Two major first-partyXboxtitles,State of Decay 3andPerfect Dark, may be gearing up to finally show gameplay within the next year.Xboxhas just held its annual summer game showcase where it debuted in-game footage from many of its highly anticipated first party games such asFable, Hellblade 2,andAvowed, as well as revealed new titles likeSouth of MidnightandClockwork Revolution. While the reveals satiated many Xbox fans, The Initiative’sPerfect Darkand Undead Labs’State of Decay 3weren’t present at the first-party extravaganza.
The third entry in Xbox’s zombie survivalState of Decayfranchise was first announced way back in Summer 2020. WithState of Decay 2releasing to subpar reception, this third title was looked at as an opportunity for the series to correct itself and possibly even move in a more cinematic narrative-driven direction. Now, after three years of radio silence,State of Decayfans are beginning to wonder when more will be shown off. The Initiative’sPerfect Darkreboot is in a similar boat. First revealed at The Game Awards 2020, the Joanna Dark stealth reboot has been hit with studio departures to the point where Crystal Dynamics, the studio behind theTomb Raiderreboot trilogy and Square Enix’slargely unsuccessfulMarvel’s Avengers, had to be brought in to help execute The Initiative’s vision.
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In an interview with Giant Bomb, Head of Xbox Game Studios Matt Booty provided a small bit ofinsight regardingPerfect DarkandState of Decay 3’s next possible appearances. Mentioning that he’s seen builds of both games, he pointed toward the next 18 months as the potential window for when fans might be able to expect to see gameplay deep dives from these games. Additionally, Booty talked about how the first party studios are aware that showing gameplay is the expectation, something VP of Xbox Games Marketing Aaron Greenberg laid out for fans a few days ahead of this year’s showcase.
“…we’ve seen builds of games at The Initiative, I know, just because [Undead Labs] are there in Seattle, what’s going on with State of Decay 3… So as I look ahead to the next 18 months in terms of what we’re going to be able to show and deliver and do that kind of gameplay [reveal], I’m cautiously confident.”
WithAvowedandHellblade 2likely to be Xbox’s first party headliners for at least the first half of 2024, it’s possible thatPerfect DarkandState of Decay 3could be part of the next wave of AAA Xbox titles after that, into 2025. With major first-party Xbox games now willing to show up at shows like Gamescom, The Game Awards, or evenXbox’s smaller Developer Directs, it wouldn’t be outside the realm of possibility for fans to begin expectingState of Decay 3orPerfect Darkgameplay at any of these future events, especially with Matt Booty’s comments taken into account.
Xbox’s ownHellblade 2was first revealed at The Game Awards 2019, then debuted its gameplay two years later at TGA 2021. SincePerfect Darkwas also revealed at The Game Awards, it could possibly return with gameplay if not this December, then maybe the next. After reports ofPerfect Dark’s seemingly troubled development, it’s nice to hear it’s still on track.
State of Decay 3andPerfect Darkare in development.
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