The ultimate zombie-killing crossover is on the horizon as “World War Z” has announced the release date for its upcoming collaboration with AMC’s “The Walking Dead.”
Based on Paramount’s “World War Z” film, the co-op zombie shooter video game will launch its “TWD”-themed DLC Jan. 29 across PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.
Per “World War Z” developer Saber Interactive‘s description for the update, “Undead apocalypses collide like never before in World War Z x The Walking Dead DLC, a new campaign episode featuring three thrilling stories starring characters from AMC’s The Walking Dead – Rick Grimes, Daryl Dixon, Negan, and Michonne – with the voices of Andrew Lincoln and Norman Reedus reprising their fan-favorite characters. From the Prison to the Alexandria Safe Zone and Grady Memorial Hospital, you’ll fight to survive against new versions of World War Z’s infamous Zeke swarms inspired by The Walking Dead’s uniquely slower-moving but no less deadly Walkers.”
The update was first announced in December, along with the news that the “WWZ” base game had crossed 30 million players worldwide since its 2019 launch.
See below for Variety‘s Q&A with Saber’s chief creative officer Tim Willits about what is included in “World War Z’s” upcoming “The Walking Dead” expansion.
How did this partnership come about? It’s obviously a great fit, genre-wise, so who started the conversations and when?
Since the launch of “World War Z,” one of our main priorities has always been finding 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 put Rick and the gang through uniquely horrific scenarios that seem like they’ll never be able to escape. At Saber, we’ve always thought “The Walking Dead” had the potential to be a fantastic collaboration, and we know our fans have been asking for it since “World War Z’s” early days, so really it was just a matter of reaching out to the amazing team at AMC. We had some great conversations there, we got the stars to align, and the rest is undead history.
What is the storyline for the DLC and how does it work for both “WWZ” and “TWD’s” established franchises?
We wanted to preserve the authenticity of both franchises, so I think we found the perfect balance between fast-action Zekes and the slower-paced Walkers. Delivered in a brand-new, three-mission campaign set within the world of “The Walking Dead,” players will be treading familiar ground across iconic locations – the Prison, the Alexandria Safe Zone, and Grady Memorial Hospital. You can choose between four survivors – Rick Grimes, Daryl Dixon, Negan, and Michonne – along with their iconic weapons. This is the first time that “World War Z’s” signature Zekes have been transformed into Walkers, a new change to the game’s core mechanic that stays authentic to the TV show, which we think will appeal to both “The Walking Dead” fans and “World War Z” players.
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Do you see this as an opportunity to bring “TWD” fans who may not have played “WWZ” into the game, and how is the partnership with AMC working toward that?
While “World War Z” is a horror staple of its own, “The Walking Dead” is easily one of the most recognizable and enduring zombie-infested properties of all time. We’ve been working closely with our friends at AMC to showcase the best of both worlds and to reach some “The Walking Dead” fans that maybe aren’t familiar with our game, or haven’t had the chance to try it out yet. It’s a great combination; “World War Z’s” Swarm Engine and wall-to-wall zombie-killing brutality, with everyone’s favorite “The Walking Dead” characters facing down familiar horrors as only they can. “World War Z” recently crossed a new milestone, with 30 million players worldwide having played our game, and we’re excited now more than ever to bring this crossover content to them, as well as all-new players to our game!
What are you most excited about that’s included as a feature in the DLC?
There’s so much to be excited about. Of course, taking out Walkers with Michonne’s Katana and Negan’s Lucille is going to be a new thrill. But we’re also introducing a new special enemy: the Spiked Walker. We’ve brought some pretty gnarly Zekes into the game over the years, but this latest variant is a deadlier Walker with significantly heightened defenses. You’ll need to strategically force it to the ground and execute a fast melee kill before it gets back up. Ultimately, I’m most excited to see players’ reactions when they finally get a chance to step into the shoes of these iconic characters and wield their legendary weapons in “World War Z.”
From Variety US