According to GameSpot, Xbox Game Studios head Craig Duncan gave a positive but vague update on State of Decay 3 in a recent interview with GamesRadar+. Duncan, who visited developer Undead Labs multiple times in the last six to eight months, stated he has played the game and that it’s “coming on really well.” The zombie survival sequel was first announced in 2020, nearly six years ago, and has seen little public footage beyond a 2024 trailer. Duncan affirmed Xbox’s commitment to the franchise but avoided confirming when we’ll see it next, citing that PR would “murder” him for giving a date. For now, the game still has no release window.
The State of Development Hell
Here’s the thing: a “coming on really well” update after almost six years of silence is… something. But it’s not a lot. This is a game that was announced with a cool CGI trailer featuring a zombie deer, and then it basically vanished. In the meantime, Undead Labs faced a 2022 report alleging a problematic work culture, and Xbox has gone through a phase of canceling projects and shutting studios. So, the fact it’s still alive is genuinely notable. Duncan’s comments are clearly meant to reassure fans that, yes, this thing is real and Microsoft hasn’t lost faith. But you have to wonder, what’s taken so long? The jump from State of Decay 2’s janky charm to a true next-gen sequel seems to have been a massive undertaking.
Xbox’s Crowded and Quiet Slate
Now, look at the context. Duncan’s update carefully avoids promising anything for 2025. Instead, he talks about seeing “a lot more of it in the coming year,” which probably means another trailer or a showcase deep dive. And honestly, that tracks with Xbox’s painfully slow rollout. They’ve got a huge 2026 lined up with titles like Fable, Gears: E-Day, and the next Forza Horizon. So where does a mid-tier franchise like State of Decay fit? It probably gets 2025 all to itself for marketing, if we’re lucky. The silence isn’t just about development challenges; it’s about Microsoft’s absolutely packed and carefully staggered release schedule. They can’t have all their games talking at once.
The Zombie Game Landscape Has Changed
This is the real kicker. When State of Decay 3 was announced, the survival zombie genre had a certain shape. Now? It’s utterly transformed. You’ve got behemoths like DayZ and 7 Days to Die still going, but the social, base-building survival space is wildly crowded. The delay means Undead Labs isn’t just finishing a game; they’re potentially having to re-evaluate it against half a decade of evolution in player expectations. The pressure isn’t just to ship a functional sequel—it’s to ship one that feels necessary and fresh in 2026 or beyond. That’s a tall order for any studio, let alone one that’s had its own internal struggles.
So What’s the Verdict?
Basically, this update is a relief, but it’s not a cause for celebration. It’s the bare minimum—confirmation the project hasn’t been canned. The committed fans of the franchise will be happy to hear it’s still on the way. For everyone else? It’s a reminder of how glacially some of Xbox’s first-party projects move. Duncan played it and says it’s good. That’s promising! But until we see substantial gameplay and get a concrete release year, State of Decay 3 remains a zombie in the truest sense: technically undead, but not exactly living.
