The impending arrival of the next Plants vs Zombies game, titled “Plants vs Zombies 3: Welcome to Zomburbia,” is steadily drawing closer, much like an approaching zombie.
EA and PopCap have officially announced that the game has entered its soft launch phase in the UK, Netherlands, Australia, and the Philippines. This preliminary testing stage is intended to pave the way for a full-scale global release later this year.
While the recent focus of Plants vs. Zombies has been on its Garden Warfare shooter series, PvZ3 revisits the franchise’s foundational roots as a tower defense game. Players will assume the role of protectors of Neighborville, defending it against advancing hordes of zombies by strategically deploying a variety of garden-based traps and defenses, featuring both beloved classic plants and newly introduced ones. PvZ3 introduces novel aspects such as streamlined combat, a customizable Neighborville, and an episodic narrative featuring fresh characters and lore, thus expanding the game world. Additionally, puzzle challenges will be incorporated, providing a departure from the typical tower defense battles.
The announcement of Plants vs Zombies 3 was first made by PopCap in 2019, and since then, the game has undergone limited testing in various regions. The commencement of the soft launch indicates that the game is on the verge of a full-scale release, prompting fans to prepare for a year filled with flower power.
Plants vs. Zombies made its debut in 2009, quickly becoming a sensation for PopCap, with Dark Horse producing comic book adaptations. The sequel, Plants vs. Zombies 2, was released on mobile devices in 2013, featuring a time travel plot that garnered mostly positive critical reviews.
However, in subsequent years, the Garden Warfare spin-off took center stage as the new face of PvZ. PopCap also ventured into the card battle genre with the release of Plants vs Zombies Heroes in 2016.
