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11 Overview
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33 Undead Labs is running a closed alpha playtest for State of Decay 3 that begins in May 2026. The alpha is the first time members of the public will be able to play State of Decay 3 in any form. The team has stated that more playtest waves are planned throughout the year, so missing the May wave does not mean missing every test.
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55 Quick Facts
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77 DetailConfirmed InfoSign-up OpenedApril 4, 2026First Wave BeginsMay 2026Sign-up Pageplaytest.stateofdecay.comSlot CountLimited; not all sign-ups will be selectedFuture WavesPlanned throughout the year, additional opportunities to comeCostFree for selected participantsTested FeaturesFour-player co-op, new base-building, new resource strategies, combat focus
88 What The Alpha Is Testing
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1010 The May 2026 wave focuses on four pillars: four-player online co-op with untethered movement, the new base-building system, new resource strategies, and a heavy focus on combat. It is described as a slice of these systems rather than a complete campaign experience, and Undead Labs has been clear that the build is a work-in-progress version meant to gather feedback.
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1212 How To Sign Up
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1414 Sign-ups are handled through the official State of Decay playtest portal. Players create or sign in with an Xbox account, fill in the playtest survey, and wait to see whether they are selected for a wave. Selection is not first-come-first-served beyond hitting the cap, and sign-ups remain useful for later waves even if a player is not picked for May.
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1616 What The Alpha Is Not
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18-The alpha is an early test of in-progress systems. It is not a demo, it is not a complete campaign, and it is not a final-quality build. Performance, stability, and content scope are all expected to evolve before launch. The April 2026 alpha announcement also clarified that elements from the original 2020 reveal trailer, including infected wildlife such as zombie animals, will not be in the game.
18+The alpha is an early test of in-progress systems. It is not a demo, it is not a complete campaign, and it is not a final-quality build. Performance, stability, and content scope are all expected to evolve before launch. Undead Labs has also clarified that elements from the original 2020 reveal trailer, including infected wildlife such as zombie animals, will not be in the game.
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2020 What Players Can Share
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2222 The terms of the closed alpha control what testers can publicly post about it. Players who get into the wave should read the official terms before posting clips, screenshots, or detailed write-ups. Embargo and streaming policies are set by Undead Labs and are subject to change between waves.
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2424 Status
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2626 Information on this page reflects the publicly announced details of the May 2026 wave as of May 2, 2026. Specific dates inside the May window, the exact number of slots, and the schedule for follow-up waves will be filled in as Undead Labs publishes them.