The ultimate zombie-killing crossover is just around the corner, as “World War Z” has announced the release date for its upcoming collaboration with AMC’s “The Walking Dead.”
The co-op zombie shooter based on Paramount’s World War Z film will launch with TWD-themed DLC on January 29th on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store.
“The undead apocalypse collides like never before in World War Z x The Walking Dead DLC,” reads the update description from World War Z developer Saber Interactive. Featuring two thrilling stories, the voices of Andrew Lincoln and Norman Reedus bring back the fan-favorite characters. From prison to the Alexandria Safe Zone to Grady Memorial Hospital, you’ll fight for survival against a new version of World War Z’s infamous Zeke pack, inspired by The Walking Dead’s uniquely slow-moving but no less dangerous walkers.
The update was first announced in December, along with the news that the WWZ base game has surpassed 30 million players worldwide since its launch in 2019.
Watch Variety’s Q&A with Saber Chief Creative Officer Tim Willits about what’s included in World War Z’s upcoming The Walking Dead expansion below.
How did this partnership come about? It’s clearly a good fit genre-wise. So who started the conversation and when?
Since the launch of World War Z, one of our main priorities has always been to find new and exciting ways to support the experience for both new and returning players. I’ve always been a fan of AMC’s “The Walking Dead”‘s ability to subject Rick and the gang to uniquely horrifying scenarios from which they never seem to be able to escape. At Saber, we always thought The Walking Dead could be a great collaboration. We also know that fans have been asking for it since the early days of World War Z. So it was really just a matter of reaching out to the amazing team at AMC. We had a great conversation there, the stars aligned, and the rest is undead history.
What is the story of the DLC and how does it work for the established franchises of both “WWZ” and “TWD”?
We wanted to maintain the authenticity of both series, so we think we found the perfect balance between the fast-action Zeke and the slow-paced Walker. Delivered in an all-new three-mission campaign set in the world of The Walking Dead, players will tread familiar locations across iconic locations such as the Prison, Alexandria Safe Zone, and Grady Memorial Hospital. Choose from four survivors and their iconic weapons: Rick Grimes, Daryl Dixon, Negan, and Michonne. This is the first time World War Z’s iconic Zeke has been transformed into a walker, and it maintains fidelity to the TV show while making new changes to the game’s core mechanics that we believe will appeal to both Walking Dead fans and World War Z players.
Do you see this as an opportunity to bring TWD fans who have never played WWZ into the game? How is your partnership with AMC working towards that?
While World War Z is a horror classic in its own right, The Walking Dead is one of the most famous and long-running zombie infestations of all time. We’ve been working closely with our friends at AMC to showcase the best of both worlds and reach some Walking Dead fans who are perhaps unfamiliar with our game or haven’t had a chance to try it yet. What a great combination! With World War Z’s swarm engines and wall-to-wall zombie-killing brutality, everyone’s favorite Walking Dead characters face familiar horrors only they can. “World War Z” recently surpassed a new milestone with 30 million players playing our game around the world. We’re more excited than ever to bring this crossover content to not only them, but also brand new players to our game.
What DLC features are you most looking forward to?
There’s a lot to be excited about. Of course, defeating walkers with Michonne’s katana and Negan’s Lucille will be a new thrill. But there’s also a new special enemy: the Spike Walker. We’ve introduced some pretty nasty Zeke into the game over the years, but this latest variant is a more dangerous walker with significantly improved defenses. You need to strategically push it to the ground and perform a quick melee attack before it gets back up. At the end of the day, what I’m most looking forward to is seeing how players react when they get the chance to step into the shoes of these iconic characters and wield their legendary weapons in World War Z.
