Zombie survival multiplayer game H1Z1 will be split into two titles
H1Z1, the game from the former Sony Online Entertainment, will be split into two different games. One of those games will focus on the survival aspect of H1Z1 and the other more on competitive modes like king of the hill.
The H1Z1 development studio says in a news post that the game will be split into two games on February 17, called Just Survive and King of the Kill. The studio says it has received feedback from fans “loud and clear”; Within H1Z1 in its current form, players would almost exclusively only play the survival game of king of the hill. According to the developer, it would therefore be a logical step to split the two into their own games and thus offer them full support. They also each get their own development team within the studio.
Players who already have H1Z1 on Steam Early Access will receive a copy of both new games when the distribution takes place. For new players, the games will cost 19.99 euros each. All items players have in their inventory are also duplicated so that the two new inventories separately contain the same items and players are not penalized in doing so. In addition, the studio says that H1Z1: King of the Kill will come out of Early Access this summer and will also be released on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The studio is not making any further statements about H1Z1: Just Survive. The game should also be released on consoles in due course.
In H1Z1: Just Survive, it’s up to players to survive in the game’s zombie-infested world through crafting, collecting items from the wild, building bases, and forming alliances with other players. However, any player can betray and attack his fellow players at any time, which creates tension when players encounter each other in the game but do not know each other. H1Z1: King of the Kill only focuses on game modes like king of the hill and is therefore reminiscent of more typical multiplayer shooters.
Although H1Z1 was initially released under the management of Sony Online Entertainment and parent company Sony, the Japanese company is no longer associated with the game. In February 2015, the studio was sold to New York investment firm Columbus Nova. That company also owns Rhapsody. Simultaneously with the sale, the studio was renamed Daybreak Game Company. The studio is also responsible for Everquest and Planetside 2.