A new mobile multiplayer strategy game based on Robert Kirkman’s “The Walking Dead” comic series will be marching out next year, with a storyline centered on the rebuilding of human civilization after a zombie apocalypse.
“The Walking Dead: March to War” is slated to launch on Apple’s App Store and Google Play set for release in early or mid-2017. The game will be free to play, with in-app purchases available. The game is being developed by Disruptor Beam, whose two current titles are the “Game of Thrones Ascent” and “Star Trek” mobile games, which has licensed rights to the zombie thriller from Skybound Entertainment.
“‘The Walking Dead’ is an iconic franchise and one with millions of fans around the world,” said Jon Radoff, founder and CEO of Disruptor Beam. As with its “GOT” and “Star Trek” apps, the company will work with Skybound Entertainment “to create a similarly authentic and graphically impressive 3D game that truly brings to life the world fans love in ‘The Walking Dead: March to War.’”
In “The Walking Dead: March to War,” players must fight alongside and against others for control of scarce resources in and around a devastated Washington, D.C., while fending off zombies and attempting to rebuild society. As the leader of a group of survivors, each player will assemble a team including a council of well-known characters from “The Walking Dead” such as Rick, Michonne, and Negan.
According to Disruptor Beam, “March to War” will feature enhanced 3D graphics unlike anything seen in other “Walking Dead” or strategy mobile games. Skybound has worked previously on mobile games based on the franchise with other developers, Scopely’s “Walking Dead: Road to Survival” and a single-player episodic interactive graphic adventure game from Telltale Games. Skybound also released its own internally developed strategy game, “Walking Dead: Assault,” in 2012.
The “March to War” storyline is separate from the popular TV series on AMC Networks. The new game will cover the comic’s chapter of the same name. Season 7 of AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” returning Oct. 23, is based on the comic’s “Something to Fear” volume, which precedes “March to War.”
“Disruptor Beam’s ability to marry innovative gameplay mechanics with deep storytelling elements based on popular franchises like ‘The Walking Dead’ is one of the many reasons we’re excited to be working together,” said Dan Murray, president of Skybound Interactive.
Murray said Skybound was attracted by the “Game of Thrones Ascent” game from Disruptor Beam, which “reminded us of some of the old-school pen and paper RPGs (role-played games)… We saw an opportunity to deliver more to the fans, while maintaining that creative tissue to the world that Robert created.”
