
Each player can only access their personal storage and items, as well as their characters, to avoid robbery. All players can bring a character from their personal roster to aid the host in their community. For the first time, players can invite or join their friends and play cooperative gameplay. The player is able to shoot, drive and melee, although weapons, vehicles, and equipment will deteriorate after prolonged use and need to be fixed using materials found in the world. Every character that is recruited into a community can be individually controlled, contributing their part towards their fellowship and improving on personal skills and goals. The player has the role of not one character, but an entire community.

State of Decay 2 is a third-person, action-adventure, survival horror, RPG game, usually shortened as survival fantasy by the developers.
