A week is a long time in politics but 11 years is an even longer time in gaming. 7 Days to Die has spent over a decade in early access, but that’s all about to end. Version 1.0 is knocking on the door and is ready to enter the room. Before the game launches into its final, full form, you can test it out for a few days.
This follows on from a test which has run over the weekend, with streamers and YouTubers getting their hands on the full release of 7 Days to Die. Now, it’s the turn of those who’ve bought the survival FPS game, with the experimental beta branch available to everyone who owns it. Taking part is simple – just enter the game’s properties on Steam, find the betas tab, and activate it there.
It’s hard to fully comprehend what a piece of living history 7 Days to Die is. Originally funded via KickStarter, it then went on to take part in the now-defunct Steam Greenlight process before entering Steam Early Access. It even brushed up against Telltale Games before the developer shut its doors. With 11 years of updates there’s tons to wade through, with version 1.0 representing the start of a new, post-alpha process, rather than the end of support.
The full version of the game has some hefty patch notes alongside it, with some revamped systems targeting areas fans have long held feedback about. Player characters have been totally rebuilt, with new more detailed models and updated animations adding a new layer of realism. Armor and clothing has similarly been redone, taking advantage of the updated player character models. There are new animals, a new challenge system to help guide players through their first steps in the game, vehicle models have been updated, new points of interest, and even gore has been enhanced.
When the game launches into version 1.0, developer The Fun Pimps promises several large updates following. A roadmap outlining what to expect in 2024-2025 shows off an updated weather system, UI enhancements, a story mode, and plenty more to look forward to.
You can play the 7 Days to Die version 1.0 beta right now, and the full launch is expected to arrive on Thursday July 25. Head over to the game’s official site to learn more.
You can also take a look at our recommendations for the best 7 Days to Die mods, as well as our picks for the best zombie games out there right now.
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