Yesterday, Undead Labs announced that State of Decay 2 is set to receive a final free update soon, its 38th since the game’s launch. After that update, the Seattle-based developer will focus solely on the development of State of Decay 3. Update 38 will fix some long-standing bugs, add a few quality-of-life improvements, and, more importantly, it will permanently unlock all seasonal content.
Here’s an excerpt from the official FAQ posted on the game’s website:
- Q: Is this the end of State of Decay 2? What’s changing?
A: The next update, Update 38, will be the final content update for State of Decay 2, but it is not the end! Whether you’re an owner or you play on GamePass, the game will continue to be available. We just won’t be creating new content or supporting the game after Update 38. - Q: Why is now the time to stop updating State of Decay 2?
A: After careful consideration, we have decided to focus on making State of Decay 3 the best it can be for all of you. - Q: Will my [insert preferred feature or bug here] be fixed/implemented?
A: We listen to your feedback on support tickets and the Wishlist, but we can’t get to every suggestion. Rather, our goal is to implement those changes and fixes that help the most players, in an effort to make the game stable and fun for years to come. - Q: Will this affect my saved game(s) or saved communities?
A: No, your saved games and/or communities will not be affected. You will be able to keep playing normally for the foreseeable future. - Q: Are you sunsetting State of Decay 2?
A: No. We are stopping content development and developer support for the title. The game will remain available on all existing platforms and for all owners, and included with GamePass subscriptions. - Q: Will bounties continue to cycle?
A: Yes, the bounty packs from the Bounty Broker will continue to cycle automatically. You can see that schedule here.
State of Decay 2 was originally launched in May 2018. Back then, the game was fun but quite buggy and unpolished, as I noted in my review. However, the extensive post-launch support of over six years slowly made it into a much better game, so it’s a great time to start if you’ve been on the fence. As a reminder, the game is available on Game Pass (Undead Labs was acquired by Microsoft in June 2018).
As for State of Decay 3, the sequel was announced in July 2020. Back then, the game was in early pre-production. We just got a new trailer from Summer Game Fest, but it’s fair to guess it might be a 2026 title rather than 2025.
