Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 release date, gameplay & update: everything we know so far

Start preparing your sunflowers and peapods for a new onslaught of zombies with the new Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2.

According to a report by Polygon, Electronic Arts initially announced at E3 2015 that the much-awaited game will be released sometime during the early months of 2016. Mark your calendars as the developer has just announced that the game will be officially available in US stores on Feb. 23 and Feb. 25 in Europe.

The game's creative director Justin Wiebe issued the following statement on the Electronic Arts website:

"At PopCap, we love to excite our fans, and couldn't be more ready and thrilled to bring Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2 into their hands earlier than expected."

"From the immersive worlds and the crazy characters to the new ways to play such as Backyard Battleground, we're incredibly proud of the game we're building. This is a crazy shooter filled with fan-requested features as well as all-new experiences that will make this unlike any other game in the genre."

A new 90-second trailer released on the Plants vs. Zombies YouTube channel features some of the gameplay that fans can expect with the new game. Watch the trailer for the Grass Effect mode here.

This new installment of the popular game also features elements from another Electronic Arts bestselling title: Mass Effect. Slash Gear identifies the special suit used in the game as the Z7-Mech.

GameSpot says the Z7-Mech suit is available to gamers who preorder the PopCap game. The design of the Mass Effect-inspired suit was created in collaboration with BioWare.

A recent review by Destructoid indicates that the limited edition suit will come with a special Zomni-blade and ability to "pull" plants closer for a special attack.

In addition to the special mech suit, pre-ordered games will also come with 14 emojis which can be used to customize characters.

The new Plants vs. Zombies title will come with 12 colorful and humorous maps, over a hundred distinct collectible characters and several unique game modes. One of these new modes is labeled the 24-player Herbal Assault.

There is also the Graveyard Ops co-op mode which allows up to four players to play together on one team.

GameSpot says the game will also feature a mode referred to as the Backyard Battleground. This particular mode will act as a center where players can connect with their friends, collect awards and more.

Electronic Arts says the game will be available for play on the Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC.