The State of Decay 3 closed beta will open to more players before the end of 2026, Xbox Wire confirmed on August 26, 2026. Candidates can already complete the official registration form via the official playtest page.
No session date has been announced. The selection criteria and number of available spots are also unknown.
Several beta waves are planned before the 2027 launch
Undead Labs plans several waves as the release approaches, with the aim of testing and refining the game. Its shared world and online multiplayer will support up to four people.
Players will gather resources, build bases and recruit survivors. Because of permadeath, every loss is permanent. Xbox Wire also discusses the combat, lighting, sound, weather, visuals and customization.
The release window remains unchanged
The playtests are scheduled to begin before the end of 2026, while the release remains planned for 2027. No launch day or month has been confirmed. The date August 26, 2026 is the publication date of the announcement, not a release date.
State of Decay 3 is already available to wishlist. The announced platforms are Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, cloud, Steam and PlayStation 5. Game Pass and Xbox Play Anywhere are also announced.
How to register for the closed beta
- Registration: free, but selection remains uncertain.
- Sessions: no specific date has been announced.
- Test platforms: the distribution of the waves has not been detailed.
- Release: planned for 2027, without an exact date.
After completing the official form, applicants will have to wait for a possible invitation. Undead Labs says that further opportunities will be offered throughout the year.
Read Xbox Wire's official announcement, the game page, Xbox news and the game catalog.
For more on this subject, also consult the State of Decay 3 game page.
Official sources
- news.xbox.com: Xbox Wire announces closed beta playtests before the end of 2026, free registration, the 2027 launch and the listed platforms; official publication on 2026-08-26.
- playtest.stateofdecay.com: the official registration page cited by Xbox Wire for applying to the playtests; no independent date is displayed there.
