Cancellation of ‘The Walking Dead: Betrayal’
In a surprising turn of events, the game ‘The Walking Dead: Betrayal’ has been officially cancelled and is set to be removed from Steam. This decision comes just three months after the game’s launch in early access. Skybound Games, alongside developer Other Ocean Interactive, made the announcement, citing the inability to cultivate the envisioned community of players as the primary reason for the game’s premature conclusion. In a gesture of goodwill, a full refund is being offered to all players who purchased the game, ensuring that no one is left at a loss due to the cancellation.
Game Overview and Initial Impressions
The concept of ‘The Walking Dead: Betrayal’ was to offer a unique blend of social deception and survival in a setting overrun by zombies. Drawing comparisons to Other Ocean’s previous title, ‘Project Winter’, the game promised a fresh twist on the genre by incorporating the relentless threat of a zombie outbreak. This new element was designed to ramp up the pressure on players, forcing quick decision-making and adding an intense layer of urgency to the gameplay.
One of the standout features of ‘The Walking Dead: Betrayal’ was its life-after-death playability. This allowed players who were eliminated to continue participating in the game in a different capacity, adding a novel aspect to the social deception genre. The game’s initial impressions suggested a lot of promise, with the following features:
- Engaging social deception mechanics
- Survival gameplay amidst a zombie apocalypse
- Life-after-death playability for continued engagement
- Fast-paced decision-making due to the zombie threat
Despite these intriguing elements, ‘The Walking Dead: Betrayal’ struggled to maintain a player base, which ultimately led to its cancellation.
Lack of Player Base and Consequences
The ambitious game ‘The Walking Dead: Betrayal’ faced a significant challenge post-launch: the lack of a substantial player base. Despite an initial surge of interest during the beta testing phase in September, the number of active players dwindled rapidly. Over the past 30 days, the game struggled to maintain an average concurrent player count, which was reported to be in the single digits.
This scarcity of players had a profound impact on the game’s viability. For a game that relies heavily on a deep and active community, such low engagement numbers rendered it unsustainable. The social aspects of the game, which are critical to the overall experience, could not thrive without a sufficient number of participants. Consequently, the decision to halt development and remove the game from Steam was made, marking an end to the journey of ‘The Walking Dead: Betrayal’.
Refund Information for ‘The Walking Dead: Betrayal’
Players who have purchased ‘The Walking Dead: Betrayal’ are entitled to a full refund following the game’s cancellation. The refund process varies depending on where the game was purchased. For those who bought the game on Steam, refunds can be obtained through Steam’s normal refund process. Customers who purchased the game through other retailers should contact the customer support of the respective retailer for refund instructions. In cases where issues arise, players can directly submit a ticket with Skybound support for assistance.
| Purchase Platform | Refund Process |
|---|---|
| Steam | Use Steam’s normal refund process |
| Other Retailers | Contact the retailer’s customer support |
| Issues with Refund | Submit a ticket with Skybound support |
All players are assured of eligibility for a refund, regardless of the time spent playing the game.
