Walkers Is Out Now in Early Access: Price, Launch Discount and the Zombie Survival Game Explained

Update (November 4, 2026): Walkers is out now. Steam's approval came through early, so it launched in Early Access on November 3, 2026, ahead of the planned November 6 date. Details below.

The Walkers release date was November 3, 2026: the open-world zombie survival game is out now in Steam Early Access on PC, after a short delay. Made by indie studio Punch Interactive, Walkers mixes scavenging and crafting with base building and a twist: you rescue survivors from the streets and give each one a job at your outpost, as a worker, a guard or a companion.

The developer has patched it several times since launch, adding full controller support, Steam achievements and more than 40 new zombie variants.

Why was Walkers delayed?

On October 30, the solo developer announced the delay: Walkers had been in Steam's review and approval process for over a month, and the final approval didn't come through in time. "The game is ready on my side," the developer wrote, adding that the decision "wasn't in my hands" and apologising to everyone who had set time aside.

The new date was Friday, November 6, but the developer promised to release the game straight away if Steam approved it sooner. Approval came through on November 3, and Walkers went live that day at 17:00 UTC (17:00 GMT / 18:00 CET).

How much does Walkers cost?

Walkers costs $9.99 / £9.09 / €10.25 in Early Access, with a 20% launch discount ($7.99 / £7.27 / €8.20) until November 17. It passed 60,000 wishlists before launch. The demo has closed; the developer says Early Access adds archery, fishing, seasons with dynamic weather, body heat and zombie levels, none of which were in the demo.

Walkers at a glance

When is the Walkers release date?

Walkers launched in Early Access on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at 17:00 UTC. It was first due on October 30, then moved to November 6 while it waited for Steam's approval. The game is a PC exclusive for now; no console versions have been announced.

What is Walkers?

Walkers is a top-down, open-world survival game set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland full of zombies. You scavenge, loot and craft, but the heart of the game is your outpost. Any spot on the map where you feel safe can become home: you build shelters, place chests, put up walls and decorate it however you like.

The bigger your outpost grows, the more attention it draws. Zombie hordes swarm when they pick up the scent of people, and rival factions may try to raid your base. You can go on the attack too: gather your team, raid rival outposts and take over their settlements.

How do survivors work in Walkers?

This is what sets Walkers apart. You find survivors in the world, convince them to join you, and give each one a role:

• Worker: the backbone of the outpost. Workers handle labour, looting, farming, cooking and building.
• Guard: defends the gate against zombie hordes and rival survivors.
• Companion: travels with you, fights alongside you, gathers loot and comes home with you.

Roles aren't fixed. Today's companion can become tomorrow's guard, and you can train and equip your survivors as you go. But they're your responsibility: if morale drops, survivors may rebel, leave you, or even steal from unlocked storage and run off. And if one of them dies, they don't come back.

What else is in Walkers at launch?

According to Punch Interactive's Early Access notes, the launch version already includes:

• Base building and outpost customization.
• A wide range of crafting, with crafting stations that keep working while you're away (four times slower if nobody is at the station).
• Several zombie types, enemy factions and raids.
• Vehicles and driving.
• A dynamic weather system: heavy rain drives you indoors, and snow means you need a heat source to avoid freezing.
• A skill tree with three paths: Aggressive, Adventurous and Resilient.
• Two modes. In Campaign mode, death means losing what you're carrying and respawning at your outpost. In Survival mode, death is final and the world resets.

What changed in the Walkers demo before launch?

Before launch, Punch Interactive posted a run of devlogs patching the demo based on player feedback. The biggest additions were:

• A full save system (Devlog #7, October 22): auto-save, save on exit, manual saves and multiple save slots.
• Status effects (Devlog #5): zombie attacks can cause bleeding and infection, raw food causes food poisoning, and mushrooms have a 30% chance to poison you. Bandages stop bleeding, sterile bandages also cure infection, and medkits clear everything.
• Healing over time instead of instantly, plus energy drinks and adrenaline syringes.
• Crafting and inventory upgrades: craft any quantity, auto sort, take all and deposit all, and tooltips showing where to find each resource.
• Survivors on the minimap, and notifications when they need something.
• New weapon sounds, and the ability to fight with axes and pickaxes.

What's new in Walkers since launch?

Punch Interactive has been updating quickly since November 3:

• v0.1.17: Steam achievements and stats, a food timer for allies, and food that lasts longer.
• v0.1.16: full controller support with aim assist, and idle workers now switch to guard duty.
• v0.1.15: more than 40 new zombie variants, skill points for allies, and a sack that holds a dead ally's gear.
• Hotfixes: a new Codex panel, monitor selection and a series of bug fixes.

Does Walkers have co-op?

Not yet. Walkers is single-player in Early Access, but co-op is on the list of planned features for the full version, alongside swimming, farming, more outposts and more threats. Punch Interactive also plans to add more languages and to improve visuals, audio and performance.

How long will Walkers be in Early Access?

Punch Interactive expects Walkers to stay in Early Access for about 6 to 12 months, though it says that could change. The studio says it doesn't plan to raise the price when the game leaves Early Access.

Walkers PC requirements

Walkers supports 14 languages, including English, French, German, Spanish, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Turkish, Japanese, Korean and Simplified Chinese.

Watch the Walkers trailer

The official announcement trailer from Punch Interactive's YouTube channel shows the outpost building, survivors and combat.

Is there a Walkers demo?

Not any more. The free Walkers demo closed on October 27, ahead of the Early Access launch.

Is Walkers worth a look?

If you like the base building of DayZ Badlands or the long-term survival of Project Zomboid, but want to run a whole community rather than survive alone, Walkers is worth a look. The survivor role system, permanent deaths and morale give it a strategy layer most zombie games don't have. Steam user reviews were Mixed when we checked on November 4, so expect rough edges, but the pace of patches since launch is a good sign.

More survival games on iGame Magazine

• The Dead We Knew: another open-world zombie survival game, out now
• Project Zomboid Build 42.21: the latest from the king of zombie survival
• DayZ Badlands: DayZ's new desert expansion
• Steam Next Fest survival and FPS demos: more survival demos to try

Walkers FAQ