- Ambitious new Project Zomboid mod fills the world with simulated NPC factions, inspired by Stalker - 20 September 2026
Taking after Stalker's iconic A-Life system, this Project Zomboid mod creates a "persistent living world" with autonomous NPCs and factions. Read the full story on PCGamesN: Ambitious new Project Zomboid mod fills the world with simulated NPC factions, inspired by Stalker
- 42.20.4 STABLE & 42.19.2 UNSTABLE & 41.78.21 LEGACY Hotfixes Released - 26 August 2026
While this update should not break saves, if you encounter any bugs please ensure you can replicate them on a fresh save with no mods installed before reporting them to our team here. FIXES Fixed security vulnerabilities. Mod makers should be aware that as part of this fix, the loadstring and loadstream methods have been removed. If your mods used these methods you will need to update your mods. If you were using these methods to execute code sent from the server, then you will need to create the necessary methods and call them by sending the appropriate commands. If you are unable to replace these methods in your case, please report the issue in the #mod_portal channel of The Official Project Zomboid Discord server, explaining how you were using them As always, discussions regarding this update can be found pinned to the Project Zomboid Discussions Forums here.
- 42.20.3 STABLE Hotfix Released - 17 August 2026
While this update should not break saves, if you encounter any bugs please ensure you can replicate them on a fresh save with no mods installed before reporting them to our team here. MP Improved server player limit handling, including support for up to 254 players and administrator access when servers are full Fixed an issue that would cause the client to hang on "Loading Map" forever FIXES Addressed multiple causes of a memory leak that could lead to performance degradation and crashes over time If you continue to encounter an out of memory error in a new save, please submit a bug report with your logs and profiler video from debug so the team can investigate Implemented several memory optimisations Reduced instances of black and gray boxes appearing when travelling quickly through the world Additional causes of this issue are still being investigated and will be addressed in a future…
- Show your Spiffo’s pride, and help us fundraise - 6 August 2026
"Welcome to Spiffo’s, how can we serve you today?"Today we're launching our latest collaboration with the wonderful humans at Makeship. Here’s what’s on the menu:A Chef Spiffo plushie, with that cheeky raccoon looking as happy as can be in his adorable chef’s outfit!Our Spiffo's Restaurant Pin Collection, featuring:A Spiffo’s logo pin ( © Spiffo’s Corporation, 1993) created with a special “layered” effectA ‘Happy Birthday Spiffo’ pinA ‘Spiffo gets his burger on’ pinAnd last but not least, an official keychain with a delightful plushie version of the, uh, Spiffo part of Spiffo’s logo, seen here with all these other exciting official items!Be the envy of your friends! Represent your corporate allegiance with pride! All hail Spiffo!FUNDRAISINGOnce again (and thanks to the generous accountants at the Spiffo’s Corporation), all of our proceeds from this campaign will be donated to Mary’s Mea…
- 42.20.2 STABLE Hotfix Released - 5 August 2026
While this update should not break saves, if you encounter any bugs please ensure you can replicate them on a fresh save with no mods installed before reporting them to our team here. TECHNICAL/DEBUG Fixed percent symbol handling in files Mods should use %% to display % characters A temporary workaround was implemented to allow both methods of processing, however mod makers should update their mods to use %% to display % characters going forward as this workaround will be removed in a future unstable update Error logs will be populated highlighting the error so mod makers can see what needs to be updated going forward Fixed quick tips displaying % as %% Added memory debug-information when showing fps debug info As always, discussions regarding this update can be found pinned to the Project Zomboid Discussions Forums here.
- 42.20.1 STABLE Hotfix Released - 5 August 2026
While this update should not break saves, if you encounter any bugs please ensure you can replicate them on a fresh save with no mods installed before reporting them to our team here. MP Improved Lua checksum validation for multiplayer anti-cheat Fixed an issue that caused significant performance problems with chunk unloading on multiplayer servers This should fix most of the bugs players were getting on high-pop servers due to server lag Fixed errors and crashes that could occur when selecting Multiplayer while certain languages were selected Fixed an issue where vehicles could temporarily disappear for players after another player disconnected Fixed an issue that would allow broken B41 worlds to be hosted on B42 servers Fixed an issue where players switching from b41 to B42 could be met with a missing menu FIXES Improved memory usage by reusing discarded world data Fixed a memory leak…
- Perennial early access game Project Zomboid hit a new concurrent player record after a huge map update added reworked towns, a spooky orphanage and '400 procedural basements' - 2 August 2026
It's been a big week for Project Zomboid , the wildly successful zombie survival sim that, like a doomsday prepper holed up in a fortified basement, simply refuses to leave Steam early access. Its first major build update since 2021 coincided with a slight price increase for The Indie Stone's undead phenomenon, but this didn't stop the game from setting a new record for concurrent players on Steam... Read more.
- Project Zomboid soars to a new Steam high after 19-month wait for an update, but its dev won't rush the next one - 2 August 2026
The Project Zomboid build 42 update arrived this week, and it's carried the zombie survival game to its highest ever Steam player count. Read the full story on PCGamesN: Project Zomboid soars to a new Steam high after 19-month wait for an update, but its dev won't rush the next one
- Project Zomboid peaks at 124k players - 9 August 2026
Project Zomboid has peaked at 124,995 concurrent players on 9 August 2026. View charts and more statistics on our website.
- The massive Project Zomboid Build 42 is out now - 29 July 2026
Project Zomboid just had a big free upgrade with Build 42 now out in the stable branch, bringing with it an overhaul to various parts of the game. Read the full article here: https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2026/07/the-massive-project-zomboid-build-42-is-out-now/
- Build 42.20.0 Stable Released - 29 July 2026
As part of our preparations for the release of Build 42 Stable, we've also released a small security patch for Builds 41 and 42.19. We'd like to thank Jorge Escabias for responsibly disclosing this vulnerability and bringing it to our attention before it could be exploited. We greatly appreciate the time and effort involved in reporting issues like this, which helps us keep the game secure for everyone. There is a small chance this change may affect some mods. If you encounter any compatibility issues after the update, we would ask that mod authors please report them in the mod_portal channel on our Discord so we can investigate. How do I switch back to Build 41? Right-click PZ in your Steam library. Select "Properties". Under "Game Version & Betas" select "legacy41". B42 Feature List The patch notes below cover the changes between 42.19 and 42.20. For an overview of the features and ad…
- Project Zomboid build 42 is finally here, and it adds animals, basements, and deeper crafting - 29 July 2026
Project Zomboid build 42 is finally here after over a year's wait, and it promises to be a huge one, with loads of features to explore. Read the full story on PCGamesN: Project Zomboid build 42 is finally here, and it adds animals, basements, and deeper crafting
- B42 CHECKLIST - 28 July 2026
Tomorrow, Wednesday 29th July, we will be releasing Build 42 of Project Zomboid!This is a quick post to ensure that those who want to continue playing Build 41 are aware of how they can do so with minimal disruption, and indeed to tick off a few other items to be aware of.Apologies for the overall boring post! Hopefully yesterday’s map overhaul excitement counterbalances it a little.THOSE WANTING TO STAY ON 41Build 41 savegames clearly will not be compatible with Build 42.If you are a Build 41 player who wants to minimise disruption on the 42 launch, or a server owner / online player who wants to continue on Build 41, then there is already a beta channel for you (and your players) to move over to before the event.To reiterate: you can safely swap to the Build 41 beta now.To do so:Right-click PZ in your Steam library.Select “Properties”.Under “Game Versions & Betas” select “legacy41”.THO…
- 42.20: The Big Glow Up - 27 July 2026
Hi everyone, as previously mentioned Build 42.20 will be coming to the public stable branch this Wednesday, July 29th! For full details on this please check out this announcement blog. A big new part of this is a HUGE new upgrade to the Knox Event Exclusion Zone – that goes way beyond what you have already played during the Unstable beta. Our aim? To create a heavily evolved Knox Country that expands and overhauls the game’s Kentucky setting with new and reworked areas, that feel more lived-in, more natural, and more believable as places that existed long before everything went wrong. So what’s got us to this point? Let’s hand over to Art Director Ayrton Orio to explain: “Since Build 41 the Art Department has been hard at work on expanding the map westward, establishing an ambitious target quality, and revamping many of the existing towns in-game – while also hiring and restructuring.”…
- The massive Project Zomboid 'Build 42' update confirmed for July 29 - 24 July 2026
The incredibly detailed zombie survival game Project Zomboid is set to level up in a huge way with the proper release of Build 42 on July 29th. Read the full article here: https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2026/07/the-massive-project-zomboid-build-42-update-confirmed-for-july-29/
- BUILD 42 STABLE PLANS - 24 July 2026
Project Zomboid version 42.20 will be coming direct to the stable public branch Wednesday, the 29th of July. Details on what this will entail will follow after, by way of celebration, the unveiling of our new Build 42 Steam Store trailer! This has been lovingly crafted by our Art Director Ayrton, captured by Amz, been blessed with 3D renders by Werlias, and received much sound love from Matteo and the team from Arrival. Our thanks too to our voice talent Michael Billington, Gemma Acosta, Jane Perry and Stefan Ashton - all of whom knocked it out of the park. So, onto some further important details on next week's excitement. THOSE WANTING TO STAY ON 41 Build 41 savegames clearly will not be compatible with Build 42. If you are a Build 41 player who wants to minimise disruption on the 42 launch, or a server owner / online player who wants to continue on Build 41, then there is already a be…
- After 19 months of waiting, Project Zomboid's next update will finally deliver a stable build, "and it's a big one" - 10 July 2026
19 months after the launch of Project Zomboid build 42, The Indie Stone says its next update will come to stable as the new Steam default. Read the full story on PCGamesN: After 19 months of waiting, Project Zomboid's next update will finally deliver a stable build, "and it's a big one"
- NEXT STEPS - 9 July 2026
Hello Survivors! It’s July 9th, something of a key date in PZ lore, so we felt it was a great time to check in with you to lay out our overall plans for the rest of the year. So pack up the car, fuel up the generator, and let’s get ready for a loot run! 42.20 Unstable Build 42.20 is in the testing phase, and it’s a big one, with a few yet-to-be-revealed surprises a big portion of the team has been designing and creating. We’ll announce the specifics once the update is complete, and are targeting a release later this summer. Additionally, Unstable players will want to be aware that we have also been addressing issues around the following: Character Spawns Controllers Meat yield from Butcher Hooks Vehicle Towing Zombie culling in MP Map chunk loading when driving in MP And loads more.. Due to a large content update, unfortunately 42.19 save games will not be transferable to 42.20. However…
- Build 42.19.0 Unstable Released - 1 June 2026
As always it is recommended that you create a new save with no mods after updates. Updates fix bugs and introduce new changes that may not be compatible with any older saves, especially ones older than the last patch. How do I subscribe to the Unstable beta branch? Right-click PZ in your Steam library. Select "Properties". Under "Game Version & Betas" select "Unstable". NEW Added Controller Re-Mapping Added extended idle animations when seated on the floor UI/CONTROLLER Added new Gamepad Customization UI Controller Input Fixes Added the ability to press the X button to clear text entries Fixed controller issues in MapSpawnSelect Fixed controller issues in LoadGameScreen Fixed GrabCorpse binding not also dropping corpses Fixed the A button not toggling the ingredient inputs panel in the Build window Fixed the X button not clearing the text in ISTextEntryBox in some cases Fixed the contro…
- REINFORCING THE BARRICADES - 29 May 2026
Hello, Survivors! Today we are bringing you some news related to our localization process, along with a quick preview of the upcoming 42.19 Update! So throw some beef jerky into your fanny pack, fill up your canteen with whiskey, and let’s take a look: LOCALIZATION: A PIVOT Previously, TIS announced that Project Zomboid would be moving to external localization for Build 42 and beyond. However, after trying this process out and then mixing in many separate changes and recent improvements to our workflow, we believe that the extended future of both the game and community would be better served by returning to the community translation model that we had been so proud of up to and through Build 41. To explain our reasoning: In hindsight, one reason we initially put a halt on community translation is simply because our pipeline was too unwieldy and our processes weren’t good enough backstage…
