DayZ promised for a 2018 Xbox Game Preview release
Do you remember DayZ? The developer recently confirmed that it's coming to Xbox Game Preview later this year.
DayZ is a gritty, open world survival horror multiplayer game, which found popularity on PC some years ago. The goal is for players to survive on a post-apocalyptic map for as long as they can. Many gamers consider DayZ a rather hardcore experience because there are no tips, waypoints, tutorials or lives. If you make a mistake and get killed, you lose everything and have to start from the beginning with nothing but your two hands. Just like other titles in the genre, scavenging resources is the focus here. Other players might be your friends or enemies because resources are limited. Even those you've known for a while might turn on you if you possess an object they desire.
The premise of DayZ is simple. The planet is hit by a new and unknown infection that wipes out most of the world's population. You are one of the few survivors and now have to search the environment for items to help you survive. Aside from fighting other survivors, you have to fight zombies infected with the disease. The game is unpredictable, but even years later has a lot of technical issues which need ironing out.
DayZ was incredibly popular a few years ago, but since then has lost a lot of steam due to the prolonged development cycle. It's been roughly five years and many gamers have moved on. DayZ is one of the many reasons why the online survival genre is so popular to begin with. However, in the past couple of years, hundreds of survival titles have launched on PC and consoles. This has impacted DayZ is a great way because many gamers don't consider it as relevant anymore. There are just better experiences out there, with many more on the horizon.
Xbox One version is 100% coming at some point this year, we’re still not sure about PS4 release date, but we’ll also release that eventually, just maybe not this year.Xbox One version is 100% coming at some point this year, we’re still not sure about PS4 release date, but we’ll also release that eventually, just maybe not this year.— DayZ 🖥 🎮 ❤️ (@DayZ) February 3, 2018February 3, 2018
This hasn't stopped the development team from focusing on its plans to eventually bring it to consoles though. A few days ago, the game's Twitter account confirmed that the game was coming to Xbox One in 2018. The game won't be a complete experience though, as it will launch in the Xbox Game Preview program. This is a little surprising because there aren't that many games out there which are this unfinished even after five years.
Yes! Coming to Xbox Game Preview at some point this year, we’re not sure about PS4 yet, but we’ll release there too, eventually - just don’t know when yet.Yes! Coming to Xbox Game Preview at some point this year, we’re not sure about PS4 yet, but we’ll release there too, eventually - just don’t know when yet.— DayZ 🖥 🎮 ❤️ (@DayZ) February 5, 2018February 5, 2018
DayZ has had a rough time ever since the creator, Dean Hall, abandoned the project and started a new studio. The game isn't even that popular on Steam anymore because you hardly see it on the top charts. Experiences like PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) dominate the field now. It's unclear if the game, if it does release in 2018 on Xbox One, will garner the same reception PUBG received.
Hopefully DayZ will be a somewhat polished title when it launches on Xbox One this year. However, talk of a console version has been floating around since 2014 so the 2018 timeline may be another broken promise from the developer. The studio can't afford any more delays because every month more and more games release which push DayZ further into obscurity.
Keep an eye on WindowsCentral.com/Gaming for all the latest in Xbox and Windows 10 gaming, accessories, news, and reviews!
Get the Windows Central Newsletter
All the latest news, reviews, and guides for Windows and Xbox diehards.
Asher Madan handles gaming news for Windows Central. Before joining Windows Central in 2017, Asher worked for a number of different gaming outlets. He has a background in medical science and is passionate about all forms of entertainment, cooking, and antiquing.