Plants vs. Zombies 2 release date announced, PopCap hints at PC release

It's been a long four years since we defended our lawns in the original Plants vs.

Plants vs. Zombies, but PopCap's sequel to the beloved flower-defense franchise finally has a release date—for iOS devices.

We already knewPvZ 2 would come out in July, but the iOS exclusivity comes as a bit of a shock. We asked PopCap if and when it would release the undead-slaying, botany simulator for the PC, to which it had this to say:

“We are not commenting further on future adaptations of PvZ 2 at this time, except to say that over time, we plan to bring the game to numerous platforms and make it even more widely available than the original Plants vs. Zombies.”

It's not a solid “yes,” but it's difficult to imagine PvZ 2 reaching more platforms than its predecessor while avoiding the personal computer. We'll keep an eye out for additional versions of the game, but it looks like non-iOS users will have to wait a bit.

In the meanwhile, Plants vs. Zombies 2 will take root on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch on July 18 for the low, low price of free. The sequel will feature new plants, zombies, and fourth wall-breaking power-ups that let you “interact with zombies directly” PopCap plans on charging for in-game items to generate revenue.

The CG trailer, which is an all-too-accurate depiction of my home, also highlights a time-travel element (along with a nod to Back to the Future) leaving us to speculate what the lawns of ancient Egypt looked like.