Project Zomboid Reaches Highest Player Count in History
Project Zomboid, despite being in early access since 2013, has not only failed to attract players but has also grown steadily. A comprehensive update published by The Indie Stone brought back long-lost players and attracted thousands of new players stepping into the zombie invasion for the first time. The resulting picture clearly shows how strong the 13-year-old game still is.
How Did Project Zomboid Break the Player Record?
According to SteamDB data, Project Zomboid reached its highest level in history on Sunday with 121,603 concurrent players. This marked the first time the game was played by more than 100,000 people simultaneously. The game, which had a relatively modest community for many years, experienced a surge in popularity, particularly from late 2020 onwards, and began reaching a wider audience in 2021.
Behind this massive leap is a new update that the developers have dubbed “The Big Glow Up.” Presented as the game’s most comprehensive content pack since 2021, the update nearly doubles the size of the map. Three new towns have been added, while the existing seven settlements have been redesigned to look more unique and distinct.
Underground exploration has also been significantly expanded, alongside new areas like a prison and an abandoned orphanage. Players can now encounter 400 randomly generated basements and 75 hand-designed custom basements. The addition of new huntable animals like cows and chickens also deepens the survival system. Given the scale of the update, it’s easy to understand why veteran players are returning.
The Indie Stone has increased the game’s price from $20 to $25 with the update. Previous purchasers are not required to pay the extra fee. The new price doesn’t seem to have diminished interest. It’s still unknown when Project Zomboid will exit early access. Frankly, if even such a large update hasn’t brought version 1.0, the wait seems likely to continue for a while longer.
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