# Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2
**Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2** is a third-person shooter developed by PopCap and published by [Electronic Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/electronic-arts), released on February 23, 2016 for PC, PlayStation 4, and [Xbox One](https://www.edgepedia.org/xbox-one)[1](https://www.ea.com/games/plants-vs-zombies/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2) • [2](https://www.ea.com/en-gb/amp/news/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2-faq). It is the second game in the Garden Warfare series, which adapts the tower-defense [Plants vs. Zombies](https://www.edgepedia.org/plants-vs-zombies) franchise into class-based shooter combat, and its premise reverses the first game: the zombies have conquered Suburbia, and for the first time in franchise history the plants are on the attack[1](https://www.ea.com/games/plants-vs-zombies/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2) • [2](https://www.ea.com/en-gb/amp/news/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2-faq).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | February 23, 2016, on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One[1](https://www.ea.com/games/plants-vs-zombies/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2) |
| Classes | Six new classes join the original eight, for 14 total; over 100 playable characters including variants[2](https://www.ea.com/en-gb/amp/news/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2-faq) |
| New plant classes | Kernel Corn, Rose (turns zombies into playable goats), and Citron[2](https://www.ea.com/en-gb/amp/news/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2-faq) |
| New zombie classes | Imp (with the Z-mech), Super Brainz, and Captain Deadbeard[2](https://www.ea.com/en-gb/amp/news/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2-faq) |
| Modes | 7 game modes, including 24-player Herbal Assault and 4-player co-op Graveyard Ops, across 12 new maps[2](https://www.ea.com/en-gb/amp/news/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2-faq) |
| Hub world | Backyard Battleground, a personal playground with dynamic events, quests, and the King of the Hill-style Flag of Power mode[3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqigwi2jPHU) |
| Reception | Metacritic scores of 82 from critics and 7.9 from users on the PS4 version; 81 from 22 critic reviews on CriticDB[4](https://wholesgame.com/reviews/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2-reviews/) • [5](https://criticdb.com/franchises/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare) |
| PC status | Moved to EA Anticheat in March 2024, dropping support for Windows 7 and 8.1[6](https://www.ea.com/ea-play/news/pvzgw2-anticheat-update) |
## Gameplay and new classes
Each character carries a primary unlimited-ammo weapon and three rechargeable class-specific powers, ranging from rocket launchers to bombs and healing abilities[7](https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2016/02/theres-a-decent-game-somewhere-in-plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2/). The sequel's most noticeable change over the first game is the increased number of classes on both sides[7](https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2016/02/theres-a-decent-game-somewhere-in-plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2/).
The six new classes are described by EA as follows. Kernel Corn is a corn cob returning from combat overseas to find Suburbia transformed into Zomburbia. Rose is a sorceress from the past who can turn zombie foes into fully playable goats. Citron is a bounty-hunting orange from the future sent back to destroy the Imp and his Z-mech. On the zombie side, the Imp is the most agile character in the game but has the lowest health, and Dr. Zomboss created the Z-mech to give Imps an edge; Super Brainz is a zombie superhero who thinks he is an 1980s action movie star; and Captain Deadbeard is a peg-legged pirate captain whose transforming weapon works as a sniper rifle at range and a shotgun blast up close[2](https://www.ea.com/en-gb/amp/news/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2-faq).
Character variations are unlocked as in the first game, by purchasing randomized sticker packs with coins earned from gameplay[8](https://www.windowscentral.com/pvz-garden-warfare-2-review). The progression system was overhauled to let players earn XP across the 100+ character variants[2](https://www.ea.com/en-gb/amp/news/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2-faq).
## Modes and structure
The game ships with seven game modes. Plants go on the offensive in the new 24-player Herbal Assault mode, while zombies defend in the 4-player co-op Graveyard Ops; the returning Gardens and Graveyards mode also supports 24-player online battles[2](https://www.ea.com/en-gb/amp/news/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2-faq) • [9](https://www.allaboutnewport.co.uk/magazine/aam-feb2016/files/assets/common/downloads/publication.pdf). Twelve new battlegrounds were added, including the low-gravity Moon Base Z and the snowy Frosty Creek, and the Time Park theme-park map is described by the team as the biggest map the Garden Warfare team had made[3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqigwi2jPHU) • [2](https://www.ea.com/en-gb/amp/news/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2-faq).
Backyard Battleground is the game's hub world, a personal playground full of dynamic events where players edit abilities and customizations, choose quests, and launch into co-op or multiplayer modes; up to three friends can join a backyard party to fight waves of AI enemies that grow more powerful with each wave[3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqigwi2jPHU) • [10](https://plantsvszombies.wiki.gg/wiki/Backyard_Battleground). The Flag of Power mode there ignites an escalating battle against wave after wave of enemies[3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqigwi2jPHU).
For the first time in the series, every game mode can be played solo against AI or in local split-screen with a friend, without requiring Xbox Live Gold or PS Plus[2](https://www.ea.com/en-gb/amp/news/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2-faq). Private matches with custom rules are supported[2](https://www.ea.com/en-gb/amp/news/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2-faq). There is no online split-screen; the frame rate tends to drop in offline split-screen play, which the MP1st review suggested was a reason to omit it[11](https://mp1st.com/features/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2-review).
## Carryover and post-launch support
Players of the original Garden Warfare could transfer almost every one of their unlocked characters into Garden Warfare 2 from launch, along with unique in-game rewards[3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqigwi2jPHU). EA committed to free post-launch updates to keep the game fresh[2](https://www.ea.com/en-gb/amp/news/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2-faq).
Support continued years after release. In March 2024 EA transitioned the PC version to EA Anticheat as part of its efforts to create a safe and fair experience, noting that Microsoft had ended security updates for [Windows 7](https://www.edgepedia.org/windows-7) in January 2020 and for [Windows 8.1](https://www.edgepedia.org/windows-8-1) in January 2023[6](https://www.ea.com/ea-play/news/pvzgw2-anticheat-update). The PC version requires an internet connection to play[1](https://www.ea.com/games/plants-vs-zombies/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2).
## Reception
Garden Warfare 2 earned a Metacritic score of 82 from critics and 7.9 from users on the PS4 version[4](https://wholesgame.com/reviews/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2-reviews/), and CriticDB records 81 from 22 critic reviews for the February 22, 2016 release[5](https://criticdb.com/franchises/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare). Critics described it as a highly enjoyable and deep game with plenty of modes and characters for replayability, while noting some balance issues and some unenjoyable game modes[4](https://wholesgame.com/reviews/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2-reviews/). GameSpot found the game balanced despite its diverse characters and asymmetrical modes, and judged that its character diversity outclasses other shooters[12](https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2-review/1900-6416360/). Windows Central called the sequel the full-sized game fans always wanted, citing the solo quests, expanded split-screen support, new characters, and the Backyard Battleground hub[8](https://www.windowscentral.com/pvz-garden-warfare-2-review). MP1st called it a vast improvement over the first game[11](https://mp1st.com/features/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2-review).
## References
1. [Buy Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2, Electronic Arts](https://www.ea.com/games/plants-vs-zombies/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2)
2. [Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2 FAQ, Electronic Arts](https://www.ea.com/en-gb/amp/news/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2-faq)
3. [Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2 Launch Gameplay Trailer, Official EA UK, YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqigwi2jPHU)
4. [Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 Reviews, WholesGame](https://wholesgame.com/reviews/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2-reviews/)
5. [Every Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare Game Ranked by Critics, CriticDB](https://criticdb.com/franchises/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare)
6. [EA Anti-Cheat and Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2, Electronic Arts](https://www.ea.com/ea-play/news/pvzgw2-anticheat-update)
7. [There's a decent game somewhere in Plants Vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2, Ars Technica](https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2016/02/theres-a-decent-game-somewhere-in-plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2/)
8. [Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 review, Windows Central](https://www.windowscentral.com/pvz-garden-warfare-2-review)
9. [All About Magazine, Review 29, February 2016](https://www.allaboutnewport.co.uk/magazine/aam-feb2016/files/assets/common/downloads/publication.pdf)
10. [Backyard Battleground, Plants vs. Zombies Wiki](https://plantsvszombies.wiki.gg/wiki/Backyard_Battleground)
11. [Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 - Multiplayer Review, MP1st](https://mp1st.com/features/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2-review)
12. [Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 Review, GameSpot](https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2-review/1900-6416360/)
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*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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