The Days Gone unlock time is sure to be hotly-anticipated. Not only is it the first big PS4 exclusive of the year, fans are already eager to put pedal to the metal and take the road less traveled when it comes to an open-world zombie title. Which is why we’re going to tell you when you can start playing Days Gone, if you can play at midnight on April 26, and even the rundown of Days Gone preload dates. It’s all here in our complete Days Gone unlock time guide.
Days Gone unlock time on PS4
Sony has pulled back the curtain slightly and revealed, via its PlayStation Twitter account, when we can expect the Days Gone unlock time. According to this post, you can start playing Days Gone at 12 AM Eastern, just as long as you have a digital pre-order to hand. Retail copies, technically speaking, can be played at any time.
However, it hasn’t yet been confirmed what it means for those elsewhere in the US and those who want to know when they can start playing Days Gone in the UK. We could be given several options:
- 9 PM Pacific
- 12 AM Eastern
- 5 AM BST
This actually happened with the Spider-Man PS4 launch, so don’t be surprised if it happens again. The other option is a blanket midnight release wherever you are in the world on April 26. That would look like:
- 12 AM Pacific
- 12 AM Eastern
- 12 AM BST
Right now, the only thing that’s certain is that those in the Eastern time zone will be able to play at midnight.
Days Gone preload dates
Thankfully, to make the burden a little easier on your bandwith, you can start a Days Gone preload as of today, April 25. That means there’s no waiting around once the Days Gone unlock time ticks over, which is especially helpful as many of you could be bleary-eyed by the time it downloads otherwise.
Days Gone Zombie Innovations
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Days Gone's Zombie Waves and 10 other undead innovations
Upon the airing of its first E3 showcase, Days Gone picked up steam for one reason: zombie waves crashing against the ground, flowing as one solid mass of undead fury. While there have been lots of zombie games, the quality example atop the pile run with unique hooks that set them apart from the competition. Here are some examples. -
Dead Rising
A generation ago, just the sheer number of slow zombies in Dead Rising was enough to raise eyebrows. The fact that they existed as a barrier for Frank West rather than a real threat was also innovative. He couldn't stop the invasion, he could only hop on their heads and move around them. -
Left 4 Dead
The special zombies are what sets Left 4 Dead's horde apart from the others. From the explosive Boomer to the destructive Witch, these player-controllable mini-bosses created a new style of co-op fun that games like Vermintide 2 are still riffing on to this day. -
Plants vs. Zombies
Even though zombies are inherently representative of a lot of humanity's fears, that doesn't mean we can't laugh at them. Plants vs. Zombies cast the undead as a comedic obstacle to overcome, a kid-friendly strategy that has led to several successful spinoffs. -
Telltale's The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead is about using zombies as a metaphor in all its forms, and especially in Telltale's seasons-long story adaption. Acting as a looming threat throughout the saga, zombies here aren't the focus, they're just the cause for the chaos. -
Zombie Night Terror
Zombie games can be in any genre, even ones not typically prone to the type of violent gore that these characters generation. Zombie Night Terror is a puzzle game similar to Lemmings, only you're controlling undead walkers instead of cute green-haired creatures. -
Atom Zombie Smasher
Another strategic take on the undead is Atom Zombie Smasher, which is a top-down tactics game where you're trying to evacuate citizens from the map as the swarm closes in. With procedurally-generated cities and buildings that crumble, it's a realistic yet abstract take on surviving the apocalypse. -
Undead Horde
Sometimes, you just want to cause the apocalypse instead of surviving it. Undead Horde has you causing the end of the world by summoning zombies and overtaking villages in a medieval countryside. It's a zombie real-time strategy game if you will, although with fun material gathering. -
They Are Billions
Or, if you want to strategize on the other side of things, you get the ominously titled They Are Billions. It's another unstoppable horde, and you just have to hold them off with your building skills. It's like the circle in a battle royale, only with more teeth and claws. -
Stubbs The Zombie
Back to comedy, no game has successfully captured playing as the undead quite like Stubbs The Zombie. You rip your limbs off to perform moves, you feast on brains and you've got a retro vibe to revel in. Bowling for zombie heads anyone? -
Sunset Overdrive
Zombies don't even have to be the "undead." The zombie mutants from Sunset Overdrive turned due to a soda laced with unfortunate chemicals. It leads to some creative designs, showing that if zombies are here to stay, we can at least get some variety in.