Content overview: “Why State of Decay 3 Was Announced Early: Undead Labs' Strategy to Stay on Microsoft's Rad”. Undead Labs, the studio behind State of Decay 3, has transitioned from an Xbox Game Studios subsidiary to an independent, employee-owned company. Studio head Philip Holt revealed to The Game Business that the game was announced back in 2020 as a strategic move to protect the project during Microsoft's aggressive acquisition spree of major publishers like Bethesda and Activision Blizzard. Holt said the early announcement was 'a bit of a marker on the table' to ensure the game and studio didn't get lost or divested.
Despite the departure, State of Decay 3 will still launch on day one via Game Pass, which Holt credits for helping the franchise reach 25 million players. The move to independence allows Undead Labs to focus on profitability and sustainability, though Holt notes profit is not the top priority. This listing links straight to the original page, where the content is available in full.