Undead Labs Confirms Closed Betas for State of Decay 3 This Year
The studio says broader playtests will stress‑test untethered multiplayer and large maps while ownership changes leave day‑one Game Pass plans unclear.
Overview
- Undead Labs announced on August 26, 2026 that closed beta playtests for State of Decay 3 will run before the end of 2026 and sign‑ups are open at playtest.stateofdecay.com for consideration.
- The studio will expand earlier alpha waves into larger beta tests to validate untethered multiplayer, its largest map to date, and how permadeath affects survivor communities.
- Alpha testing that began in April 2026 gave developers direct feedback on combat balance, lighting, visuals, character customization, and permadeath systems that are guiding current changes.
- Undead Labs formally separated from Xbox this month and Microsoft says it has found an unnamed buyer for the studio, a change that leaves State of Decay 3’s promised day‑one Game Pass inclusion unresolved.
- State of Decay 3 is targeted for a 2027 launch across consoles, PC and cloud with future platform details to be shaped by playtest results and the studio’s new ownership arrangement.