
Indeed, it's a franchise that could well lend itself to the kind of set-up developer Telltale has with its Game of Thrones and Walking Dead franchises, where narrative-based games are released episodically. "Our goal is to build a long-term relationship with the State of Decay community and to foster deeper experiences with the franchise," says Aaron Greenberg, general manager of games marketing at Microsoft.

Pre-orders for both editions opens today, and if you get your order in before May 21 you'll also get some exclusive in-game goodies. The ultimate edition also includes a download token for a bonus copy of the console version of State of Decay: Year-One Survival Edition. For $50 though, you'll get the ultimate edition, which includes access four days ahead of general release, plus two add-on packs: "Independence" and "Daybreak" (both of which will be available at a later release date). The game launches as an Xbox Play Anywhere and Xbox Game Pass title on May 22, with the standard edition priced at $30. The game launches on Xbox One and PC, with two access tiers that suggest the State of Decay franchise is paving the way for the subscription gaming service that Xbox chief Phil Spencer has nodded towards before. As we revealed in our preview last year, the sequel takes "kill or be killed" to a whole new level, as you'll be heading up a team of survivors and ultimately deciding who lives or dies. State of Decay 2 is coming on May 22nd, and it's bringing a zombie invasion the likes of which players have never seen before.

Just when you thought you were safe, it's time to fight for survival again.
