Originally slated for release in 2016, Overkill's The Walking Dead is finally on track to release in fall of 2018. The game was delayed a number of times, though fans have never had an explanation as to why the game was taking so long in development. Now The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman has shed some light on the matter.

In an interview with developers Overkill Software, Kirkman indicated that he was happy with the studio's performance, and its decision to not rush the game to make a release date. Unlike many other licensed games, Overkill has been given the time necessary to make sure the game launches "as great as it can be." Kirkman said, "We're not making a date here. We're making a great game."

This explanation should please many fans who have been looking forward to Overkill's The Walking Dead for the past few years. After all, many would prefer that the studio does its best to make a high quality game as opposed to rushing it out and releasing an ultimately disappointing licensed game like The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct, for example.

Now that development seems to be ramping up, though, Overkill should be able to keep fans satisfied throughout 2018 with various reveals and information drops. As it stands, there's still very little we actually know about Overkill's The Walking Dead, though it's been suggested that the game may have base building mechanics as well as raid missions to go along with the main story.

We will also learn more about The Walking Dead's cast of playable characters in 2018. So far, Overkill has only released a trailer for Aidan, the former engineer/architect whose weapon of choice appears to be a baseball bat full of nails. At least three other playable characters are on deck for reveals, and if they're anything like Aidan, their trailers could coincide with episodes of the TV show.

Regardless, it's clear that Overkill Software has a lot in store for The Walking Dead fans in 2018. The studio is more transparent about the project than ever before, which is a good sign that development is going smoothly. Hopefully development on the long-awaited game continues to go well and it hits its planned release date next fall.

Overkill's The Walking Dead will launch in fall 2018 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.