Plants vs Zombies 3 soft launches in select regions today

Plants vs Zombies is back in a new mobile title focused on strategic play.
plants vs zombies 3

After several years in development and testing phases, EA and PopCap Studios have confirmed the soft launch of Plants vs Zombies 3: Welcome to Zomburbia, a new strategy-based title designed to revive the undead franchise. The game is now available in early access for mobile devices in the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Australia and Philippines, ahead of a wider global rollout planned for later in 2024.

Per details revealed by PopCap, Plants vs Zombies 3 – also known as PvZ3 – has a focus on broadly accessible gameplay, as well as deeper “strategic play.” PvZ3 is a story-driven game that takes place over chapters, as mutant plants and zombies fight for dominance in the friendly Neighborville.

In each chapter, players will face tower defence challenges, with these inspired by the combat gameplay of the original Plants vs Zombies, but with refreshed “puzzle-adventure” elements. To make progress, players will need to analyse the battlefield and work out the best ways to deploy their plants and take down enemy waves.

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plants vs zombies 3 gameplay
Image: EA / PopCap Studios

Here’s the official description, per PopCap Studios and EA:

“Players will move through the Plants vs. Zombies 3: Welcome to Zomburbia’s brand-new storyline by completing tower defence challenges. PvZ3 calls back to the classic combat of the first Plants vs Zombies mobile game, allowing players to engage in the signature defence gameplay while refreshing it with new puzzle-adventure gameplay elements. The streamlined experience brings players puzzle-like battles that challenge them to defeat a series of zombie waves using refreshed plants of the past along with some sprouting seedlings to discover.”

For those who grew up playing Plants vs Zombies, there’s plenty of nostalgia in this upcoming release – but it does appear the long-gestating PvZ3 is arriving with some fresh new ideas, adapting classic gameplay for a more modern audience.

Stay tuned to the EA website for more details about Plants vs Zombies 3: Welcome to Zomburbia.

Leah J. Williams is a gaming and entertainment journalist who's spent years writing about the games industry, her love for The Sims 2 on Nintendo DS and every piece of weird history she knows. You can find her tweeting @legenette most days.