State of Decay 3is one of the many upcoming games lacking an official release date at the moment. While the zombie survival title has been confirmed with a trailer, it’s unclear when developer Undead Labs and Microsoft are planning a launch. The excitement forState of Decay 3is palpable, but it also puts a rumored zombie game in a tricky position.
2024 was filled with plenty of rumors and leaks about various projects, but one that was particularly unexpected was the speculation of a newBack 4 Bloodgame. Despite there being no confirmation from Turtle Rock Studios yet, there is a lot ofcompelling evidence that points directly to aBack 4 Blood 4sequel. Only time will tell if these rumors prove true, but if Turtle Rock Studios is indeed working on a follow-up, then the uncertain release date ofState of Decay 3presents a challenging obstacle.
State of Decay 3 Could Bring the Rumored Back 4 Blood 2 its Biggest Competition
Back 4 Blood’s Multiplayer Focus Could Be Challenged
One of the biggest draws ofBack 4 Bloodwas the embrace of multiplayer gameplay, but this was a feature thatState of Decay 2players really enjoyed, too. According toState of Decay 3’s official Steam page, players can expect the return of multiplayer once again. While there are plenty of multiplayer games focused on surviving against the undead,Back 4 Blood 2andState of Decay 3potentially launching around the same timeframe while both featuring co-op could pit the two against one another unexpectedly.
This poses a significant issue for the potentialBack 4 Bloodsequel’s release strategy. While the firstBack 4 Bloodexperienced some solid success,theState of Decayfranchisemay have the upper hand with its fan base. Of course, as a spiritual successor toLeft 4 Dead,Back 4 Bloodhas benefited from the love of that series, butState of Decayhas become quite popular in the zombie genre in recent years. Potential competition between these two series would likely be neck and neck, soState of Decay 3announcing its release date sooner, rather than later, could help Turtle Rock Studios make a stronger release strategy for the rumoredBack 4 Blood 2.
Turtle Rocks Studios recently posted a job listing seeking a Senior Combat Designer, emphasizing experience with co-op and FPS shooter games. While this could be further evidence of aBack 4 Bloodsequel, it could also be a brand-new project.
Two Different Approaches to the Zombie Genre
Despite both focusing on killing zombie hordes, the two franchises have unique methods of adapting their worlds. Both have their benefits, and while the two have the potential to be competition, they attract different preferences. However,State of Decay 3boasts multiplayer on top of all of its other qualities, like base building, which could give it an edge againstaBack 4 Bloodsequelthat Turtle Rock Studios will want to avoid.
Since Turtle Rock Studios has yet to make any official announcement, this rumoredBack 4 Bloodproject could likely be in its earlier stages of production. Despiterumors ofState of Decay 3being pushed back, the potentialBack 4 Blood 2could still be a ways off. If that’s the case, then Turtle Rock Studios could have the benefit of capitalizing on the desire for more multiplayer zombie games as the hype forState of Decay 3begins to die down post-launch.
As of now,Back 4 Blood 2is mere speculation, but there are promising hints at a potential sequel. If a follow-up does see the light of day, it will be fascinating to see if it has to go head-to-head againstthe highly anticipatedState of Decay 3.
State of Decay 3
WHERE TO PLAY
State of Decay 3 is an open-world survival game set years after a zombie apocalypse nearly wiped out humankind. An evolving zombie threat is taking over the landscape and you need to carve out a life for your community of survivalist homesteaders.The choices you make affect in-game events and storylines, so be careful: if one of your community members falls to the zombie horde, you’ll lose that character and their abilities forever. Every risk must be weighed against the reward!With online multiplayer for up to 4 players, start a community together from scratch with your friends in a shared, persistent world. You’ll all be able to build, develop, and expand a base that reflects your designs and choices.
