The Untimely Demise of Overkill’s The Walking Dead: A Post-Mortem
The primary reason Overkill’s The Walking Dead was cancelled boils down to a failed partnership and poor reception. Skybound Entertainment, the company behind The Walking Dead franchise, terminated their contract with Starbreeze Studios on February 26, 2019. This termination effectively pulled the plug on all further development and support for the game, including planned console ports. The decision stemmed from a combination of mixed critical reviews, disappointing sales figures, and an overall sense that the game didn’t live up to expectations, making it a commercial failure.
The Rotting Corpse: Unpacking the Failure
To understand the cancellation, we need to dissect the contributing factors:
1. The Starbreeze Struggle:
Starbreeze Studios, known for the Payday series, aimed to replicate that success with a cooperative zombie shooter set in The Walking Dead universe. However, the development process was plagued with issues. Reports surfaced regarding crunch culture and internal strife, potentially impacting the game’s quality and ultimately contributing to its lukewarm reception. They also struggled to market the game effectively, creating some confusion about what kind of experience it was trying to be.
2. Harsh Reception and Lagging Sales:
Upon release in November 2018, Overkill’s The Walking Dead was met with a barrage of criticism. Players and critics alike pointed to dated graphics, repetitive gameplay, and a forced co-op experience that felt shallow. The game’s Steam reviews were overwhelmingly negative, and the critic reviews weren’t much kinder, averaging around 51/100.
These critical failings directly translated into poor sales. The game failed to recoup its development costs, placing Starbreeze in a precarious financial position.
3. Skybound’s Severed Ties:
Skybound Entertainment, understandably concerned about the negative impact on their brand, decided to terminate their contract with Starbreeze. This was the final nail in the coffin for Overkill’s The Walking Dead. Skybound likely felt that continuing the partnership would further damage the reputation of The Walking Dead franchise, which thrives on quality storytelling and compelling characters.
4. The Unfulfilled Potential:
The concept of a cooperative shooter set in the gritty world of The Walking Dead held immense potential. The game was meant to capture the desperation and teamwork necessary for survival in a zombie apocalypse. However, the execution fell short, leaving many fans disappointed. The missed opportunity fueled the frustration surrounding the game’s cancellation. This serves as an important lesson in Game Design which you can study more in-depth at the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org.
5. Console Cancellation:
Initially, the plan included releasing Overkill’s The Walking Dead on consoles. However, following Skybound’s termination of the contract, the console versions were cancelled. This meant that a significant portion of the potential player base would never have the opportunity to experience the game, further hindering its chances of success.
From Zombie to Dust: A Cautionary Tale
The cancellation of Overkill’s The Walking Dead is a stark reminder of the importance of quality game development, effective marketing, and strong partnerships. It highlights the risks associated with relying solely on a popular franchise name without delivering a compelling and well-polished experience. While the game may have had moments of promise, ultimately, it failed to capture the essence of The Walking Dead and left a lasting impression of disappointment.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some common questions regarding The Walking Dead games and related topics, addressed to provide clarity and context:
1. What is the story of Overkill’s The Walking Dead?
Overkill’s The Walking Dead was a four-player co-op action FPS set in a post-apocalyptic Washington D.C. Players took on the roles of survivors, fighting both the undead and other hostile humans.
2. Was Overkill’s The Walking Dead related to the TV show or comics?
It was set in The Walking Dead Universe and created in collaboration with Robert Kirkman, the creator of the comic book series. It wasn’t a direct adaptation of the TV show.
3. How did Steam reviews affect Overkill’s The Walking Dead?
The overwhelmingly negative Steam reviews contributed significantly to the game’s commercial failure and ultimately played a role in its cancellation.
4. What other Walking Dead games are available?
Besides Overkill’s The Walking Dead, Telltale Games’ The Walking Dead series is highly acclaimed. There’s also The Walking Dead: Destinies, and The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct.
5. Is Telltale’s The Walking Dead game canon?
Telltale’s The Walking Dead is canon to the comic book series, not the TV show.
6. In what order should I play Telltale’s The Walking Dead games?
The recommended order is:
- The Walking Dead: Season One
- 400 Days DLC
- The Walking Dead: Season Two
- The Walking Dead: Michonne
- The Walking Dead: A New Frontier
- The Walking Dead: The Final Season
7. What is The Walking Dead: Destinies about?
The Walking Dead: Destinies allows players to relive the story from the beginning and alter key plot points.
8. Is The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct canon?
The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct is canon to the TV series, unlike Telltale’s game.
9. Why was The Walking Dead TV show ended?
The decision to end the show was reportedly a mutual agreement between AMC and the show’s creators. The move allowed AMC to focus on spin-off series.
10. Will Rick Grimes return to The Walking Dead universe?
Yes, Andrew Lincoln’s Rick Grimes and Danai Gurira’s Michonne returned in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live series.
11. What is replacing The Walking Dead on AMC?
AMC is focusing on spin-off series, such as The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, Daryl Dixon, and Dead City.
12. What happened to Clementine after Season 2 of Telltale’s The Walking Dead?
Clementine becomes a guardian to Alvin Jr. (AJ), raising him as Lee did with her.
13. What caused Starbreeze Studios financial issues?
The failure of Overkill’s The Walking Dead significantly contributed to Starbreeze’s financial difficulties.
14. Was Shane bit before Rick killed him?
No, Shane wasn’t bitten. The series confirms that everyone is already infected, turning upon death regardless of a bite.
15. What was the secret Jenner whispered to Rick?
Jenner revealed that everyone is infected and will turn into a walker upon death, regardless of being bitten.