State of Decay 3 Still Alive as Undead Labs Splits From Xbox
The studio behind State of Decay 3 has officially cut ties with Microsoft, going independent and employee-owned. IGN and Kotaku both reported the separation, which was finalized on September 22.
According to a blog post from the studio, Undead Labs is now a fully independent developer owned by its employees. Studio Head Phillip Holt stated, per IGN, that independence "brings us closer to our community and lets us focus on what matters most: making the best games we can."
The big news for fans is that the long-awaited State of Decay 3 is confirmed to still be in development. The studio says the zombie survival sequel is currently in its alpha stage. They are targeting a closed beta before the end of 2026 and a full launch in 2027.
When it does arrive, GameSpot reports the game will still launch day-one on Xbox Game Pass. It is slated for release on Xbox, PC, PlayStation, and the subscription service.
The move is part of a larger restructuring at Xbox that began this summer. Kotaku notes that other studios, like Double Fine, have also been spun off, while deals for Ninja Theory reportedly fell through.
See the photos at IGN
