Undead Labs
Undead Labs is a Seattle-based AAA game studio and Microsoft subsidiary that develops the State of Decay survival franchise for Xbox, PC, and PlayStation 5, serving over 10 million cooperative multiplayer gamers worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersSeattle, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Undead Labs does
Undead Labs is a Seattle-headquartered video game development studio founded in 2009, operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation within Xbox Game Studios. The studio builds and maintains the State of Decay franchise — a series of open-world cooperative survival games set in post-apocalyptic zombie environments, with State of Decay (2013, Xbox 360), State of Decay 2 (2018, Xbox One/Windows/Game Pass), and the upcoming State of Decay 3 (2027, Xbox Series X|S/PC/PlayStation 5/Game Pass). The franchise has accumulated over 10 million players and is distinguished by community-survival mechanics, randomized permadeath survivors, base-building, and four-player cooperative multiplayer. State of Decay 3 is built on Unreal Engine 5 and introduces a world map four times larger than its predecessor, Plague Nests (dynamic enemy hubs), an overhauled combat system with weapon variation, and a Shared Worlds feature allowing persistent multi-settlement multiplayer without host dependency. The studio operates from three US offices — Seattle (headquarters), Champaign, IL, and Orlando, FL — with 51-100 employees distributed across these locations. Revenue is generated through one-time game license sales across Xbox Store, Microsoft Store, PlayStation Network, and physical retail, supplemented by Xbox Game Pass subscription distribution. The go-to-market motion is community-driven, leveraging Discord, social media, Xbox Games Showcase reveals, and alpha playtest recruitment to build word-of-mouth momentum ahead of launch. Undead Labs is wholly owned by Microsoft with no external shareholders or disclosed funding, and its strategic direction is shaped in part by ongoing Xbox division restructuring emphasizing fewer, higher-quality flagship franchises.
Undead Labs firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Undead Labs
- Legal name
- Undead Labs
- Website
- https://undeadlabs.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Undead Labs is a Seattle-based AAA game studio and Microsoft subsidiary that develops the State of Decay survival franchise for Xbox, PC, and PlayStation 5, serving over 10 million cooperative multiplayer gamers worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Undead Labs industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Video Game Development / Action-Adventure Survival Games
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (51321)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Indie Game Studios (MPAFAAAC)
Keywords
Where Undead Labs is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seattle
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Undead Labs business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Game Sales (One-Time License): State of Decay 3 will be sold as a standalone purchase on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PlayStation 5 at retail price, representing traditional one-time license revenue for major game releases.
- Xbox Game Pass Subscription: State of Decay 3 will be available on Xbox Game Pass, allowing subscribers to access the game as part of Microsoft's subscription service, generating revenue through monthly/annual subscription fees.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Undead Labs product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Undead Labs is a video game development studio that designs and publishes the State of Decay franchise—an open-world cooperative zombie survival game series emphasizing community management, base-building, permadeath survivor mechanics, and shared multiplayer worlds. The studio self-publishes its titles on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Game Pass under the Xbox Game Studios / Microsoft umbrella.
Product overview
Undead Labs is a game development studio that has built the State of Decay franchise—a series of survival-fantasy games centered on post-apocalyptic zombie survival experiences. The franchise consists of State of Decay (2013), State of Decay 2 (2018), and the upcoming State of Decay 3 (expected 2027). The games emphasize community survival mechanics, cooperative multiplayer, base-building, resource management, and persistent consequences for player actions. The studio operates as part of Xbox Game Studios with studios in Seattle, WA, Champaign, IL, and Orlando, FL.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- State of Decay Original survival-fantasy game released in 2013 on Xbox 360. Players navigate a post-apocalyptic world requiring ingenuity, adaptability, perseverance, and collectivism with enduring consequences for their actions.
- State of Decay 2 Second installment in the survival-fantasy franchise, launched in 2018 on Xbox One, Windows, and Xbox Game Pass. The game has amassed a fan base of over 10 million players.
- State of Decay 3 Upcoming third installment in the State of Decay franchise, powered by Unreal Engine 5. Features a world map four times larger than State of Decay 2, Plague Nests (dynamic enemy hubs), new weapon variation mechanics, and shared worlds co-op functionality. Scheduled for 2027 release on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Game Pass.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 10 million franchise players accumulated across State of Decay and State of Decay 2
Companies that use Undead Labs
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Undead Labs technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Undead Labs partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Microsoft / Xbox Game StudioscoreUndead Labs is one of the Xbox Game Studios, operating as a subsidiary of Microsoft. The studio develops the State of Decay franchise under Microsoft's umbrella, with access to Xbox Game Pass distribution, Microsoft development resources, and Xbox platform integration. The partnership provides funding, platform distribution, and corporate support while allowing the studio to maintain independent creative direction.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Undead Labs competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Techland: Polish game developer of the Dying Light franchise, a leading survival-action IP with cooperative open-world gameplay. Highly comparable to Undead Labs given its focus on zombie/survival co-op open worlds and ongoing franchise expansion.
- Behaviour Interactive: Montreal-based studio behind Dead by Daylight, an asymmetric survival multiplayer title. Comparable as a studio operating a long-running, content-supported survival multiplayer franchise with a sizable engaged community.
- Endnight Games: Independent developer of The Forest and Sons of the Forest, survival-craft games with co-op multiplayer. Comparable as a smaller focused studio building survival open-world titles with cooperative play.
- Klei Entertainment: Developer of Don't Starve and Grounded, survival games with distinctive art direction and cooperative multiplayer. Comparable in studio scale, focus on survival systems, and sustained franchise output.
- Funcom: Norwegian developer and publisher of Conan Exiles, an open-world survival multiplayer title. Comparable as a publisher/developer with a live-ops survival multiplayer franchise on multiple platforms.
Broad incumbents
- Playground Games: Microsoft-owned Xbox Game Studios developer behind Forza Horizon and the Fable reboot. Comparable as a sibling Microsoft first-party studio operating AAA franchises with multiplatform ambitions under the Xbox umbrella.
- The Coalition: Microsoft-owned Xbox Game Studios developer of the Gears of War franchise. Comparable as a sibling Microsoft first-party studio focused on a single flagship action franchise with console-first releases.
Emerging players
- Frictional Games: Independent developer of Amnesia and SOMA, focused on horror/survival narrative experiences. Comparable as a smaller studio operating in the survival-horror adjacent niche with a single major IP focus.
- Stunlock Studios: Swedish developer of V Rising and Battlerite, with V Rising being a survival multiplayer game. Comparable as a mid-sized studio pivoting from competitive multiplayer into the survival open-world genre.
Regional players
- Iron Galaxy Studios: U.S.-based studio known for co-development and ports of major console/PC titles. Comparable as a partner/co-development studio supporting AAA franchises, with operational overlap on multiplatform survival releases.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Undead Labs social profiles
Digital presenceUndead Labs financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Undead Labs leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Undead Labs funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Undead Labs M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Undead Labs
What does Undead Labs do?
Undead Labs is a video game development studio that designs and publishes the State of Decay franchise—an open-world cooperative zombie survival game series emphasizing community management, base-building, permadeath survivor mechanics, and shared multiplayer worlds. The studio self-publishes its titles on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Game Pass under the Xbox Game Studios / Microsoft umbrella.
Is Undead Labs a public or private company?
Undead Labs is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Undead Labs founded?
Undead Labs was founded in 2009. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Undead Labs based?
Undead Labs is headquartered in Seattle, United States, in the North America region.
How does Undead Labs make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Game Sales (One-Time License) is the primary driver. The others are xbox Game Pass Subscription.
Who are Undead Labs's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Techland, Behaviour Interactive, Endnight Games, Klei Entertainment and Funcom. Broad incumbents are Playground Games and The Coalition. Emerging players are Frictional Games and Stunlock Studios. Iron Galaxy Studios is listed as a regional player.
Does Undead Labs have an API?
No public API is recorded for Undead Labs.
What industry is Undead Labs in?
Undead Labs's product category is Video Game Development / Action-Adventure Survival Games. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAC, Indie Game Studios. Its NAICS code is 51321 and its SIC code is 7372.