The zombie survival deckbuilder The Dead Await officially left Early Access on May 18, 2026. Version 1.0 is now live on Steam and the indie.io Store, priced at $12.99 — with a 35% launch discount running for a limited window.

Developed by Shotx Studio and published by indie.io, The Dead Await puts you in charge of a caravan picking through abandoned cities, faction territories, underground bunkers, and zombie-infested zones. Combat runs on a deck-building system where cards, weapons, perks, and equipment define each survivor’s role. Hunger, injuries, and permanent deaths apply pressure between fights — a rough expedition can leave real scars on your roster.

What 1.0 Adds

The main addition is Act III, which opens three new regions: Hope, Hell-0, and Zone 99. New settlements, underground facilities, quests, random events, elite enemies, and bosses fill each area — enough to give returning players meaningful new ground and give newcomers a complete campaign arc from start to finish.

The full release also builds out endgame progression. Z-Tasks hand out permanent rewards for completed challenges. Z-Coins fund unlocks at the new Z-Shop, including character skins and gear. A Vault Safe carries valuable items across save files so a run-ending wipe doesn’t undo everything you’ve built. Last Haven gets an Arena mode too — escalating survival fights with rare reward pools for anyone who wants more combat after the main story ends.

Rounding out the patch: a higher level cap, new loot, more crafting recipes, and expanded faction rewards to keep the late game from going flat.

Worth Playing?

The Dead Await has always had a sharper hook than most strategy RPGs in this space — losing a survivor you’ve been equipping for hours stings in a way a simple health pool doesn’t. Act III finally gives the campaign the ending it was building toward, which was the one thing still missing from Early Access.

At $12.99 with the launch discount active, it’s a fair ask for fans of turn-based strategy games where mistakes carry real consequences. If you’ve been waiting for the 1.0 to commit, now’s the time.

Keep an eye on Strategygame.org for more coverage — the latest strategy game news has been unusually packed this spring.