Update: Starbreeze announced that as a result of this dispute, Overkill's The Walking Dead will be removed from Steam very soon. Those who wish to purchase the game on Steam should do so now before it is gone for the foreseeable future.
Original Story: The disastrous launch of Overkill's The Walking Dead has put the future console versions of the title in question. Now, the launch of this title's Xbox and PlayStation appearances is all but certain to be canceled after Skybound Entertainment ceased its contract with Starbreeze.
Skybound Entertainment, working in collaboration with publisher Starbreeze Studios on Overkill's The Walking Dead has officially said that they have terminated their contract. According to Skybound Entertainment:
As of today, we have terminated our contract with Starbreeze Studios and will discontinue all efforts on OVERKILL’S THE WALKING DEAD. Our creators and their stories are the core of Skybound, and since 2014 we have worked hard to expand the world of The Walking Dead into an exceptional Co-op Action FPS. We did our best to work with Starbreeze and resolve many issues that we saw with the game, but ultimately OVERKILL’S THE WALKING DEAD did not meet our standards nor is it the quality that we were promised.The company also apologizes to fans of Overkill's The Walking Dead and that they "share their disappointment in the game." You can read an early preview on the title here, which was an indication of the quality of this game.
There was a console version to come out at some point, although it was delayed indefinitely. Now it is extremely likely that the departure of Skybound means that there is going to be no point.
To make matters worse, Starbreeze, owner of Overkill, has had a very tumultuous time as of late. Overkill's The Walking Dead performed well under expectations. The Swedish company also asked for a three-month extension to pay its debts, but now faces insolvency and eventual bankruptcy.
For now, don't expect any fixes, or even a console port, any time soon for Overkill's The Walking Dead. With Skybound Entertainment backing out, things aren't looking good.
We've reached out to Skybound Entertainment, who owns the Walking Dead IP, for further clarification about what this means for the title.
Quick Take
I feel bad for the folks involved, I really do. The game is objectively in a terrible state, but Overkill and Starbreeze moreso. Skybound may have done them a favor by backing out and preventing any further development because at this point it's a futile effort.What are your thoughts on Overkill's The Walking Dead? Let us know in the comments below!
