Fantasy Flight Games has revealed Zombicide: Dead Men Tales, a pirate-themed cooperative game set in the same fantasy world as Black Plague and Green Horde. This is the first Zombicide release since Asmodee acquired the franchise from CMON in June 2025. For anyone who has been following the series' uncertain transition between publishers, this is the signal that Zombicide is back.
Dead Men Tales puts players in the boots of pirates returning from a long voyage, only to discover their home archipelago has been overrun by the undead. Designed by Jean-Baptiste Lullien and Nicolas Raoult, the game introduces several fresh mechanics to the Zombicide formula. Cannons and rope add nautical flair to combat, while Tavern tokens turn zones into pirate hideouts where survivors can drink Grom, a fantasy brew that temporarily boosts attack power. The standout addition is sea zones: zombies can wade through water undetected and approach from unexpected angles, but survivors cannot cross by sea, forcing careful route planning. It is a standalone core box, so no previous Zombicide collection is needed.
The franchise has been a crowdfunding juggernaut since its 2012 debut, raising nearly $41 million across almost a dozen campaigns and selling more than 2 million copies worldwide. When CMON's financial troubles deepened in 2025, Asmodee stepped in to buy the IP. Whether Dead Men Tales will match the massive miniature hauls that CMON's campaigns were known for remains to be seen, but the design diaries posted on Zombicide.com suggest the team is focused on keeping the cooperative, zombie-slaying core intact.
The Gamefound campaign is currently in pre-launch, with the live funding phase expected later this month.
Sources: Gaming Trend | Gamefound | Zombicide.com | Board Game Wire
