Yesterday, Undead Labs announced that State of Decay 2 will soon be receiving a final free update, the 38th since the game’s launch. After this update, the Seattle-based developer will focus exclusively on developing State of Decay 3. Update 38 will fix some long-standing bugs, add some quality-of-life improvements, and most importantly, permanently unlock all seasonal content.
Here is an excerpt from the official FAQ posted on the game’s website:
- Q: This is the end of State of Decay 2What is changing?
A: The next update, Update 38, will be the final content update for State of Decay 2But it’s not the end! Whether you own the game or play on GamePass, the game will still be available. We just won’t be creating new content or providing support for 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 doing 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’ve heard your feedback on support tickets and the Wishlist, but we can’t accommodate every suggestion. Instead, our goal is to implement the changes and fixes that help the most players, in an effort to make the game stable and enjoyable for years to come. - Q: Will this affect my saved games or saved communities?
A: No, your saved games and/or communities will not be affected. You will be able to continue playing as normal for the foreseeable future. - Q: You are setting State of Decay 2?
A: No. We are ceasing content development and developer support for the title. The game will remain available on all existing platforms and to all owners, and included in GamePass subscriptions. - Q: Will rewards continue to cycle?
A: Yes, Bounty Broker reward packages will continue to circulate automatically. You can view this schedule here here.
State of Decay 2 was originally released in May 2018. At the time, the game was fun, but quite buggy and unpolished, as I noted in my analysis. However, extensive post-launch support over six years has slowly made it a much better game, so it’s a great time to jump in 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. At that time, the game was in early pre-production. We just got a new trailer from Summer Game Fest, but it’s fair to assume it could be a 2026 title rather than 2025.