Due to issues beyond our control, a nasty, disgusting and horrific zombie outbreak has occurred and we need you to help prove your nation is the best in world at fighting the zombie infection.

Dean Nation has a unique online component which we call the metagame. It means that every time you kill a zombie we know about it and so does the game. The metagame uses that information to track many things. So, every single zombie kill counts!

Every single dirt ridden, disgusting sack of flesh you kill will count towards clearing the virus in your country. The more zombies you and your countrymen kill, the quicker the virus will be cleared.

Below is a snapshot of part of the Metagame:

1. Currently selected country.
2. Player’s statistics.
3. Statistics about the currently selected country.
4. Ticker texts which displays various information about the global status, player’s country status, player’s friends and about the player.
5. Access to more in-depth detailed statistics.

The metagame features an interactive map of the world, which can be used to access all the information. For example if you want to see who the best player in Japan is, you would select the country on the map to get that information. You can also easily check if any of your PSN friends live in that country and how well they are doing compared to their fellow countrymen. Can you be the best in your country?

The metagame also informs you which player is currently the best zombie killer in the world; best in your country of origin; and best amongst your friends.

On a higher level the metagame tracks which country is the best in eradicating the zombie threat. This aspect can be seen as “Zombie killing World Championships”. It will be interesting to see which country will come on top and if they are able to hold that position.

Every country is ranked, so that you’ll be able to see how your homeland is progressing against your nearest ally or foe; and as you progress through the virus cycles it is worth keeping an eye out. Who knows when things might change?

Although the basic premise of the metagame is to see how your nation is progressing, it really does much more than that, and will take on a game of its own as it organically grows over the months and years after release. We’ll be keeping a close eye on it and are most definitely planning on supporting the Dead Nation community!

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We here at Housemarque sincerely apologise that Voice Chat is not available in Dead Nation‘s online co-op mode.

Following player demand for this feature, the team is currently working intensely to introduce it as quickly as possible. In the meantime, we’re keen to get as much feedback on the game as possible so we can further improve what we think is a great zombie game. We’ll keep you posted on the PlayStation blogs and other channels, such as facebook.com/DeadNation, when we have a firmer ETA for the Voice Chat patch.

It’s regrettable that Voice Chat did not make it into the final game straight away. We at Housemarque put our hearts and souls into our games and we hope that many people enjoy the fruits of our labour and that we are able to create thrilling gaming moments for all of our players. The game is currently missing this feature, which is a major issue for some players, but we think that releasing Dead Nation has been the right decision as the game is still great fun.

Yours Sincerely,

The Housemarque Team

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The week you’ve been waiting for is here! Dead Nation will release on the PlayStation Store on 1 December for €12.99/£9.99 in Europe (and at a 20% discount to PlayStation Plus subscribers).

We’re pleased to present the Dead Nation launch trailer below. Be sure to check a few new treats revealed such as the Molotov Cocktail, Shocker weapon, and Cutter special zombie.

The molotov cocktail is an important tactical item in your arsenal as it creates a wall of fire protecting you from the undead hordes coming to eat you alive. The incredibly powerful Shocker can take out waves of the undead hungry for warm flesh. Just like the other Special Zombies, the Cutter is force to be feared. It won’t take more than one swipe of its huge blade arms to cut you in half!

Fight through the campaign on your own in Dead Nation or join a friend (on the couch or online) to eradicate the infection. With features like the twin-stick shooting style, use of recharging rush and point multipliers, it is clear that Dead Nation is built on the DNA of Housemarque’s last breakthrough PSN hit, Super Stardust HD.

Dead Nation will be available on the PlayStation Store on Wednesday 1 December. Download the game and fight the zombie virus.

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Hello zombie blasters! Get ready as Dead Nation invades the PlayStation Store in just one week! We want to make sure that you are hot for the fight as the zombie hordes will be merciless in their quest for fresh, warm meat. Today, we want to show you Dead Nation in its full chaotic glory. Watch Super Stardust HD pro Tlo-Mek, who has since joined Housemarque’s development team due to his gaming prowess, eradicate the zombie infection when the heat is turned up to 11.

In the video, Tlo-Mek is using melee, Rush, and the game environment to his advantage. All three of these tactics are critical to survive Dead Nation’s hardest battles, particularly when you’re faced with special zombies, like Jumpers, Bombies, and other lurking threats – in addition to huge hordes of the undead.

Study up on the control scheme now — the undead are coming right for you!

What weapon are you most looking forward to using in Dead Nation? Do you think you’ll go solo like Tlo-Mek, or buddy up online? Share your plans with us!

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Hello again, zombie hunters.

In the last Dead Nation post on this blog many of you asked me about plans for Dead Nation and PlayStation Plus.

I am happy to announce that Dead Nation will be available with a 20% discount to Plus members from day one.

The surprises don’t end here guys: from 8 December, Plus subscribers will also be able to download two free awesome (or fearsome?) Dead Nation zombie avatars: the hero and the heroine.

Here’s a sneak peek:

And by the way, if you are a Plus subscriber and you didn’t download your free Dead Nation dynamic theme yet, make sure you do it before the offer ends on 4 January 2011.

Enjoy!

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