Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse

Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse
Developer(s)Wideload
Publisher(s)Aspyr Media
THQ Nordic (remastered)
Designer(s)Alex Seropian
Composer(s)Michael Salvatori
Platform(s)Xbox, Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
ReleaseXbox
  • NA: October 18, 2005
  • EU: February 10, 2006
Windows
  • NA: November 21, 2005
  • EU: February 10, 2006
Mac OS X
  • NA: November 22, 2005
Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
  • WW: March 16, 2021
Genre(s)Action
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse is a reverse horror video game developed by Wideload Games and published by Aspyr Media. It was released on October 18, 2005, for the Xbox video game console, and was released for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X in November that same year.[1] The game was released on February 10, 2006, in Europe[2] with distribution handled by THQ.[3] The game was made available on Steam on May 17, 2007[4] and was later removed, but it became available for purchase again in March 2021 following an update which fixed several major compatibility and stability issues.[5] It became available on Microsoft's Xbox Live Marketplace as an Xbox Originals on May 19, 2008, but was removed late 2012 due to technical issues.[6]

Set in the retro-futuristic version of 1959, the game follows Stubbs who rises from his grave as a zombie and decides to get his revenge by eating brains of the inhabitants of the Pennsylvania city of Punchbowl.

The game was a moderate success garnering favorable reviews and sales for the Xbox version. A sequel was planned, but since Wideload's closing in 2014, it has been since declared canceled.[7]

On March 16, 2021, a remastered version of the game was published by THQ Nordic and released for PC (via Steam), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S, featuring modernized controls and achievements/trophies.[8][9][10] An "I Love Stubbs" Collector's Edition, featuring a severed Stubbs statue and exclusive vinyl, was available as of July 2021 with a shipping date of Q4 2021.[11]

  1. ^ "Aspyr ships Stubbs the Zombie for Mac". Macworld. Archived from the original on April 2, 2023. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  2. ^ "Wideload Press quote". Wideload.com. Archived from the original on August 9, 2007. Retrieved September 5, 2006.
  3. ^ "THQ and Aspyr Unearth Distribution Deal for Stubbs the Zombie in "Rebel without a Pulse"".
  4. ^ "Stubbs the Zombie Invades Steam". Steam. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved May 31, 2012.
  5. ^ "From the Desk of Stubbs". store.steampowered.com. March 16, 2021. Archived from the original on October 20, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  6. ^ "Xbox Originals 'Stubbs' and 'Gauntlet' are now available". majornelson.com. May 19, 2008. Archived from the original on May 20, 2008.
  7. ^ "Stubbs the Zombie will rise from the grave again for a sequel". destructoid.com. January 25, 2008. Archived from the original on July 15, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  8. ^ "Stubbs the Zombie is Coming Back From the Dead". Game Rant. February 18, 2021. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  9. ^ Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse Announced for PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Switch, IGN, February 17, 2021, archived from the original on October 19, 2021, retrieved July 29, 2021
  10. ^ "Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse". store.steampowered.com. Archived from the original on September 21, 2021. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  11. ^ "Stubbs the Zombie". Stubbs the Zombie. Archived from the original on January 20, 2022. Retrieved July 29, 2021.