permanent character death. We hoped that players would enjoy feeling like they were playing a true survival experience, with real consequences, and we were humbled and excited when the game attracted a passionate and dedicated fanbase numbering in the millions.

On May 22, we launched the ambitious sequel State of Decay 2, deepening the survival-fantasy experience with a larger world, a more sophisticated simulation, a broader selection of base building and customization options, and the number-one fan-requested feature: co-op multiplayer. As with the original State of Decay, the game has developed a strong fanbase, with over two million players building communities, creating personal stories, and taking down more than two billion zeds within the first two weeks since release. We have been elated by the fan reception and look forward to continuing to support and enhance State of Decay 2.

This acquisition signals Microsoft’s and Undead Labs’ commitment to growing the State of Decay franchise and continuing to deliver the ultimate zombie survival experiences for fans, both those new to the franchise and those already dedicated to the community. On behalf of Undead Labs and Microsoft, I’d like to thank the fans of the game for giving us the opportunity to continue building the world of State of Decay.

Stay safe out there!

Jeff