Finally! A PC Zombie MMO for 2012 Fall Release!
Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaames….
New LA-based indie game developers Arktos Entertainment Group and Hammerpoint Interactive announced their debut title, The War Z, a session-based MMO designed for zombie and post-apocalyptic scenario enthusiasts. The War Z will be available for Windows PC this fall. I’m hoping for a pre-Halloween release, because…well, duh.
Senior game designer for The War Z Eric Nordin promises both a satisfying zombie and gaming experience: “The whole team is completely obsessed with the zombie culture as well as with post-apocalyptic games like Fallout, [and] since we started the design of the game, we have continued to incorporate new features that inspire us as we go. At the end of the day we want to ship a game that we want to play ourselves and we’re hoping that other gamers will recognize our passion and be excited about playing as well!”
The War Z throws players into a five-years running post-apocalyptic world, where a virus has royally screwed things up for humanity. Not only will zombies be a problem, but outlaw, nomadic survivors also pose a threat. Other players you may meet online could make things difficult too.
In a stroke of RPG-ness, players can earn XPs to acquire new skills. In-game spoils like cash and gold can purchase supplies at “safe-settlements,” which are reported to be few and far between. The online capability allows players to join servers as a group, or join online games already in progress.
Arktos and Hammerpoint released all kinds of sweet information for The War Z, which has this writer preemptively boarding up his windows and doors:
- Two modes of play: Normal (downed characters can be revived after “cool down” period) and Hardcore (death will be permanent)
- Ability to switch between first-person (FPS) and third-person (TPS) perspectives
- Huge maps ranging between 200 and 400 square kilometers
- Meld of PvE (player versus environment) and PvP (player versus player) gameplay
- Unique social elements, including bounties, rewards, help requests, trap setting, etc.
- Safe Settlements: safe cities within the world where players can purchase, sell and store items as well as post notes for other players
- Single purchase, downloadable client with ability to play full game without subscriptions or requiring in-game transactions
- Full developer support with regularly scheduled, free content updates
- Dedicated public servers as well as private servers that can be completely self-managed in game client
Closed beta testing is planned for the near future, and updates are being offered at http://www.thewarz.com, where buyers can pre-order and reserve a spot in the closed beta.
