State of Decay 3 Drops Zombie Wildlife, Focuses on Improvised Crafting and Scavenged Survival
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
Undead Labs confirms that State of Decay 3 will not feature zombie animals as seen in its 2020 teaser trailer, but developers are leaning into deeply detailed DIY crafting systems like weaponized tea kettles.
If you have been holding out hope for a zombie deer since the initial cinematic reveal of State of Decay 3, it is time to adjust your expectations. In a recent interview with YouTube Sunny Games, as reported by Julian Benson at Rock Paper Shotgun, Undead Labs studio head Philip Holt admitted that the famous 2020 trailer was made when the game was essentially just a concept on a Word document. With a real working build finally running, the team has confirmed that reanimated wildlife will not be part of the final experience, putting to rest one of the most memorable hooks from the game's early marketing.
While the wildlife is gone, the studio is leaning heavily into a post-outbreak setting where the world has been thoroughly picked clean. Players will no longer stumble upon pristine canned goods and boxes of factory-fresh ammo. Instead, survival hinges entirely on scavenging raw materials to bring back to your settlement for crafting. Holt highlighted a heavy focus on maker culture, noting that the team is designing intricate improvised weapons, including a whistle-rigged tea kettle designed to draw in the undead before detonating.
As we wait for the upcoming alpha test later this year to give us a better look at how these mechanics play out across PC and consoles, it is a good reminder to temper our expectations regarding early CGI showcase trailers. Undead Labs is clearly pivoting toward a more grounded, resource-starved survival loop than what was initially teased. You can read the full, detailed breakdown of the interview over at Rock Paper Shotgun.
Tags: State of Decay 3, Undead Labs, Survival Games, PC Gaming, Console Gaming
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun