Plants vs. Zombies 3 soft launch and global release, explained

The soft launch of Plants vs. Zombies 3 has left many players confused, especially those in major regions like the U.S. and most of Europe. The game has been out for a few months, but only in specific countries. Here’s what you need to know about PvZ 3’s multiple releases.

When does Plants vs. Zombies 3 come out?

The full global release of Plants vs. Zombies 3 is expected sometime in 2024, though no specific date or month has been confirmed yet. The game has been available in its latest test round since Jan. 17 for players in the U.K., Netherlands, Australia, Philippines, and the Republic of Ireland.

The main difference between the current soft-launch version and the global release of PvZ 3 is that the soft-launch version is not the final product, though it’s pretty close. EA Games is using this release strategy to make final adjustments to gameplay and difficulty before the global release. This way, the developer can take more risks with mechanics and new additions, using a smaller portion of its expected audience as a test group instead of affecting the entire global player base. Right now, only players in these regions or those who use alternative methods to play early have access to PvZ 3, while everyone else has to wait until the global release.

It’s unclear how long the current soft-launch stage will last. EA plans to include more countries in its tests in the future, though it’s unclear which ones and when. In its May update, the developer mentioned it has big announcements to share in the coming weeks, but it didn’t specify if these would be about expanding the tests, introducing new content, or finally revealing the PvZ 3 release date.

Every previous Plants vs. Zombies 3 test period

The current soft-launch stage is the second longest of many tests PvZ 3 has undergone over the years. The game has been in development since at least 2019, when it got a pre-alpha version. Here are all the previous soft-launch and test periods of PvZ 3.

• Pre-alpha: July 16, 2019 to Feb. 10, 2020.
• First soft-launch: Feb. 25, 2020 to Nov. 18, 2020.
• Second soft-launch: Sept. 7, 2021 to Sept. 23, 2021.
• Third soft-launch: April 5, 2022 to April 22, 2022.
• Fourth soft-launch: Oct. 12, 2022 to Oct. 29, 2022.
• Fifth soft-launch: Jan. 17, 2024 to date.

We’ll update this story when news about the global release of PvZ 3 becomes available.