We made Dead Block for XBLA in 2011. Here’s why we decided to return to it.

The whole journey started back in 2005. I was completely obsessed with that classic zombie movie trope: a ragtag group of people barricaded inside a house, desperately trying to survive against an endless horde outside. I built a super rough prototype back then—literally just a guy blocking windows and scavenging for random junk—but even in its crudest form, the core fun was already there.

A few screenshots from the earliest prototype of Dead Block that was created 2005

Fast forward to 2009. A few friends and I founded our own indie studio, Candygun Games. I pitched the concept, the team loved it, and Dead Block became our very first official project. But man, indie dev life is brutal. Our budget was razor-thin, time was ticking away, and we had to make some heartbreaking compromises. The biggest sting? We had to completely cut out online multiplayer.

Yet, over the years, something unexpected happened. Every now and then, we’d cross paths with players whose faces would just light up when they mentioned Dead Block . They’d tell us about how it became a core childhood memory for them—how they spent weekends crammed on a couch playing 4-player split-screen with their brother, sister, or best friends, screaming at each other to fix the barricades.

We’re gamers ourselves, and we know exactly how powerful those nostalgic memories are. So we thought: What if we bring that feeling back, fix everything that felt clunky back then, and finally add everything we wished we could have built the first time around?

That’s how Dead Party was born.

We made damn sure to keep that exact same 4-player couch co-op soul alive, but we finally broke down the walls. Now, you can mix couch co-op with Cross-Platform Multiplayer. If you and a buddy are on the couch, you can seamlessly team up online with two other friends on entirely different platforms. No split squads, no compromises.

We’ve also cooked up fresh game modes and overhauled the mechanics so it just feels incredibly satisfying to play, without losing that original Dead Block DNA. (And yes, if you played the original, you’ll definitely recognize a few familiar spots we snuck into the maps?).

It’s been a wild ride from a janky 2005 prototype to this. We built this for the fans who stayed with us, and we can't wait for you to grab your squad, fire it up, and start making new memories.

If you haven't already, be sure to check out the demo for the duration of Steam Next Fest! We will also be participating in Steam Scream Fest, though the demo will come down with the release of the game on October 29th.

Be sure to Wishlist Dead Party and join the Dead Party Community Discord as well to stay informed on our upcoming launch!