Wikipedia

Plants vs. Zombies

This article is about the franchise. For the first game in the series, seePlants vs. Zombies(video game).For the ongoing comic book series, seePlants vs. Zombies(comic book series).
"PvZ" redirects here. For other uses, seePVZ.

Plants vs. Zombiesis a video game franchise developed byPopCap Games,a subsidiary ofElectronic Arts(EA). The series follows the affiliates of David "Crazy Dave" Blazing as they use his plants to defend against a zombie invasion, led by Dr. Edgar George Zom Boss. The first game,Plants vs. Zombies(2009), was developed and released by PopCap before its acquisition by EA. After PopCap Games's acquisition, EA expanded the game into a franchise with games on many different platforms, including acomic book serieswritten byPaul Tobinand published byDark Horse Comics.

Plants vs. Zombies
Genre(s)
Developer(s)PopCap Games
Publisher(s)
Creator(s)George Fan
Artist(s)Rich Werner
Writer(s)Stephen Notley
Composer(s)Laura Shigihara
Platform(s)
First releasePlants vs. Zombies
May 5, 2009
Latest releasePlants vs. Zombies 3: Welcome to Zomburbia
January 17, 2024 (soft launch)[1]

The series has a variety of game genres. The original game and its sequelsPlants vs. Zombies Adventures,Plants vs. Zombies 2,andPlants vs. Zombies 3aretower defensegames where the player has to use plants with different abilities to defend against a zombie invasion. The spin-offPlants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfareand its sequels are third-person shooters where the player can play as either the plants or zombies in multiplayer (and beginning inPlants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2,single player) matches.Plants vs. Zombies Heroesis a digital collectable card game with characters from previous installments.

History

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Release timeline
2009Plants vs. Zombies
2010–2011
2012Plants vs. Zombies: Great Wall Edition
2013Plants vs. Zombies Adventures
Plants vs. ZombiesComics
Plants vs. Zombies 2
2014Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare
2015
2016Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2
Heroes
2017–2018
2019Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville
2020–2023
2024Plants vs. Zombies 3: Welcome to Zomburbia

Main series

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On April 1, 2009, PopCap released a music video for the song "Zombies on Your Lawn" byLaura Shigiharato promotePlants vs. Zombies.[2]A PopCap spokesperson, Garth Chouteau, revealed in anIGNinterview thatPlants vs. Zombieswould be released soon on PC and Mac.[3]On April 22, 2009, PopCap released an official game trailer ofPlants vs. Zombieson YouTube.[4][5]During the promotion ofPlants vs. Zombies,PopCap released a demo version of the game that could be played for thirty minutes.[6]Plants vs. Zombieswas officially released on May 5, 2009, for PC and Mac,[7]by 2013 switching from a $2.99 gameplay cost to free-to-play on iOS and Android devices. Critics on mobile devices give the game an average of 4.3-4.8 star ratings.[8]

PopCap Games and its assets were bought byEAon July 12, 2011, for 750 million US dollars.[9]Fifty employees were laid off in the Seattle studio of PopCap Games on August 21, 2012, to mark a switch of focus to mobile and social gaming.[10]

On August 20, 2012, PopCap announced that they were working on a sequel toPlants vs. Zombies.[11]Its release date would be set at late spring of 2013.[12]However, the game's status was in doubt shortly after the announcement when the company went through a period of layoffs.[10]

In May 2013, PopCap Games released a trailer revealing a sequel to the first game, titledPlants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time.[13][14]The game wassoft-launchedfor the iOS in Australia and New Zealand on July 10, 2013,[15]and was officially released on August 14, 2013, as a freemium title.[16]The game featured new locations and plants along with the addition of plant food, apower-upthat can be used to enhance a plant for a short period and can either be bought using in-game currency or acquired by defeating zombies that are glowing green.[17]There are four other power-ups in the game, all of which are bought with coins, the in-game currency. Along with these new add ons, the game continues to make updates from time to time. According to EA News, the Arena and Penny's Pursuit updates, which are different game modes within the game, have been some of their latest major updates, aside from all the mini add ons.[18]

In July 2019, EA announcedPlants vs. Zombies 3,another free-to-play mobile title in the series. It was launched in apre- Alphastate for Android in July 2019.[19][20]The game soft-launched in February 2020 in the Philippines, Romania, and Ireland.[21]It was then made unavailable in October 2020, becoming unplayable in November 2020. EA has plans to release an improved version of the game in the future.[22]On September 7, 2021,Plants vs. Zombies 3was soft-launched again with substantial changes, such as two-dimensional graphics and the return of the Sunflower as a plantable plant, having the same purpose in the previous iterations.[23]On January 17, 2024,Plants vs. Zombies 3was soft launched again, this time asPlants vs. Zombies 3: Welcome to Zomburbiain select regions,[1]adapting storylines and characters from thePlants vs. Zombiescomic book series (written byPaul Tobin,illustrated by Ron Chan, and published byDark Horse Comics), including Tugboat the Zombie and Patrice Blazing.[24]

Spin-offs

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A spin-off calledPlants vs. Zombies Adventureswas announced in March 2013[25]and was released on May 20, 2013 onFacebook.The game added new locations and new plants. It also had a gameplay feature in which the player had a limited amount of plants and had to grow more plants at an in-game farm.[26]In July 2014, it was announced thatPlants vs. Zombies Adventureswould close on October 12, 2014.[27]

Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfarewas announced atE3 2013as a multiplayerthird-person shootergame made for PC and consoles.[28][29]Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfarewas released on February 25, 2014, in North America and on February 27, 2014, in Europe.[30]A sequel,Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2,was teased in June 2015 and was officially announced atE3 2015.[31][32]The game was released on February 23, 2016.[33]On March 10, 2016, PopCap announcedPlants vs. Zombies Heroes,adigital collectible card gamein the style of tower defense. It was soft released to certain countries on the same day,[34]and was fully released internationally on October 18, 2016.[35]

In August 2019, a closed beta of a sequel toPlants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2codenamed "Picnic" was made available to select players through invites.[36]On September 4, 2019, EA announced the sequel's title;Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville.It was released in anearly accessstate that same date. The game was fully released on October 18, 2019.[37][38]

A cancelled single playerPlants vs. Zombiesgame had been in the works within EA from about 2015 to 2017. Known as "Project Hot Tub" in reference toHot Tub Time Machine,the game was to have been an action game along the lines of theUnchartedseries but maintaining its family-friendly nature, featuring two teenage siblings that travelled through time to fight zombies. The game was being developed by PopCap Vancouver. While a vertical slice of the game had been shown off to EA executives in 2017, EA opted to cancel the project to pull in more resources toVisceral Gamesto support their work on theStar Warsgame under the nameProject Ragtag,which had been languishing for several years. Despite this, EA cancelledProject Ragtagin October 2017, shutting down Visceral Games, and the former PopCap Vancouver team was relocated across other EA studios.[39]

Other media

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Plants vs. ZombiesZomnibus Vol. 1 byPaul Tobin;art by Ron Chan.

Comics

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Main article:Plants vs. Zombies (comic book series)

Since July 2013,Dark Horse Comicshas published aPlants vs. Zombiesongoing comic book series, following teenagers Nate Timely and Patrice Blazing as they protect Neighborville from the zombie armies of Dr. Edgar Zom Boss, with the help of Patrice's uncle, David "Crazy Dave" Blazing, and his own legion of genetically-modified sentient plants, accessible via thePlants vs. ZombiesComics app.[40]Elements and characters from the comic book series were later adapted to the franchise's video game instalments, and vice-versa,[41]in particularPlants vs. Zombies 3.

References

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  1. ^ab"Plants vs. Zombies™ 3 Soft Launch!".Electronic Arts. January 17, 2024.RetrievedJanuary 22,2024.
  2. ^NG, Keane (April 1, 2009)."PopCap Reveals Plants vs. Zombies".The Escapist.Archivedfrom the original on February 1, 2019.RetrievedDecember 3,2020.
  3. ^Ocampo, Jason (April 4, 2009)."No Joke — PopCap Reveals Plants vs. Zombies".IGN(Interview).Archivedfrom the original on April 5, 2009.RetrievedAugust 11,2010.PC and Mac initially, with other platforms under consideration.
  4. ^NG, Keane (April 24, 2009)."Battle Plants With Your Own Zombies".The Escapist.Archivedfrom the original on January 20, 2021.RetrievedDecember 3,2020.
  5. ^Walker, John (April 24, 2009)."SPUDOW! Plants Vs Zombies Trailer, Zombie Maker".Rock, Paper, Shotgun.RetrievedJanuary 26,2021.
  6. ^Chester, Nick (May 4, 2009)."Plants vs. Zombies demo eating brains right now".Destructoid.RetrievedDecember 4,2020.
  7. ^"PopCap Launches Plants vs. Zombies Game for PC and Mac".IGN.May 5, 2009.Archivedfrom the original on September 13, 2018.RetrievedDecember 3,2020.
  8. ^"Plants vs Zombiesdrops in-app fee ".BBC News.February 13, 2014.RetrievedOctober 24,2022.
  9. ^Takahashi, Dean; Lynley, Matthew (July 12, 2011)."Electronic Arts buys PopCap for $750M".VentureBeat.Archivedfrom the original on November 4, 2020.RetrievedJanuary 4,2021.
  10. ^abGoldfarb, Andrew (August 21, 2012)."Report: Layoffs Hit PopCap, International Studios Shuttered".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on November 16, 2018.RetrievedJanuary 4,2021.
  11. ^Tom, Senior (August 20, 2012)."Plants vs. Zombies 2 announced: 'hordes of new plant and zombie types'".PC Gamer.Archivedfrom the original on November 12, 2020.RetrievedJanuary 7,2021.
  12. ^Krupa, Daniel (August 20, 2012)."Plants VS. Zombies Sequel out Late Spring 2013".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on May 26, 2016.RetrievedJanuary 7,2021.
  13. ^Yannick, LeJacq (May 6, 2013)."'Plants vs. Zombies' sequel shambling toward release in July ".NBC News.Archivedfrom the original on May 12, 2013.RetrievedJanuary 7,2021.
  14. ^Goldfarp, Andrew (May 6, 2013)."Plants Vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time Coming in July".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on November 11, 2020.RetrievedJanuary 7,2021.
  15. ^Fahey, Mike (July 10, 2013)."Plants Vs Zombies 2 Is Weeks Away, But Aussies Get To Play Today".Kotaku.Archived fromthe originalon December 25, 2016.RetrievedJanuary 1,2021.
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  19. ^Holt, Kris (July 18, 2019)."'Plants vs. Zombies 3' is on the way and you can test it now ".Engadget.Archivedfrom the original on July 18, 2019.RetrievedJuly 18,2019.
  20. ^Webster, Andrew (July 18, 2019)."EA announces Plants vs. Zombies 3".The Verge.Archivedfrom the original on July 18, 2019.RetrievedJuly 18,2019.
  21. ^Madnani, Mikhail (February 28, 2020)."'Plants Vs. Zombies 3' from PopCap and EA Has Soft Launched in Philippines, Romania, and Ireland ".Touch Arcade.Archivedfrom the original on January 11, 2021.RetrievedJanuary 9,2021.
  22. ^Forde, Matthew (October 19, 2020)."EA pulls Plants vs. Zombies 3 from soft launch".Pocket Gamer.Archivedfrom the original on January 7, 2021.RetrievedJanuary 9,2021.
  23. ^"A New Vision for PVZ 3 Has Taken Root!".September 7, 2021.
  24. ^Chan, Ron [@RonDanChan] (January 19, 2024)."OMG! Looks like Patrice Blazing, the character @PaulTobin and I created for thePlants vs. Zombiescomics published by @DarkHorseComics, has made her way into the actual games! "(Tweet) – viaTwitter.
  25. ^Grubb, Jeff (March 26, 2013)."Plants vs. Zombies shuffles to Facebook; sequel due in summer".VentureBeat.Archivedfrom the original on September 16, 2016.RetrievedJanuary 7,2021.
  26. ^Webster, Andrew (May 20, 2013)."'Plants vs. Zombies Adventures' is a Facebook game you'll actually want to play ".The Verge.Archivedfrom the original on December 6, 2016.RetrievedJanuary 7,2021.
  27. ^Shaul, Brandon (July 24, 2014)."EA Announces Closure of Plants vs Zombies Adventures on Facebook".AdWeek.Archivedfrom the original on January 9, 2021.RetrievedJanuary 8,2021.
  28. ^Yoan, Andrew (June 9, 2013)."Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare coming to E3".Shacknews.Archivedfrom the original on January 20, 2021.RetrievedJanuary 8,2021.
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  30. ^Karmali, Luke (January 16, 2014)."Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare Delayed".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on January 17, 2014.RetrievedJanuary 8,2021.
  31. ^Phillips, Tom (June 8, 2015)."Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 teased ahead of E3 reveal".Eurogamer.Archivedfrom the original on June 10, 2015.RetrievedJune 21,2015.
  32. ^Savage, Phil."Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 announced".PC Gamer.Archivedfrom the original on June 17, 2015.RetrievedJanuary 8,2021.
  33. ^"Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on January 11, 2021.RetrievedJanuary 8,2021.
  34. ^Dornbush, Jonathon (March 10, 2016)."Collectible card game 'Plants vs. Zombies Heroes' in the works".Entertainment Weekly.Archivedfrom the original on November 8, 2016.RetrievedNovember 6,2016.
  35. ^Minotti, Mike (October 18, 2016)."Plants vs. Zombies Heroes enters the mobile digital card game arena".VentureBeat.Archivedfrom the original on November 8, 2020.RetrievedJanuary 9,2021.
  36. ^McWhertor, Mike (July 22, 2019)."EA sending out Alpha invites for new Plants vs. Zombies shooter".Polygon.Archivedfrom the original on January 11, 2021.RetrievedJanuary 9,2021.
  37. ^Fahey, Mike (April 9, 2019)."New Plants Vs. Zombies Shooter Announced, Goes Live Today".Kotaku.Archivedfrom the original on September 15, 2019.RetrievedJanuary 9,2021.
  38. ^Nelson, Xavier (September 11, 2019)."How EA and Plants vs. Zombies are battling binge culture".Polygon.Archivedfrom the original on September 14, 2019.RetrievedJanuary 9,2021.
  39. ^Valentine, Rebekah (October 8, 2022)."How a Plants vs. Zombies Game Died so a Star Wars Game Could Live (and Then Also Die)".IGN.RetrievedOctober 23,2022.
  40. ^Mosseri, Adam (July 19, 2013)."Plants vs. ZombiesComics Now Available on the App Store ".iClarified.RetrievedJuly 19,2013.
  41. ^The Art of Plants vs. Zombies.Dark Horse Comics,2013.
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