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State of Decay 3 Opens May Alpha Tests as Studio Clarifies 2020 Trailer Was Concept

Player feedback now drives the next phase after years of quiet progress.

Overview

  • Undead Labs has opened sign-ups for May 2026 alpha playtests that promise four-player co-op, new base-building and resource systems, and heavy combat.
  • Studio head Philip Holt said the 2020 reveal was a pre-rendered concept by Blur made when the project was only a Word document with a team of four or five people.
  • Holt confirmed that zombified animals shown in the teaser will not be in the game, addressing long-running fan expectations about the “zombie deer.”
  • The tests will run on server-based multiplayer that lets co-op partners make changes even when the original save owner is offline.
  • No release date is set, and the move to public tests marks a shift from early marketing hype toward community-shaped development on PC and Xbox Series X|S.