Updated on August 30, 2026, by Mark Sammut: With Gamescom 2026 behind us, I’ve updated the Showa American Story entry, as the game made an unexpected return to the stage. I’ve also added a new Walking Dead game that launches in just a few weeks!
While not constantly at peak freshness, new zombie games are always coming out or on the horizon. So far, 2026 hasn’t been particularly stacked with undead masterpieces, but we’ve received a couple of exciting games, like Yet Another Zombie Survivors; fortunately, the future seems pretty bright, as quite a few big zombie games are set for either this year or (hopefully) the next. If you love your walkers, you will be surrounded by them very soon.
From open-world survival to hack and slash and beat ’em ups, the future features a fairly diverse lineup of zombie goodness, most of which are coming to PC and even consoles. Depending on what you are looking for, your next game could be arriving sooner rather than later.
The Walking Dead: Streets of Survival
Get Ready For An All-Out Zombie War
Well, this news came a bit out of nowhere, and The Walking Dead: Streets of Survival stands out among 2026’s zombie games. Obviously, its name recognition instantly sets it apart from the crowd, as TWD is among the biggest franchises in the subgenre. Admittedly, the IP’s projects don’t have a particularly good track record, as Telltale’s series is arguably the only one worth anything. Maybe Streets of Survival will change that?
As implied by the title and art, this game is a 2D beat ’em up set within the universe of AMC’s show, and not the graphic novel. You get to play as Rick, Daryl, and Michonne, with Negan being an unlockable character. Narratively, the campaign takes place during the All Out War storyline in season 8.
Beat ’em up might seem like a weird genre clash, but the gameplay looks pretty decent from what we have seen so far. Each character has their own abilities and weapon, and combat seems to incorporate ranged attacks quite a bit. The developer previously worked on The Karate Kid: Street Rumble, and that’s a solid game.
Graveyard Keeper 2
The Cemetery Beckons
Now, for something a touch different. The slate of future zombie games is largely defined by horror and shooters set in decrepit alternate realities of our present day. However, as shown by Stupid Never Dies, zombie games can be colorful and even a bit silly, and they don’t get much sillier than Graveyard Keeper. Yeah, we will soon be stepping back into medieval times to take charge of a medieval cemetery; this time around, players will be the Grand Inquisitor, giving them more power and responsibility.
Lead your zombie army into battle and fortify the Town against the undead.
As with the original game, Graveyard Keeper 2 is a macabre management sim that replaces farms with graveyards and crops with corpses. The kingdom is currently in a spot of bother due to a zombie apocalypse, a threat that most towns aren’t equipped to handle. However, you have the tools and the will to create, expand, prosper, and defend, a process that involves creating your own zombie army!
Stupid Never Dies
Best Upcoming Game For Those Who Want To Be The Zombie
Stupid Never Dies sets itself apart from other upcoming zombie games through two means. Firstly, its title is straight-up great. Secondly, and crucially, the game casts you as a zombie. Although we have received a few projects that push the walking dead as protagonists, this title takes place in a dungeon dominated by monsters, and zombies are considered the weakest of all the species. Consequently, the protagonist, Davy, mostly just wants to keep his head out of trouble; however, when a human girl is frozen, he sets out on an epic action RPG quest to save her.
The concept sounds incredible, and the available footage and images suggest that Stupid Never Dies features hack-and-slash combat. According to the Steam description, players will be able to steal abilities from enemies and customize their corpse. Information about this project is still fairly scarce, but it could be among 2026’s most pleasant surprises.
Resident Evil Veronica
The Capcom Remake Everyone Has Been Asking For
In an event filled with exciting announcements, Resident Evil Veronica still managed to feel like a BIG reveal at the Summer Game Fest. Capcom’s RE remakes are synonymous with excellence at this point, but the publisher’s decision to stick to the numbered entries led to fears that Code Veronica would not receive its moment in the spotlight. Fortunately, that proved not to be the case, and Claire Redfield should be making her long-awaited return in 2027.
So far, we don’t know much about the remake, except that Capcom plans to preserve the original game’s essence. However, the gameplay will be naturally modernized, and the story will also be reimagined to an extent. Regardless of how sweeping the changes prove to be, Resident Evil: Veronica seems destined to continue Capcom’s incredible hot streak, which extends all the way back to RE7.
State Of Decay 3
Xbox’s Zombie Survival Game Finally Escapes Development Hell
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Image via Undead Labs -
After about 5 years, State of Decay 3 finally returned to the spotlight in June 2026’s Xbox Games Showcase. Frankly, we were starting to wonder if the game had been quietly canceled, but that’s fortunately not the case. Although a specific day was not announced, the event revealed a 2027 release year.
Even if the original two titles weren’t necessarily amazing, their blend of zombie survival, crafting, and settlement management was and still is fresh, despite covering well-trodden ground. Built using Unreal Engine 5, State of Decay 3 looks pretty amazing and realistic; more importantly, the minute-to-minute gameplay seems superior as well. Still, we will need to learn more to really decide whether this will be a proper step forward.
Showa American Story
A Zombie Game That Combines Two Cultures
Gamescom 2026 came at just the nick of time. Seriously, I was just on the verge of removing Showa American Story from the lineup, as it started to seem like a release would never actually happen; however, a new trailer finally dropped, and it looks pretty promising. While I don’t know exactly what to expect from this game, Nekcom describes it as an “RPG steeped in retro pop culture.”
Set in an alternate reality where Japan colonized America, Chigusa Choko returns from the grave to find the world has entered its post-apocalyptic phase, which means she’ll have to ride a cool bike across the States while carrying an even cooler blade. Showa American Story combines hack-and-slash combat with RPG elements, third-person shooting, and zombie horror, all while featuring a world that fuses Japanese and American cultures.
Honestly, the setting seems to be the most fascinating part, and we’ll hopefully get to see more of that sooner rather than later. The Steam page still lists “2026” as its release year, but that seems unlikely at this point.
Beautiful Light
Ever come across a game that sounds too good to be true? Steam is absolutely packed with them, and tempting as it might be to embrace the excitement, it is always best to keep expectations in check until the project actually drops. Beautiful Light has the potential to tap into two markets: Extraction shooters and asymmetrical multiplayer games. While both are popular, we don’t have many great games either, so a project that manages to bring out the best of both worlds could really strike gold. Beautiful Light will try to do just that, and its ambition is admirable.
Touted as a PvPvPvE game, Beautiful Light casts most players as human soldiers who enter a zone with objectives to complete, and they will go up against other player teams and AI anomalies, which include zombies. The first big twist is that some anomalies will be controlled by a player, similar to something like Dead by Daylight or Evolve. If executed well, this could make for a fascinating and chaotic multiplayer scene, although we have to see it in practice to really know if it works. The second big twist is that, unlike most extraction shooters, Beautiful Light is driven by mission goals and RPG progression rather than loot, which could remove the need to wipe out progress after players have unlocked all the best weapons.
Hunger
Whenever a plague breaks out, you know zombies will be right around the corner. HUNGER shakes things up by taking place in Napoleonic Europe, describing this hell as “World After the End.” It is also another extraction shooter, as that genre’s popularity continues to grow at a rate that might prove alarming in the long run.
HUNGER will enter Steam Early Access before making its full debut, with the developers planning to launch with three maps, 30+ weapons, and a variety of gadgets and tools. More importantly, HUNGER specifically sells itself as a “deep, first-person RPG,” utilizing the extraction structure to frame quests and progression. Along with unlocking and developing skills, players will also be able to choose a profession focused on crafting or gathering, allowing them to create items to sell on the marketplace.
God Save Birmingham
A Medieval Zombie Survival Game
Completing a closed beta in June 2026, God Save Birmingham is now more than just an eye-catching title. While in a predictably rough state at times, the beta was seemingly well received by most users, at least going by the Steam discussion board. A pure open-world survival game, God Save Birmingham casts you as the last person alive in the eponymous medieval town, so you’d better find a cleaver as your neighbors are all zombies.
Drop by the historic Bull Ring, grab a bite to eat at the markets, or take a moment to rest at Saint Martin’s Church.
The medieval + zombie combination is the project’s main selling point, as very few games take this route. While it might have a few more undead than history suggests, God Save Birmingham seems to favor authenticity in recreating its setting, and that realism extends to the gameplay. This hardcore survival game forces you to keep track of your daily needs, including food, water, and shelter. Medieval life was hard and dangerous without zombies, and some players might die of starvation or illness rather than from a bite.
Click on the game with the higher OpenCritic rating.
Nakwon: Last Paradise
From the publisher behind The First Descendant and quite a few other multiplayer-focused games, Nakwon: Last Paradise is a zombie take on the extraction formula. Set in South Korea after an outbreak leaves a city in ruins and overrun with the walking dead, players must depart their shelter in search of loot, an expedition that is guaranteed to throw them deep into a life-or-death situation. Based on the available footage, Nakwon is a third-person survival game that emphasizes melee combat and stealth, with survivors able to avoid confronting enemiesto minimize their presence and avoid detection.
Like nearly all extraction games, Nakwon is PvPvE, so you will have more to worry about than just zombies. Nexon has a pretty mixed reputation overall, but it has developed and published a few great games. Nakwon is entering a crowded genre that is threatening to become overexposed; scratch that, we already have too many extraction shooters.
