The original Plants vs. Zombies was released for PC in 2009. PopCap Games launched the Windows and macOS versions on May 5, 2009, introducing the series’ lane-based tower-defense formula to desktop players.
The game was developed by PopCap Games and designed by George Fan. Its development took about three and a half years, evolving from an idea for a sequel to Insaniquarium into a defense game where plants served as stationary towers and zombies advanced along rows toward a house.
The release date is sometimes confused with later ports. Versions for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo DS, and mobile devices arrived after the PC debut, mostly during 2010 and 2011. The sequel, Plants vs. Zombies 2, was not released until 2013, so neither of those dates belongs to the original desktop game.
The launch also established characters and features that became series staples, including Crazy Dave, Sunflowers, lawnmowers, the Suburban Almanac, and the music video “Zombies on Your Lawn.”