Microsoft and Undead Labs will launch the zombie survival game State of Decay 2 later this month, and it’s shaping up to be one of the biggest games for Xbox this year. The game is also coming to PC, however, and players on that platform can sign up for access to a technical beta right now.
After signing in with your Xbox Live account on the State of Decay 2 website, you’ll be asked to complete a survey asking questions about your video game habits, your favorite games, whether you prefer single-player or multiplayer, and where you get your news, among other things. The signup survey also asks you to use the DirectX Diagnostic Tool installed on your Windows PC to accurately identify your system’s specifications.
“We’d like to mention that nothing is personally identifiable in this ‘dxdiag’ XML file that is generated by the Direct X Diagnostic Tool,” Undead Labs said in the survey. “We will use the information you send us to better understand the hardware of our most dedicated fans.”
Depending on where you purchase State of Decay 2, pre-ordering the game will net you some bonus items. These include the “Prepper’s Pack” from the Microsoft Store, which contains the “Grasscutter” blade and “Rhames V” truck. GameStop’s “SHTF Pack,” meanwhile, contains the “Zeddpiercer” blunt melee weapon and the “Brogan Rapscallion” hatchback vehicle. Best Buy and Amazon’s packs also each contain a melee weapon and a vehicle, and all four options come with “survival supplies” to help you out. For our money, we’d go for GameStop, as the Zeddpiercer looks like a brutal killing tool and the hatchback is a reliable and unassuming little vehicle.
State of Decay 2 can be played as a solo open-world game, but it’s best when enjoyed with three other friends in cooperative mode. The game supports cross-play, so those on Windows 10 and Xbox One can enjoy the game together, and it’s an Xbox Play Anywhere title, so buying a digital copy for one system will get you a copy for the other. If you have Xbox Game Pass for your Xbox One, you don’t need to buy it at all, as it’s included with your subscription on launch day.
State of Decay 2 hits Xbox One and PC on May 22.
