Surviving massive zombie hordes across nine global locations

Countries & Cities · Published 12 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In the World War Z video game, players must navigate a relentless apocalypse. From the streets of Tokyo to the ruins of Moscow, groups of four survivors fight through massive, climbing hordes of zombies to complete objectives and stay alive in a world turned hostile.

Developed by Saber Interactive, the third-person shooter is loosely based on the 2006 novel and shares a universe with the 2013 film adaptation. Instead of following a single protagonist like the film's Gerry Lane, the game focuses on diverse groups of four survivors, each with unique stories. To manage the immense scale of the threat, the developers utilized a proprietary technology known as the Swarm Engine, which was specifically designed to handle up to 500 zombies on screen at one time. The title was initially announced during The Game Awards 2017. It was originally released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in April 2019. Later, a Nintendo Switch version arrived in late 2021. Additionally, the game was made available on Google Stadia in 2022.

Players navigate nine separate episodes across locations like Tokyo, Rome, Jerusalem, Moscow, Marseille, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Kamchatka, and New York. Every episode contains between three and five levels. Within these levels, players must complete specific objectives, such as escorting survivors, while managing resources. Success or failure in these missions yields supplies, which are essential for upgrading weapons, unlocking attachments, and purchasing class-specific perks.

Players can choose from eight specialized classes to tackle the hordes: the Gunslinger, Hellraiser, Fixer, Medic, Slasher, Exterminator, Dronemaster, and Vanguard. Rendering massive crowds was a major challenge, even though the game allows 1,000 enemies to appear on-screen at once. The game's commercial reach has been substantial, with sales exceeding 3 million units by October 2019, and Tim Willits noted that the title attracted more than 30 million players by September 2026.

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