Over the years, fighting zombies has become a staple of video gaming. While franchises like Call of Duty tend to dominate discussion of zombie gameplay in video games, survival games like World War Z and the Left 4 Dead series definitely deserve some credit for keeping the popular monsters alive. And in light of the current pandemic, World War Z's dystopian outbreak seems more relevant than ever.
Based on both a novel and film of the same name, the 2019 game initially received some criticism regarding repetitive levels, and buggy AI players if a user was going solo. However, World War Z has continued to receive free DLC and bug fixes after its initial release. Developer Saber Interactive worked on both new enemies and new features like private multiplayer lobbies, but its most recent update will allow the game's squads of four players to unite in a whole new manner.
In a tweet, Saber Interactive announced that Xbox One and PC players of World War Z would be able to play together with the Crossplay Update, which will release on March 23. This update will allow players from the two platforms to matchmake "from the same pool." Saber ended its update with a promise that the PlayStation 4 would also be cross-playable soon, and invited its current base of players to "hold the line" until then.
Although some fans are excited about the ability to play with their friends on other platforms, other players on Twitter accused Saber Interactive of misleading its players. One Twitter user talked about how they had bought the PS4 version of the game specifically for the upcoming crossplay. Some blamed Sony, and claimed that the company clearly did not want cross-play and sought to isolate the PS4 from other platforms.
Despite an understandable disappointment, zombie survival fans on Xbox Ones and PCs alike should look forward to playing together. World War Z's gameplay emphasizes its multiplayer, and it was one of the best co-op games of its year. During such a divisive and socially distanced time, the ability to unite over a swarming mob of monsters might be the best medicine.
World War Z is available for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. The Crossplay Update will be available on March 23, 2020.