Stopping a zombie outbreak is one thing, but keeping an entire city’s population alive is another challenge altogether. Zombies Aren’t Real turns this dilemma into a horde-defense strategy game that is already attracting thousands of Steam players.
Developed and published by Jogamedev, Zombies Aren’t Real entered Early Access on November 13, 2026. Its opening weekend has delivered encouraging player numbers alongside an extremely positive reception.
Zombies Aren’t Real enjoys a promising start on Steam
On November 15, the game’s official Steam page displayed an Overwhelmingly Positive rating. Of its 760 user reviews, 96% were favorable.
Data from the public Steam API showed 8,042 concurrent players in Zombies Aren’t Real at 9:05 p.m. UTC that Sunday. Both figures suggest that Jogamedev’s approach to zombie strategy has found an audience during its opening weekend.
Interestingly, its arrival coincides with the return of zombie survival modes in Bodycam. However, instead of experiencing an outbreak from ground level, players oversee military operations across entire cities.
Zombies Aren’t Real rewards players who prioritize civilian lives
Each mission begins with a bird’s-eye view of a real-world city. Before the infection spreads, players receive time to establish defensive positions and distribute their limited military resources.
Once the outbreak begins, zombies spread throughout the streets and infect civilians. Consequently, even a carefully prepared defensive strategy may require immediate adjustments.
Players can request aerial support when their defensive perimeter collapses. Nevertheless, powerful air strikes can also endanger the people they are supposed to protect.
Here are some of the main possibilities available during Early Access:
- Defend real-world cities against rapidly spreading zombie infections.
- Deploy snipers, turrets, mortar squads and military garrisons.
- Establish safe zones, gates and other protective structures for civilians.
- Request air support from bombers and helicopters equipped with Gatling guns.
- Adjust military tactics while the infection advances.
- Create and share custom maps through Steam Workshop.
- Coordinate defensive operations with another player through two-player online co-op.
Victory requires eliminating every zombie. However, the final score depends on how many civilians survive, making population protection just as important as military effectiveness.
This approach shares some defensive priorities with the large-scale battles of Diplomacy is Not an Option. Here, however, every additional infection can increase the threat facing the city.
Jogamedev also emphasizes that this is not an incremental game. Instead, unsuccessful attempts encourage players to reconsider their tactics and approach missions differently.
Custom maps offer reasons to return after completing missions
The current Early Access build features missions across several large cities created by Jogamedev. However, its Steam Workshop integration offers possibilities beyond those original scenarios.
Thanks to publicly available geographical data, players can generate custom maps using postal codes from much of the world.
Familiar streets could therefore become challenging defensive environments. Different urban layouts may also encourage players to reconsider troop placement, protective structures and emergency responses.
Combined with online cooperative play, this feature gives players additional reasons to experiment beyond the missions created by the developer.
Jogamedev plans to expand its military arsenal in 2027
Enthusiasm surrounding the project encouraged Jogamedev to launch through Early Access. According to the studio, its current content already offers a few hours of entertainment.
Nevertheless, developers want community feedback to influence future development. Players can contribute suggestions and share their experiences through the game’s Discord server.
The studio is currently targeting the first quarter of 2027 for version 1.0. Its planned additions include:
- Additional military troops with more tactical possibilities.
- More vehicles to expand the available forces.
- More aircraft to diversify aerial support.
- Additional upgrades designed to deepen strategic decision-making.
These additions could make defensive preparations more flexible. However, the planned release window remains a development target rather than a guaranteed launch date.
Steam players can still take advantage of the launch discount
Zombies Aren’t Real is currently available exclusively for Windows through Steam, with English text support.
Its regular price is $9.99. However, a 10% introductory discount reduces the price to $8.99 until November 20, 2026.
Jogamedev has also indicated that the price could increase with version 1.0 due to additional content and features.
Ultimately, Zombies Aren’t Real offers an interesting alternative for strategy enthusiasts who enjoy experimenting with defensive tactics. Its opening weekend provides an encouraging foundation for further development.
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