“Plants vs. Zombies 3” China Edition Developed and Published by Mini Creation

Eleven years after the last installment, the next chapter of Electronic Arts’ (EA) iconic tower defense game series, “Plants vs. Zombies 3,” is set to debut in the Chinese market, with pre-registration for the game now officially open. This time, EA has partnered with Mini Creation, the parent company of the massively popular sandbox game “Mini World,” which boasts a user base of one billion registered players. Together, they are co-developing the China edition of “Plants vs. Zombies 3,” with Mini Creation handling exclusive publishing duties.

The domestic audience is no stranger to the “Plants vs. Zombies” franchise. The original title, released in 2009, became a phenomenon. In 2011, EA acquired PopCap, the developer behind the game. Two years later, they launched “Plants vs. Zombies 2.” The third installment, titled “Plants vs. Zombies 3: Welcome to Zomburbia” (referred to as PvZ3, with the Chinese name “Plants vs. Zombies 3: Stiff Welcome from Zombie City”), began its soft launch in markets such as the UK, the Netherlands, Australia, the Philippines, and Ireland earlier this year.

With Mini Creation’s official announcement, the dust has settled on who will be handling the distribution rights for the Chinese market. It is understood that to better cater to local Chinese gamers, the Chinese edition of “PvZ3” will feature significant content differences compared to its overseas counterpart. Development is currently underway at a brisk pace.

Following nearly half a year of testing in overseas markets, “PvZ3” has gained insights into player experiences while adopting different strategies for localization across various languages. When selecting its partner for the Chinese region, EA placed considerable emphasis on the partner’s understanding of local gamers. Beyond development and technical prowess, Mini Creation’s capabilities in managing a User Generated Content (UGC) ecosystem were particularly appealing to EA. According to recent information on the official Chinese website for “PvZ3,” in collaboration with EA, the Chinese version will not only retain the deck-building freedom from previous titles but also introduce many unique plants, zombies, and map designs based on Chinese culture. This ensures the continuation of strategic depth while offering a wider range of tactical enjoyment.

EA, fully known as Electronic Arts, has been renowned since its establishment in 1982 for its extensive portfolio of games and high-quality gaming experiences. Its library includes well-known franchises such as “Plants vs. Zombies,” “Battlefield,” and “Need for Speed.” Mini Creation is celebrated for its ability to build UGC creation platforms. In 2016, it launched the sandbox creative platform “Mini World” on top of its proprietary engine. Over eight years, it has accumulated strong UGC ecosystem construction capabilities and technological development expertise supporting over three million creators, laying a solid foundation for the platform-oriented growth of the Chinese edition of “PvZ3.”

In consideration of the 15-year user base and numerous dedicated fans that the “Plants vs. Zombies” series enjoys domestically, Mini Creation will invite outstanding IP enthusiasts and game creators to provide feedback on localization efforts.

As “PvZ3” initiates pre-registration across various platforms in the Chinese market, this classic IP, laden with 15 years of gamer memories, promises to shine brighter than ever. We look forward to the Chinese edition of “PvZ3” becoming a long-running, vibrant title filled with enduring appeal.