Skip to main content

The Walking Dead hits retail in one week

The Walking Dead door
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Telltale Games issued a verbose email yesterday officially announcing the release date for the upcoming retail iteration of The Walking Dead. The game, which is currently available as five episodic downloads on the Xbox Live Marketplace, PlayStation Network, iOS and Steam, will hit store shelves as a single, disc-based release on December 11. Unlike standard retail releases which commonly see $60 price tags, prospective players can pick up the entire first season of The Walking Dead for a mere $30.

If it seems like we’re trying to steer you toward buying this game/compilation, well, that’s only because we are. As Telltale’s email points out, we recently awarded the first season of The Walking Dead our first perfect 10/10 score. Additionally, we also published glowing reviews for each individual episode of the game as they were released on the various digital distribution platforms. In short, we adore The Walking Dead, and feel that everyone, whether they’re looking for deep characterization, traumatic horror or simply a bunch of ugly rotting corpses, will agree that The Walking Dead is one of the best video game releases in recent history.

The Walking Dead box artTelltale’s email also includes a reminder for true Walking Dead devotees to get their pre-orders for the Collector’s Edition in as quickly as possible. While this iteration of the release will set you back a sizable $70, it includes “an exclusive edition of The Walking Dead Compendium One: over 1,000 pages of Robert Kirkman’s original comic book, collecting the first 48 issues of Rick Grimes’ story.” Though the Compendium won’t cover the entirety of Kirkman’s run on the Walking Dead comic books to date, those 48 issues span the comic’s first five years — the same years in which it won its massive cult following (which, in turn, spawned both the video game we’re discussing and AMC’s Walking Dead television series). If you enjoy the dark, bleak atmosphere and complex characters of Telltale’s game, you’ll likely feel the same about Kirkman’s comics.

Oddly, Telltale seems to have struck up a deal with Best Buy on the disc-based PC edition of The Walking Dead. According to the email, Best Buy is the only place where you can buy the retail release on PC. This leaves consumers with little choice on where to shop, but on the upside, Best Buy is also the only place where you can find a “a Limited Edition cover variant for all platforms, along with an exclusive poster insert.” So that’s something, right?

Wherever you buy it, the point here is that once December 11 rolls around, no one should have an excuse for not playing this game. Now even those without internet connections can enjoy the haunting story of Lee and Clem, and those who’ve already enjoyed the game as a download can use this opportunity to play through the entire adventure again. If you do decide to replay the game though, keep in mind that attempting to be as terrible a person as possible will only make your soul hurt.

Editors' Recommendations

Earnest Cavalli
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Earnest Cavalli has been writing about games, tech and digital culture since 2005 for outlets including Wired, Joystiq…
The Sims 5: release date speculation, trailers, gameplay, and more
sims 4 for rent expansion pack shared living the 6

It's time to brush up on your Simlish if it's rusty because the long-awaited The Sims 5, aka Project Rene, is officially on the way. This has been the longest gap between main entries since the series began, and while we did get tons of expansions for The Sims 4 to hold us over, plus the change to it becoming free to play, we're more than ready for a new entry. Each time a new game in the franchise comes out, die-hard fans always need to have a bit of skepticism about what features will be there -- both new and returning.

We can't answer all your questions yet, but here's everything we know about The Sims 5.
Release date speculation

Read more
VR headset deals: Meta Quest 2 and VIVE XR
htc vive vs pro headphones

While VR may not be as big as was predicted back in the early 2000s when the original Oculus Go was released, there is still a considerable market these days, and some great VR games like Half-Life: Alyx that you can have fun with. Of course, VR headsets remain expensive, and while options like the Meta Quest don't necessarily require a high-end gaming PC, they can still be a bit pricey for those who just want to put a foot in the hobby. Luckily, there are some good deals you can take advantage of, even on some of the best VR headsets, so be sure to check out all your options below.
Meta Quest 2 -- $199, was $200

Even though the Meta Quest 3 came out quite recently, the Meta Quest 2 is still a pretty powerful contender, especially since it has a wider library and app support than the Quest 3 currently has. Even more so, the Quest 2 is a lot cheaper than the Quest 3, and with the latest permanent discount down to just $200, that's a whole $300 or so difference from the Quest 3. Of course, the Quest 3 does have more advanced AR and slightly better performance with software and Wi-Fi, but that may not be worth the extra cost for some. Either way, be sure to check out the breakdown between Quest 2 and Quest 3 to get a better sense of what you should pick up.

Read more
BlizzCon 2024 is not happening despite Blizzard’s strong 2024 lineup
A still from World of Warcraft The Worldsoul Saga's reveal tralier.

World of Warcraft, Diablo, and Overwatch maker Blizzard Entertainment confirmed that BlizzCon 2024 will not be happening.

BlizzCon was a convention that Blizzard Entertainment held almost every year between 2005 and 2019 to celebrate its games and make new announcements. The pandemic and hostile workplace allegations against Blizzard meant that no shows were held in 2020 or 2022 (2021 was digital-only), but BlizzCon made its grand return in 2023. We attended it last November and had the opportunity to speak with developers and learn more about Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer's first visit to Blizzard, upcoming plans for franchises like Diablo and Warcraft, and more. Although Blizzard never outright confirmed that it would hold BlizzCon in 2024, the event was expected to continue after its return last year.

Read more