Skybound terminates deal with Overkill, killing The Walking Dead game

Disappointed in the final results of Overkill’s The Walking Dead, Skybound has revoked their license from the game, effectively killing a console release.

When initial reviews came in for Overkill’s The Walking Dead video game, they were not kind. While there were some parts of the game which seemed enjoyable, the clunky combat and repetitive nature of the game were a major turnoff for many.

The game did get a PC release, which didn’t fare well in sales or with critics. It earned a score of 51% from Metacritic, 5.3/10 from IGN, and a 6/10 on Steam, adding even more trouble to a game which already had multiple delays.

Fans and critics weren’t the only ones who had a problem with the game. Recently, Forbes shared the news that Skybound was revoking the license from publisher Starbreeze, effectively killing the game dead in its tracks.

The press release announcing the move didn’t mince words either. They cited the game didn’t deliver what it promised and didn’t meet the standards of Skybound while apologizing to fans for the disappointment they got when the co-op action first-person shooter game got the plug pulled.

"“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.We are exceedingly sorry to our fans and share their disappointment in the game. We remain dedicated to providing our fans with the most premium quality content we can offer, and will continue to look for alternative video game options for the IP.”"

It’s hard for a property as popular as The Walking Dead to fail so miserably. Coming off great games like those from Telltale as well as mobile games like Our World, Road to Survival, and No Man’s Land, the property has proven to have a basis for making great games.

Hopefully, a different developer can come along and give fans of The Walking Dead the zombie apocalypse game Skybound is hoping for, but until then, gamers will have to stick to the games that already exist within the franchise for their entertainment.