Payday 2 dev partners with Robert Kirkman for co-op Walking Dead game

By Adam Rosenberg Published August 13, 2014

The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman is partnering with Overkill Software, the team behind Payday 2, for a cooperative first-person shooter game based on the popular comic book series. Confirmation comes from Kirkman himself in a Steam Community post.

“I’m a huge fan of what Overkill and Starbreeze have been able to do with Payday 2,” Kirkma writes. “It’s just an amazing co-operative game and I’m excited to be able to announce that Skybound is partnering with Overkill to make a Walking Dead game. I’m happy to say that it’s the co-op game that all of the Walking Dead fans have been waiting for.”

Recommended Videos

Related: Payday 2 director leaves Overkill to found a new studio

If it really is “the co-op game that all of the Walking Dead fans have been waiting for” then it’s safe to assume that Overkill will borrow absolutely nothing from the dreadful The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct, which we’re pretty sure Activision threw together with duct tape and the blood of newborn infants. Seriously. That game was the worst.

Kirkman’s note links out to a Q&A with one of the devs at Overkill, who sheds a little insight on what’s being planned. There’s not much to go on right now. A vague mention of Washington falling in 2016, though it’s not clear if that’s a reference to just the game’s story or the release timeframe as well. The game is said to feature a mix of action, role-playing, survival horror, and stealth, with players working together as survivors as they explore The Walking Dead universe.

Related: Exploring Telltale Games’ plan to evolve modern storytelling

That’s the top-level stuff. The Q&A goes into very few specifics, but it gives a good sense of the studio’s attitude toward the game in the context of its other ongoing work. The only other key point worth mentioning here: Overkill will be announcing the platforms The Walking Dead will be available on at a later date.

You can learn more about the game on the studio’s official website and check out a nifty (if unsettling) audio piece that sets the tone for what’s to come on the original teaser page.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Previously, Adam worked in the games press as a freelance writer and critic for a range of outlets, including Digital Trends…

Gaming

Shadow Labyrinth, Pac-Man’s gritty Metroidvania, launches this summer

A giant monster shoots fire in Shadow Labyrinth.

Shadow Labyrinth, Bandai Namco's refreshingly gritty take on Pac-Man, is launching on July 18. First announced at The Game Awards 2024, Shadow Labyrinth isn't exactly what anyone expected for a new Pac-Man game.

Rather than the traditional, ghost-dodging and orb-eating gameplay, Shadow Labyrinth takes things a step further with exploration elements more in line with Metroidvanias like Hollow Knight. While the game is never explicitly described as such, all of the elements are there. You explore, fight enemies, and grow stronger by consuming fallen foes, and expand your abilities to go proceed deeper into the labyrinth itself.

Gaming

Rhythm Heaven Groove brings a cult classic series to Switch next year

Little aliens dancing in Rhythm Heaven Groove.

A brand new entry in the Rhythm Heaven series was announced during the March Nintendo Direct. Rhythm Heaven Groove is currently slated to arrive sometime in 2026.

The trailer for Rhythm Heaven Groove came late in the Nintendo Direct presentation and featured a set of charming characters walking along a path with basic instructions on how the game works. It shows off a little character jumping through hoops in time to the music to score points. The narrator hints that there will be more activities that you will do beyond jumping through hoops, but everything will revolve around pressing buttons on the beat. For example, we see glimpses of jumping cat dolls, birds flying, and a man using a giant hammer to flatten cans. Unfortunately for those who have been eagerly awaiting a new entry in the series, the wait will be a long one. This upcoming Switch game won't arrive until 2026.

Gaming

We just got some juicy new Pokémon Legends: Z-A details

Pokemon Legends Z-A Battle Zones

During the February 2025 Nintendo Direct, it was announced that Pokémon Legends: Z-A will launch in late 2025, although no specific date was revealed. Nintendo unveiled a new trailer showcasing some new information about the game, such as the baseline plot. Taking place in Lumiose City, the metropolis in Pokémon X and Y, the location is going through an urban development plan so that both people and Pokemon can coexist.

Wild Zones are areas where wild Pokemon can live within the city and can be caught. Some are hostile and may chase after you. Wild Pokemon aren't restricted to Wild Zones either, as they can be found in places like rooftop buildings.