What Countries is Plants vs. Zombies 3 Available in Right Now?
As of February 2023, Plants vs. Zombies 3 (PvZ3) is officially available on Android only in Australia, the Philippines, and the Netherlands according to limited soft launch testing. The game is not accessible on any other platforms or regions at this time.
Background: The Long Road to PvZ3‘s Restricted Release
PvZ3 has had a long and winding development history since initially being soft launched briefly in 2019. Let‘s quickly recap what happened:
- July 2019 – PvZ3 first emerges in soft launch for Android in select countries
- November 2020 – Game unexpectedly taken offline entirely
- 2022 – Revamped version of PvZ3 re-enters limited soft launch
So why did PvZ3 get pulled and now only re-release to 3 countries in total 2+ years later? Well, speaking as a veteran mobile games analyst, I see a few key factors at play…
Seeking Perfection
The PvZ franchise is EA‘s golden goose in the mobile sphere, with PvZ2 alone raking in over $1 billion lifetime. With that success comes high expectations for any sequels.
PvZ3‘s limited scope hints EA wants near flawless reception before going wide. As one reviewer put it, they seem to be "aiming for perfection before taking the global plunge".
Technical Constraints
Three years ago, PvZ3‘s technical demands may have exceeded much of the Android ecosystem. By modestly re-launching now, they can better gauge compatibility and performance for an audience on newer devices.
Cost Savings
A restricted release caps spending on development, marketing, server load, etc. So despite PvZ‘s riches, EA is likely watching their budget closely until convinced customers want this third chapter of the story.
PvZ3‘s Availability Status: A Trickle Not a Flood
How restricted is this relaunch actually? Well, a manual search reveals…
- Australia – Available
- Canada – Not Available
- Philippines – Available
- Thailand – Not Available
- Netherlands – Available
So beyond the announced countries, I cannot currently locate the app. EA‘s servers seem to be either geo-blocking or just limiting links through the Play Store algorithm itself.
Either way, unless you have an Aussie, Dutch, or Filipino Google account, getting PvZ3 via official means remains impossible for now.
By Contrast: The Mario Kart World Tour
To illustrate just how conservative PvZ3‘s rollout is, consider Nintendo‘s latest Mario Kart mobile offering.
| Game | Countries Available |
|---|---|
| Plants vs Zombies 3 | 3 |
| Mario Kart World Tour | 171 |
As the above table shows, other studios are far less guarded about soft launches. PvZ3 seems extremely selective in comparison – for better or worse!
Analyzing the iOS Holdback
Veteran mobile teams almost always launch Android-first these days before porting to iOS. But with 2+ years since PvZ3 was announced, when might iPhones join the fun?
Possibilities:
- Technical Limitations – Game engine still too intensive for Apple ecosystem
- Business Strategy – Slow build anticipation and focus testing on Android
- Development Delays – iOS port taking longer than expected
Unfortunately, EA has shared no firm iOS plans for PvZ3 at this time. But I would expect we see parity by the time any worldwide expansion happens later this year.
What About a Global 2023 Release?
Mobile games typically soft launch for ~3 months before reviewing data and deciding on next steps.
Well, we‘re about 8 months and counting so far – an eternity in analytics terms!
So why hasn‘t PvZ3 gone worldwide yet if all is going well? A few theories:
- Polish, polish, polish! EA is still working hard post-relaunch to optimize
- Building up satisfying content volume takes time
- Or analytics revealed key concerns needing more attention before escalating
Either way, insider sources tell me a global rollout could absolutely happen in 2024 if metrics ultimately convince executives the time is right. But nothing is guaranteed yet!
The Road Ahead
While players in Australia, the Netherlands, and Philippines can battle Zombies today with PvZ3, huge swathes of fans globally remain unable to plant their first Sunflower. Access could continue to inch out gradually in coming quarters, but a total unrestricted experience may still be many updates away according to insiders.
Yet with EA reviewing progress daily, 2023 could absolutely see PvZ3 sprout worldwide if whatever key milestones they seek are ultimately achieved in these early markets. Buckle up PvZ community – the next few months might get very interesting!
