State of Decay 3 May Not Release On Xbox Game Pass

The day many have expected has come at Xbox, with thousands of people losing their jobs and multiple studios being divested from the company. One such studio is Undead Labs, the 17-year-old developer of the State of Decay franchise.

The studio will split from Xbox and continue under new ownership. And though the new owner hasn’t been revealed as of publishing, many have wondered what this means for State of Decay 3.

State of Decay 3 Is Still Coming

As part of the new deal for the studio to leave Xbox, funding for State of Decay 3 will continue through the game’s release. That said, there are questions about the game’s release.

When it was revealed, it was announced that State of Decay 3 will come to Xbox Game Pass. With the studio leaving Xbox, however, that’s no longer a certainty.

In his report on the layoffs at Xbox, Stephen Totilo of Game File says the deal for Undead Labs “calls for continued funding and eventual release of State of Decay 3 but will not obligate the game to any Xbox-controlling terms.” That includes, he says, the game being available on Xbox Game Pass.

There’s been no word on whether the new owners or Undead Labs will keep the game on Game Pass. A decision on that is likely to be announced later this year after the dust settles from the changes.

Do you think State of Decay 3 will still release on Xbox Game Pass? Leave your thoughts in the comments below, or join the discussion in the official Insider Gaming Discord.

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