State of Decay 3 Enters Alpha Testing Phase

Undead Labs has announced that State of Decay 3 will begin Alpha testing after a period of silence regarding its development. The news was communicated via the official website, marking a significant step forward for the highly anticipated title.

Alpha Testing Details Revealed

Initial playtests for State of Decay 3 will be limited, with plans for more opportunities throughout the year. Registrations are currently open for interested players. Undead Labs has not yet clarified whether Alpha testing will be available on PC, Xbox Series S|X, or both platforms, but further details are expected soon.

A new "Pre-Alpha/In-engine" screenshot was also released.

Franchise Co-Creator and Principal Art Director Brant Fitzgerald stated that a portion of the team has been developing State of Decay 3, while others focused on updates for State of Decay 2. Future Alpha playtests are anticipated to feature key gameplay elements, including 4-player co-op, new base building and resource strategies, and combat.

Project History and Development Journey

State of Decay 3 was initially announced in July 2020. Following earlier anticipation expressed by then-Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer, a report from Kotaku indicated development issues, including allegations of mismanagement and sexism.

The game later resurfaced with a gameplay trailer during the Xbox Game Showcase 2024, signaling renewed progress. Undead Labs subsequently announced the conclusion of post-launch support for State of Decay 2 to allow the entire studio to focus on State of Decay 3.