State of Decay (video game)

State of Decay is an open-world zombie survival video game developed by Undead Labs and originally published by Microsoft Studios. The game emphasizes community building, resource management, and stealth, rather than direct combat, as players attempt to survive in a zombie-infested rural environment.

Players control a selection of survivors, each with unique skills, attributes, and backstories. Permadeath is a core mechanic; when a survivor dies, they are permanently lost, forcing the player to adapt and utilize other community members.

The game revolves around establishing and maintaining a base of operations, scavenging for food, medicine, ammunition, and other essential resources, and undertaking missions to help other survivors and secure the community's future. Players must also manage morale, resolve conflicts within the group, and deal with the ever-present threat of zombie hordes and special infected variants.

The original State of Decay was released on Xbox 360 and PC in 2013. A remastered version, State of Decay: Year-One Survival Edition, was released in 2015 for Xbox One and PC, featuring improved graphics and all previously released DLC.

The game spawned a sequel, State of Decay 2, released in 2018, which further expanded upon the original's gameplay mechanics, including the introduction of co-operative multiplayer.