Undead Labs, the studio behind the State of Decay series, has significantly expanded its team size for the development of State of Decay 3. Studio head Phillip Holt recently shared some eye-opening numbers about the company's growth:
1. State of Decay (2013): Developed by a team of about 20 people
2. State of Decay 2: Shipped with a team of 60-65 people
3. Current size: At least double the State of Decay 2 team, meaning 120-130 developers or more
"You know we're part of the first-party organization [Microsoft], we're part of one of the largest content producing organizations in the world now. And well on our way to making State of Decay 3."
This growth represents a sixfold increase in team size compared to the first game. Holt attributes this expansion to the studio's acquisition by Microsoft, stating, "We're a first-party organization, we're a part of one of the largest content-producing organizations in the world now."
The increased team size is expected to benefit State of Decay 3, allowing for "a much greater level of ambition and support." Additionally, other Xbox Game Studios like The Coalition (known for Gears) and Obsidian (working on Avowed) are collaborating on the game's "shared open world."
This update was part of a broader announcement about Undead Labs' rebranding, which includes a new logo reflecting the company's growing ambitions and size.