However they’ll be using Planetside 2’s engine tech to power H1Z1, meaning they can flood whole areas with zombies for epic scaled battles against player strongholds.
The studio wants thousands of players in the world, with plenty more zombies plaguing their day-to-day adventures. A robust in-game economy is key, says Smedley.
”Long term we plan on making this about a persistent world with a big landscape with thousands of players,” he continued. “The way we would like to see this roll out is much more like players building small enclaves or pockets of territory and hold out against a legitimate zombie threat that’s ever present while others go it alone taking their chances.”
“We also want to make sure we have a deep in-game economy that is heavily dependent on crafting. Players will be able to become manufacturers - sell bullets, arrows, etc. The in-game economy will be entirely player driven.”
“So this is our take on the Zombie Apocalypse with a lot of friends and hopefully some great enemies both living and dead. We’re proud to be upfront and say we love Day Z and the job they’ve done and we hope they enjoy what we make too.”
Sony would have the power at their disposal to unleash zombie hordes wherever they pleased in H1Z1. ”Zombies can be anywhere. We can spawn hordes live,” Smedley teased. Player battles can get pretty chaotic in Planetside 2 if factions pour into the same contested areas, so imagine what SOE could do with zombies. It also means nowhere is ‘safe’.
Initial early access releases on H1Z1 will be set in rural America, but the Sony team will be adding in abandoned cities as time goes on. It’s expected to hit Steam Early Access by the end of May. A teaser site is live.
