This gen has been under attack by the incorporeal beings better known as zombies and what better time to discuss it than the month of Halloween. Developers far and wide, covering many different genres of games, have been not only been making zombie -derived games like Dead Rising or Resident Evil (yes I’m aware they are not all zombies), but many different types of games are now seeing Zombie Modes as well.

This brings up a question that I’ve asked myself over and over about said zombie ramifications in non-Zombie games: Are developers just cashing in on the dead? Let’s look at a couple of examples.

Call of Duty Black Ops has re-introduced the ever popular ‘Zombie Mode’ in the newest edition to the Modern Warfare name, and already there is an undeniable distance that gamers have placed with this game, mostly due to the drama between Activision, Infinity Ward and Treyarch; however ‘Zombie Mode’ recaptured the interest of many naysayers. This mode has made headlines so big that the fact the game lacks co-op or spec -ops is all but dismissed in most circles. Two important game modes that I believe would not have gotten removed without negative feedback had there not been a ‘Zombie Mode’.

Now that’s not to say there isn’t a market for these modes or games. I think Red Dead Redemption’s new DLC will sell copious amounts due to mostly just being zombies. I mean really…who can be mad at a zombie cow? Just one personal account, I just informed an associate of said DLC and not only does he not own Red Dead but has never played it either. Now he is interested in buying the game as well as the DLC all because I said Zombie Cow.

Even Wikipedia has an entry for “Zombie Video Games” with a listing by date and developer of games made with zombies. Just in the last year we have 14 zombie games.

So what do you say? Over used cash cow? Warranted but you can live without? Uggghhhhhhh?

At least it still holds true that video games do not rot our brains….it’s just that zombies eat them in the process.

As for the image…we already know that sex sells…apparently Zombies do as well. 🙂