Dawn Of The Dead | Blackout

It seems you're asking about a specific concept or project titled "Dawn of the Dead Blackout." After a thorough search of existing films, video games, comics, and fan works, there is no official, widely recognized release (movie, game, or book) with that exact title.

However, the phrase strongly suggests a fan-made concept or a mod that merges two popular elements of zombie fiction:

Dawn of the Dead (the classic 1978 George A. Romero film or its 2004 remake) – known for zombie hordes and survivors trapped in a mall.
"Blackout" – a common zombie-genre trope referring to a total power grid failure, often seen in works like World War Z, Fear the Walking Dead, or the video game ZombiU.

Here’s a breakdown of what "Dawn of the Dead Blackout" most likely refers to, based on community discussions and modding scenes.

Phase Two: The Hunger (Days 3–10)

This is the "Dawn." In Romero's universe, the dead rise to feed. In the blackout, the living rise to scavenge.

Without refrigeration, grocery stores become tombs of rotting meat. The smell attracts not flies, but desperation. Hospitals, running on emergency generators that are already sputtering on day four, begin triage blackouts—shutting down wings to save fuel. If you have a chronic condition (diabetes, heart disease), your clock is ticking louder than the undead ever could. dawn of the dead blackout

The "Shambler" logic applies here. During the first three days, the desperate move fast and loud. By day seven, they slow down. Dehydration sets in. Dysentery returns to developed nations for the first time in a century. In the Dawn of the Dead Blackout, the infected aren't viral; they're thirsty.

You learn to fear the sound of an engine. Because gasoline is now the currency of kings. Anyone driving a car after day five is either a cop who has abandoned their post or a gang looking for your kerosene.

E. Victory Conditions (choose one):

Escape Route – Find the “Service Exit” tile (shuffled into last 5 tiles) and hold it for 2 turns without sound tokens.
Survival Timer – Last 15 turns, then a helicopter arrives at a random outdoor tile.
Ammo Burnout (cooperative mode) – Kill 50 zombies as a group.

6. Tips for First-Time Blackout Players

Stay together initially – darkness splits the party easily, and isolated players get swarmed.
Save flares for emergencies – they reveal a lot but summon a horde.
Avoid running unless you have a clear escape route. Walking keeps noise low.
Use furniture to create safe rooms – then use flashlights sparingly to loot nearby tiles.
In cooperative mode, assign roles: one scavenger, one lookout, one barricade builder.

7. Where to Find the Full Rules

The most complete version of “Dawn of the Dead Blackout” is maintained by fan “MallRat” on BoardGameGeek. Search for:

Zombies!!! Variant: Dawn of the Dead Blackout (v2.4) It seems you're asking about a specific concept

That PDF includes:

Full tile setup guide
20+ custom event cards
Solo play rules
Optional “night vision goggles” and “generator repair” subplots

D. Barricades & Furniture Cards

Furniture cards (desk, vending machine, shelf) can be discarded to block a doorway. Zombies must spend 2 move actions to destroy a barricade – buying survivors precious time.

Third Possibility: A Tabletop RPG Scenario

In the All Flesh Must Be Eaten or Zombie World TTRPG communities, there is a fan-written scenario called "Blackout at the Dawn Mall" . The plot:

It’s 1979, three weeks after the rising. Your group has survived in a suburban mall. Then the backup generators fail. Now, in total darkness, the only light comes from emergency exit signs and the occasional muzzle flash. The zombies outside have stopped moaning. They just stand silently in the parking lot, staring at the blacked-out windows. Waiting. Dawn of the Dead (the classic 1978 George A

This scenario emphasizes sound-based stealth, limited resources, and the psychological horror of not seeing the threat.

1. Overview: What Is “Dawn of the Dead Blackout”?

“Dawn of the Dead Blackout” is not an official standalone game or expansion. Instead, it’s a community-made variant (or house ruleset) inspired by George A. Romero’s 1978 film Dawn of the Dead. The name “Blackout” refers to a common scenario in zombie fiction where power grids fail, turning shopping malls or cities into dark, dangerous labyrinths.

Key inspirations:

Dawn of the Dead (1978) – Survivors barricade themselves in a mall.
Dawn of the Dead (2004 remake) – Faster zombies, darker atmosphere, and a desperate finale.
Classic zombie tropes – Limited visibility, noise attracting undead, and resource scarcity.

The variant transforms the standard Zombies!!! gameplay into a tense, survival-horror experience where light sources, sound discipline, and barricading matter as much as dice rolls.

Most Likely Possibility: A Fan Game or Mod Concept

On zombie fan forums (like Reddit’s r/zombies or modding sites like ModDB/Nexus), users have proposed a survival horror concept called "Dawn of the Dead: Blackout" . The core idea is:

Setting: The Monroeville Mall (from Romero’s 1978 film) or the Crossroads Mall (2004 remake).
Scenario: Three days after the outbreak. The military has collapsed. The power grid fails entirely (the "blackout").
Gameplay Mechanics:
- No lights inside the mall after day one. Survivors must use flashlights, flares, or makeshift lanterns.
- No elevators or automated doors – all manual.
- Refrigerators fail – food spoils quickly, forcing risky scavenging runs outside.
- Radio silence – no news, no rescue broadcasts.
- Increased threat: Zombies are drawn to sound, but in total darkness, their senses shift. Some mods describe "blackout zombies" that are slower but have enhanced hearing.

No complete game exists with this name, but it has been discussed as a potential mod for games like:

Project Zomboid (most famous for its "blackout" challenge modes)
State of Decay 2
7 Days to Die