Plants vs. Zombies Message Board

The zombies must push a golf ball bomb into a hole while the plants try to defend their underground army.

We play one full match and check out each of the new zombie class variants in Garden Warfare's Zomboss Down DLC.

The old-timey Zomboss Down Trailer shows off the new map and classes of Garden Warfare.

Popcap, the EA-owned game studio behind Plants vs. Zombies, has just laid off a number of employees, Kotaku has learned.Read more...

Devouring all those brains must have instilled some growing intelligence in PopCap's undead horde, as the free-to-play Plants Vs Zombies 2 has been updated with a number of clever fixes and additions.

Most notable are the game's user interface changes. The PvZ2 map has been redesigned to make it easier for players to read, while in that same vein PopCap has introduced a number of smaller tweaks that should make it easier for players to "know how much you've done, where you're going, and what loot you'll get along the way."

In the realm of the truly new, PopCap has introduced a fast-forward button that speeds both planting times and the advancing zombie hordes. Likewise, the studio has also introduced new "Piñata Party" stages which offer big prizes, though this positive is counterbalanced by an ominous warning that this update has somehow made it more likely for players to encounter the gigantic, ultra-tough Gargantuar zombies during normal gameplay.

If you haven't already been introduced to the life-draining, productivity-smashing joys of Plants Vs Zombies, now is a great time to do so. You can find free-to-play iterations of Plants Vs Zombies 2 on both iTunes and Google Play, and while both are supported by microtransactions, it's entirely possible to play the game from start to finish without ever spending a dime.

The ridiculously free-to-play sequel to Popcap's plant defense game finally breaks the bonds of Apple exclusivity, escaping the walled garden into Android territory. It's available right now for free on Google Play. Let's re-review, shall we? Read more...

Can you smell that, Android gamers? The earthy mingling of vegetation and death? That means Plants Vs. Zombies 2 is coming. Popcap has announced a "soft launch" of the timed iOS exclusive in New Zeland and Australia, indicating the worldwide launch of the acclaimed free-to-play sequel on Android platforms is due "shortly." Read more...

Fertilize your pea shooters and gather as much sun as possible: Plants Vs Zombies is making the jump to a strategy boardgame in Risk: Plants Vs Zombies.

Those familiar with Risk should quickly feel at home in the Plants Vs Zombies iteration of the game. Instead of human armies capturing countries of various sizes, Risk: Plants Vs Zombies pits ravenous corpses against deadly anthropomorphic plants.

"This completely customized take on two-player Risk offers a double-sided gameboard and three head-to-head ways to play: Tower Defense, Mission Objective, or Total Domination," states PopCap's official description. "With a detailed map of the original town of Brainsborough on one side and the familiar Plants vs. Zombies backyard from the video game on the other, players opt to be plants or zombies and then pick their battlefield. Fighting for their very survival, players engage in skirmishes, battle for three different victory conditions, and play the classic Risk game mode, vying to take over the whole board."

Risk: Plants Vs Zombies has been approved for players age 10 and up. It features a $30 price tag, and is currently available on the Plants Vs Zombies online store.

Look, you know how this is going to end. A bunch of super-powered martial artists against cartoony zombies isn’t much of a fight. But, oh no! The ranks of the undead are swelling! How will the World Warriors prevail now? Read more...

You're in good company if you've been playing Plants vs. Zombies 2 for the last couple of weeks. In fact, your company is nearly 25 million strong, according to figures published yesterday by PopCap.Read more...

Over Nearly 25 million gardening enthusiasts have enlisted to fight the undead in Plants vs. Zombies 2 within two weeks of the game's availability, developer PopCap announced last week. The sequel has already surpassed lifetime sales of the original Plants vs. Zombies.

PvZ2's free-to-play business model is the central difference between the two versions, allowing players to get hooked on the game before they spend a cent on it. Hooked is about the right way to put it, too, given that over 81 million hours have already been spent on the game's unique take on botanical warfare.

PvZ2 is currently only available for iOS and will spread to other platforms "later this year and beyond."

Update: The text of this article has been adjusted to more accurately reflect PopCap's announcement, which is that Plants vs. Zombies 2 has been downloaded "nearly" 25 million times, rather than exceeded that amount.

Over 25 million gardening enthusiasts have enlisted to fight the undead in Plants vs. Zombies 2 within two weeks of the game's availability, developer PopCap announced last week. The sequel has already surpassed lifetime sales of the original Plants vs. Zombies.

PvZ2's free-to-play business model is the central difference between the two versions, allowing players to get hooked on the game before they spend a cent on it. Hooked is about the right way to put it, too, given that over 81 million hours have already been spent on the game's unique take on botanical warfare.

PvZ2 is currently only available for iOS and will spread to other platforms "later this year and beyond."

A Plants Vs. Zombies public relations man tells me his company did not pay for this impressive five-acre corn maze in Oregon. He just sent some images and video... that has a zombie dancing in the middle of it. PR stunt or not, this maze is pretty awesome.Read more...

Maybe you're one of the lucky ones. Maybe you've got Plants vs. Zombies 2 working perfectly across multiple iOS devices. Maybe you're able to play it on the go on iPhone and at home on iPad with your progress carrying between the two without a second thought. Or maybe not.Read more...

PopCap CEO Dave Roberts discussed Plants vs. Zombies 2's free-to-play business model with GeekWire last week, mentioning both the game's swift adoption rate and the ire it has inspired from some fans.

"I don't think anyone at EA has seen anything go up that fast to the top downloads," Roberts said. "My guess, by lunch [on launch day], we will have hit the same number of downloads that it took us five months to hit in the first version. It probably took us close to a year to hit that number on the PC."

While noting that many view free-to-play as "evil," Robers pointed out that the majority of the top-grossing games in the App Store are free-to-play. "People have decided that free-to-play is a better way for them to monetize. And, some of the purists would argue that the industry has made them do that."

Roberts suggested there are "ways to abuse any business model, and people sometimes say: 'Yeah, you can do horrible things with that.' Yeah, of course you can ... With PvZ we have a pretty important brand here and we are trying to protect it."

PvZ2 is currently available for iOS devices and will cross-pollinate to other platforms "later this year and beyond."

You can spend five dollars in Plants Vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time to advance from Ancient Egypt to the Pirate Seas. You can unlock enhancements with cash, or use your real money to purchase in-game currency, stocking up on power-ups and using them to blow through every level. Or just keep your money and enjoy an experience that's every bit as challenging and rewarding as the original. Read more...

What's this? Plants Vs. Zombies 2 is already out on iOS? Seems that way.Read more...

Fans of PopCap's garden defense sensation were crushed late last month, when the eagerly-anticipated sequel slipped from its original July release window. The bad news? Game producer Allen Murray says we've still got at least four weeks before Plants Vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time comes out. The good news depends on how well you can fake an Australian accent. You don't technically have to have an Australian accent to create an Australian or New Zeland iTunes account, which is what you'll need if you want to get in on the Plants Vs. Zombies 2 soft launch, kicking off this week in those territories. "On Tuesday or Wednesday (of this week) we'll be rolling it out in Australia and New Zeland so we can begin testing it for a few weeks before rolling it out globally," Murray told Kotaku during an interview last week. "We want to have at least a four-week testing period, so that we can get the game out there, check how our systems are functioning, check how people are using it, and be able to make one or two patches to adjust if needed — and then check to make sure everything's stable before rolling it out." So PopCap will be spending the next several weeks testing, patching, submitting and resubmitting the new game until it's just right. "It's not as nimble as I would hope, but it's not too bad." Some of the new characters you won't be playing with for another month or so. While the idea is that eventually Plants Vs. Zombies 2 will make it to every platform people want to play it on, it's initially launching as a free-to-play game for iOS devices. Players will be able to download the entire game for free, purchasing supplemental items or new plants as they see fit. The game will be playable offline, but it will also support cloud saves, so no more starting a new game on every iDevice in your house. The new free-to-play format is a major factor in the delay. It's one thing to release a self-contained product for a set price — free-to-play requires systems and servers and all sorts of complicated things that only a crack team of Australians and New Zelandic (not the correct term) testers can help ferret out. If you do manage to swing a spot in the soft launch, expect to see item prices fluctuate, gameplay tweaks, and general mayhem while PopCap prepares the best possible version of Plants Vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time for the more patient among us.

Awwwww. According to the game's official Twitter feed, Plants vs. Zombies 2 has been delayed from its July 18th launch until "later in the summer."

Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare has been revealed, following photos taken by Gamekyo in the Los Angeles Convention Center lobby over this pre-E3 weekend.

PvZ: Garden Warfare hasn't previously pollinated the internet with any information of its existence, but sources tell Kotaku that the game is a multiplayer first-person shooter. We'll just let that thought settle in your mind for a bit.

EA's press conference will be held tomorrow, June 10, and the game is sure to get its time in the sun then.

Signage for a PopCap game called Plants Vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare is sprouting up at the Los Angeles Convention Center, the site of this year's E3. Combine that with a reliable source telling Kotaku that the long-rumored PvZ shooter—yes, shooter—is about to unveiled, and it looks like we've got a name to attach to the game. You know... the title sounds like "Modern Warfare". Get it? The photo for Garden Warfare ran on the gaming website Gamekyo today (we spotted it via Polygon). But the signage doesn't explain what kind of game this is and observers might assume it's tied to the newly-announced Plants Vs. Zombies 2. PvZ 2 is a tower defense game in the same style as the first PvZ. Garden Warfare most likely is not. There's that title. And there's all those rumors. Our sleuth Superannuation dug this up last August: In recent months, Electronic Arts has been hiring for a new PopCap team at the EA Canada Burnaby campus that does not sound very much like anything that has come from PopCap before. Among the handful of openings was one from April for a 3D animator—something that seems pretty peculiar given PopCap's history as primarily developing 2D games. However, that is nowhere near as baffling as the description of the job in the listing, which mentions that the animator is involved in the synthesis of "gameplay, storytelling and character movement" by making "emotionally believable characters that allow game players to interact with the game, whether photorealistic or stylized, in a realistic and believable fashion." In addition, the listing states that "The Animator will be involved from idea and prototype creation and the directing of actors and stuntmen during motion capture sessions, to the final stage when animating and implementing the results into the game." Quite curiously they are also desiring candidates with experience developing console games—which is somewhat unusual since PopCap games do not typically start off on consoles. For most companies, it would not be weird to have any of that among the copy in a job listing, but this is PopCap—the company that created the likes of Peggle, Plants Vs. Zombies,Bejeweled and Zuma, none of which probably utilized any sort of motion capture or relied on emotionally-plausible characters. So whatever PopCap Burnaby is creating probably falls outside those franchises, though some plant motion capture or further characterization of Bjorn the Unicorn would be quite interesting to see. Perhaps slightly weirder is this listing from around the same time for a multiplayer designer. The designer is tasked with creating multiplayer levels—specifically, "creating extremely fun & polished multiplayer maps." One of the requirements for the job was "Previous experience as a Multiplayer Level Designer on a shipped shooter or action title," and the studio was looking for a candidate with "Experience designing levels where the player has a lot of freedom to manipulate the gameplay space (destruction, construction, modification)." Finally, among the requirements in the world modeler listing is the line "Experience working with a cartoon style and tone." A cartoony, mechanically-novel and possibly multiplayer-oriented 3D action game for consoles from PopCap does sound potentially interesting. And then a Kotaku source told us this later that same day: This afternoon's great PopCap mystery may now be a little less mysterious: a Canadian industry source with ties to Electronic Arts has told Kotaku that a small team at EA's Burnaby campus is working on a new entry in the Plants vs Zombies franchise. The thing is, it's not another tower defence game. Apparently it's a multiplayer-oriented first-person shooter. For consoles. Seriously. ... Which certainly fits with what Kotaku has since been told: that the small team, comprised mostly of former members of EA's Black Box studio (Skate, Need for Speed), is working on a Plants vs Zombies console title that's "in the vein of Team Fortress 2". We've reached out to PopCap for comment. Worst case scenario, we'll know for sure what Garden Warfare is on Monday, when EA holds its big E3 press conference. To contact the author of this post, write to stephentotilo@kotaku.com or find him on Twitter @stephentotilo.

Crazy Dave is the Doc Brown of a new generation in Plants Vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time, an appropriate title for the eagerly-anticipated sequel in more ways than one. If anyone could figure out the mysteries of time travel, it's the mad botanist who saved the world from zombie infestation through vegetation. In what is surely an effort to escape his horticultural prowess, the zombies have launched an assault on the time stream, likely figuring it was the one place they were safe. They were wrong. The cinematic trailer is overgrown with plants old and new, sowing the seeds of things to come. According to IGN, the game will be a free-to-play affair, with opportunities to purchase power-ups and new means to interact directly with zombies via the touch screen. Plants Vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time is slated for a July 18 release exclusively on iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. That'd better be a timed exclusive — otherwise the PC gamers that made the original game such a hit are going to burn the building down. Hit up the IGN article for a look at the first screens for Plants Vs. Zombies 2.

This is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go. Plants vs. Zombies has long been one of the most popular titles on the App Store (or any platform it's been released on, really), but PopCap has only recently revealed a sequel set to arrive in another month or so. In all that time, then, it's not surprising that game developers have "borrowed" PopCap's casual tower defense formula, where you build up units in lanes to defend against an oncoming horde. Samurai Bloodshow is one of the best pretenders to the throne, and there are other games like Legendary Wars that took PopCap's premise and ran far with it.

Evilot also belongs in the second category. It's a recently released iPad game that has a very clear resemblance to the longtime battle of flowers against the undead, in that enemy troops come in by lanes from the right, and you need to build up units to defend treasure on the left. But while Plants vs. Zombies uses a straightforward currency system to build up its units, Evilot borrows a core mechanic from another great iOS title: Triple Town.

While fans of the war between plant life and human undeath wait anxiously for July's Plants Vs. Zombies 2, the eternal battle has spilled over into Plants Vs. Zombies Adventures, a Facebook game where planting virtual crops could save your life. Rather than the corridor-based battles of its big brother, Plants Vs. Zombies Adventures reverts to more traditional tower defense. Multiple lanes snake about each playfield, your plants (for the most part) placed on the side instead of directly in the path of the oncoming hordes. And be careful what you plant, because those seeds aren't endless anymore. In order to facilitate free-to-play social game features, the plants you plant in Plants Vs. Zombies Adventures are picked fresh from your ever-expanding home base. You've got a row to hoe if you want to go toe-to-toe with the hungry forces of evil, and while standard peashooters and sunflowers bloom in under a minute, more powerful ordinance takes time to cultivate. Along with growing plant battlers for the war, your base also features upgradeable buildings offering power-ups and coins. As you progress through the game you'll unlock new lots, giving you access to advance buildings and — most important — more places to plant. When you're ready for adventure you'll set out in your RV, battling back the undead on stop at a time. You're driven by a sense of justice. You're also driven by the need for gold and a regular stream of quests that pop up along the edge of the screen. Mainly justice. Plants Vs. Zombies Adventures is quite different from regular old Plants Vs. Zombies, but it's a good sort of difference. The fresh format gives players a chance to get to know some of the characters inhabiting this comically tragic world, perhaps paving the way for things to come. It is a Facebook game, and I've already had to badger friends to unlock a new episode, but I've yet to feel pressured to buy virtual goods, so there's that. PopCap has planted the seeds of a rather nifty little Facebook game with Plants Vs. Zombies Adventures. Give it a try, or hate it simply because it's on Facebook. Your choice! Plants Vs. Zombies Adventures [Popcap]

Chilean developer Syrenaica's Evilot may look a lot like Plants Vs. Zombies, with the whole lane-based defense thing, but it's significantly more than that. It's an evolution. Instead of just placing your defenses and watching them get beaten down, Evilot incorporates match-three puzzle mechanics. Set down three rats and boom — much bigger, strong rat. It's a simple twist on the PvZ formula, but it makes a heck of a lot of difference, and with Plants Vs. Zombies 2 not due out until July, it'll give fans of the genre a worthwhile means of waiting out the eagerly-anticipated sequel. Evilot is available now on iOS in both free and paid flavors, with Android, PC, Mac, Ouya and Linux versions slated for the coming months.

Plants vs. Zombies 2, the much-anticipated (and much-discussed) sequel to 2009's smash hit Plants vs. Zombies, will be out this July. Here's a teaser trailer featuring our good buddy Francis.

Plants vs. Zombies Adventures is not the announced sequel to Popcap's lawn-defense game - that's still in process. Instead, it's an "extra awesome PvZ experience fans can enjoy on Facebook," the developer tweeted.

The Facebook page for the unreleased game says Adventures includes "endless waves of new characters, strategies, territories, and community challenges." Interested parties will have the chance to find out exactly how Plants vs. Zombies has been adapted for the Facebook ecosystem soon: "liking" the page offers a chance to get in on a beta.

Hopefully you’ve been digging into some of the free PlayStation Plus content this month including Vanquish, Mega Man Maverick Hunter X, and indie-hit Closure. This week, we’re excited to bring the crowd-pleasing Plants Vs. Zombies on PS Vita to the Instant Game Collection.

In addition, there are some fantastic sales to jump on as well including the Gamers’ Choice Awards discounts (winners announced tomorrow) and the PS Vita Anniversary Sale celebrating PS Vita’s first year. Read on to learn more about these exceptional sales.

Don’t have PlayStation Plus? Go to the PlayStation Store on your PS3 or PS Vita or click here to get access via the Sony Entertainment Network online store.

February 26th PlayStation Plus Update Plants Vs. Zombies (PS Vita)

PSN Price: $10.49, Free for PS Plus members

Popcap’s irreverent take on the real time strategy genre is yours to play free on your PS Vita starting this week as a PS Plus member. At first glance, you may think it’s just another cute strategy game. Get your hands on it, and you’ll find an incredible amount of strategy that relies on everything from picking the right plants, determining their placement, and decisions while under fire from masses of zombies. The PS Vita version sports a ton of great features including co-op multiplayer, a ton of modes, and even some mini-games to keep you busy, making putting Plants vs. Zombies down an pleasantly tough proposition. Retro/Grade (PS3)

PSN Price: $9.99; PS Plus Price: $2.44

Retro/Grade Soundtrack

PSN Price: $7.99; PS Plus Price: $1.74

The game that turned rhythm games upside down is now available at an irresistible price for PS Plus Members! Starting at the end of the game and working your way back to the sound of head-bobbing retro tunes, you’ll need to ensure the pilot makes it alive through his backward journey through time. With 10 dazzling ‘backwards’ worlds, epic boss fights, and a seriously fantastic soundtrack, it’s a deal that everyone should jump on. If you like the music, we also went ahead and put the soundtrack on sale as well! You can grab it for $1.74 on the PS Store as a PS Plus member. Gamers’ Choice Awards Winners Discounts

Various Discounts for PS Plus Members

You voted, now you’re about to reap the rewards. This week the winners of the Gamers’ Choice Awards go on sale at various discounts across the board. Tune in to PlayStation.Blog tomorrow morning to find out which titles won as voting is still on as of today’s Plus Update and the race in some categories is pretty darn close. If you need a refresher on the nominees and still haven’t cast your vote, click here. PS Vita Anniversary Sale

Various Discounts for PS Plus Members
It’s been 1 year since the PS Vita launched and to celebrate, we’re placing a number of crazy good PS Vita titles on sale. Take a look at the full list. Though the sale is for all of PSN, Plus members, as usual, get extra discounts on top these already good deals. Take a look at the full list below.

Game Title Normal Price Sale Price PS Plus Sale Escape Plan $14.99 $10.49 $7.34 Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational $35.99 $25.19 $17.63 Hustle Kings PS Vita $9.99 $6.99 $4.89 Little Deviants $17.99 $12.59 $8.81 MLB The Show 12 PS Vita $17.99 $12.59 $8.81 ModNation Racers: Road Trip $17.99 $13.99 $9.79 MotorStorm RC Complete Edition $11.99 $8.39 $5.87 PlayStation All Stars: Battle Royale $35.99 $25.19 $17.63 Reality Fighters $17.99 $12.59 $8.81 Smart As $26.99 $18.89 $13.22 Sound Shapes $14.99 $10.49 $7.34 Super Stardust Delta $9.99 $6.99 $4.89 Unit 13 $26.99 $18.89 $13.22 What’s your favorite content from this week’s PS Plus update?

You should leave your thoughts by dropping them below and as usual, I’ll do my best to respond to key questions and comments. We’ve also got the PS Plus section in the PlayStation Community Forums where you can continue chatting about PS Plus, or find other topics to contribute your thoughts to, or start one for yourself. See you in the comments!

#charts Last week it was Infinity Blade, this week it's Plants Vs. Zombies. It's really not fair to the real free games when you temporarily give away wildly popular paid iPad games you guys. More »

For the first time in the game's history on iOS, Plants vs. Zombies has dropped to the low price of completely free. On either the iPhone or in HD on the iPad, you can grab the full-featured app for free through the rest of this week.

Statistically, given how many copies of the game have sold already, you probably already own it on at least one of your gaming devices, but just in case that list doesn't include iOS just yet, there you go. And now that PvZ has finally and truly achieved total platform domination, PopCap can start it on the sequel; It's due out sometime this spring.