Plants vs. Zombies Marks 16th Anniversary with Lasting Legacy

• Plants vs. Zombies turns 16, maintaining strong popularity
• Explore our reviews of the legendary mobile game series
• With PvZ 3 in soft launch, fans eagerly await a classic revival

Sixteen years have passed since the debut of Plants vs. Zombies, a mobile gaming milestone. Over a decade and a half later, this iconic title continues to captivate players. From its modest origins to navigating major acquisitions and expanding beyond mobile, Plants vs. Zombies remains a gaming legend.

The journey began with Popcap Games in the late 2000s, launching Plants vs. Zombies on desktop in 2009. Its transition to mobile in 2010, paired with a free-to-play model, propelled the game to global fame.

In 2012, EA acquired Popcap, and despite a challenging shift to mobile-focused development and layoffs, the franchise solidified its status with the 2013 release of Plants vs. Zombies 2: It’s About Time, becoming a mobile gaming hallmark.

Beyond Mobile Platforms

EA envisioned Plants vs. Zombies as a major player in console gaming. Titles like Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare and Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville introduced a third-person shooter style, receiving mixed feedback due to their departure from the original gameplay.

Plants vs. Zombies 3: Welcome to Zomburbia, in development since 2020, recently underwent a significant overhaul, pausing its soft launch. The game promises a return to the series’ roots, featuring a fresh art style and classic tower defense mechanics.

For fans of the tower defense genre that Plants vs. Zombies helped popularize on mobile, explore our curated list of the top 25 tower defense games available on iOS and Android.