The H1Z1 virus devastated mankind and left nothing but death and destruction in its wake and a world nearly empty of human life where the remnants of humanity are in a fight against extinction against those infected with the virus.

It’s been 15 years since H1Z1 was first encountered and what’s left of the world before is overrun with the Infected. Humanity has been reduced to hiding in the shadows, searching desperately for food and water and anything that can help to survive even for another day. But the Infected aren’t the only dangers in the world. Everyday life in the Apocalypse means dealing with all kinds of wild animals and the brutality of other survivors, as well as finding your next meal and a safe place to sleep. It also means scavenging or crafting anything that can help you live just one more day.

Sony Online Entertainment announced that its post-apocalyptic zombie survival MMO, H1Z1, will be available via Steam Early Access on January 15, 2015 for $19.99 (USD).

Why did it take longer than we originally thought? It's a fair question. The simple answer is once we saw what we could have had earlier it wasn't good enough and we wanted to put something out that we would be proud of. What you'll be playing January 15th is a really fun game, but it's early. It's everything Early Access should be - a fun and compelling game that isn't finished. Our goal is to have you help us finish it and have it be a game we can build a large community in over time.

SOE will have 2 SKUs available, the basic early access SKU for $19.99 - which will let you into the game and have a great time - and a more expensive one which will be announced shortly. The difference between the two will be things like access to some of the game's different game mode servers (which you can get access to by purchasing tickets or earning them as well) and other specifics which will get outlined soon.

H1Z1 will be starting out with roughly 64k square Kilometers, but the plan is to grow it right away.. and over time create a virtual version of the US post apocalypse. Look for SOE to start adding land right away post launch.

Players can tune into the H1Z1 Twitch channel, for special AMA livestream today at 3:30 p.m. PST to learn more about Early Access.

In H1Z1 every minute of every day is borrowed time and fearing for your life… unless you are the Danger, but life can and will go on… even in circumstances as dire as this. Humanity has not given in to the Infected.

There are still pockets of humanity and the fight goes on!

H1Z1 is a persistent MMO so there will be a thriving economy, which means that apart from crafting there will also be trading. SOE will be giving players the tools to make their own towns, camps and defenses, and decide how to set up their base (which is in the world, not instanced). Player Studio will be included so expect player-created items to make their way into the game.