The Dead We Knew Release Date, Early Access, Co-op and Everything We Know

The The Dead We Knew release date is October 22, 2026, when MAY19 STUDIO's zombie survival game THE DEAD WE KNEW: Open World Survival launches in Early Access on PC via Steam. It's an open-world survival game where you build a shelter, hunt and farm for food, and fight zombies and hostile humans, alone or with up to three friends in online co-op.

The game has quietly become one to watch: on October 9, the studio announced it had passed 250,000 wishlists on Steam. Here's everything officially confirmed so far, from the release date and co-op to the survival systems, PC requirements and price.

The Dead We Knew at a glance

When is The Dead We Knew release date?

THE DEAD WE KNEW: Open World Survival comes out in Early Access on October 22, 2026, according to its Steam store page. No unlock time has been announced yet. Some earlier store listings and reports pointed to dates in August and September, but the official Steam page now shows October 22, so that's the date to go by.

Is The Dead We Knew co-op?

Yes. You can play solo or in online co-op with up to four players. MAY19 STUDIO's pitch is simple: "Explore together, defend together, build together, and fight to stay alive." Steam lists single-player, online co-op and adjustable difficulty.

What kind of game is The Dead We Knew?

It's an open-world survival game built around three loops: build, eat and survive the fog. Everything below comes from the official Steam page.

Build a shelter from a cabin upwards

You scavenge abandoned buildings, the forest and the wider world for materials, then start with a simple cabin and gradually turn it into "a stronger, larger, and more livable base". You organise the shelter, craft what you need, make a place to rest and prepare for what comes at night. As the studio puts it: "every wall you build will determine your chances of survival."

Hunt, cook and grow your own food

Hunger is as dangerous as the zombies. You can hunt animals such as deer in the forest, process the meat and cook it over a fire. When ready-made food runs out, you work the soil and plant vegetables such as tomatoes, then use what you grow to cook more nutritious meals, from "a simple bite to a warm bowl of soup".

Fog, weather and a day-night cycle

The world runs on a 24-hour day and night cycle with changing weather: the wind shifts, rain can start suddenly, and dense fog can wipe out your visibility. The fog is also a warning sign. When visibility drops, zombies "can become more aggressive and attack from within the darkness and fog".

Zombies and hostile humans

The threats aren't only undead. The store description and content notice mention combat with zombies and hostile human groups, plus hunting and butchering animals. Steam's content notice also warns of violence and blood, so this one isn't for younger players.

Watch The Dead We Knew teaser trailer

The official teaser from the game's YouTube channel. A full "Official Gameplay Trailer" is also on the Steam store page.

How much will The Dead We Knew cost?

MAY19 STUDIO hasn't announced the price yet, and Steam doesn't list one. We'll add it as soon as it's confirmed, which usually happens a few days before an Early Access launch.

Is The Dead We Knew on PS5 or Xbox?

Not at launch. Only PC (Steam) has been announced. There's no Game Pass listing either.

The Dead We Knew PC system requirements

We'll keep these specs and The Dead We Knew release date details updated as MAY19 STUDIO shares more before launch. The Steam page doesn't list a processor. The 24GB recommended RAM figure is unusual, so it may be refined before launch.

What languages does The Dead We Knew support?

English has full audio. Interface and subtitles are listed in French, German, Italian, Spanish (Spain and Latin America), Portuguese (Brazil and Portugal), Russian, Turkish, Korean, Japanese and Simplified Chinese.

More upcoming survival games on iGame Magazine

• DayZ Badlands release date – the biggest zombie survival launch this month
• Project Zomboid Build 42.21 – the zombie survival sandbox's latest update
• ATMOSFAR release date – another co-op survival game entering Early Access in late October
• Blight: Survival release date – co-op PvE survival for up to four

The Dead We Knew FAQ