With the launch of the Combat Update this week, we’re excited to bring you a glimpse into the future roadmap of H1Z1. Your feedback was hugely instrumental in helping shape the combat update, and now that it’s live, we want to share our vision with you as we take the next steps toward redefining what it means to play H1Z1. 

Our vision is for H1Z1 to be the dominant fast-paced, action packed game in the genre. This is what sets H1Z1 apart from its competition. PUBG is very clearly a slow paced, tactical experience. And they have certainly delivered on that vision. But ours has always been and will continue to be based on fast paced & action packed moment to moment gameplay. In the coming months, all of the updates and features we bring to the game will be driving towards fully delivering on this vision.

Today, we want to share with you how we intend to speed up matches & deliver on action packed in the next few months:



The goal is to put less emphasis on the tedious aspects of looting and more emphasis on power progression and vehicles to speed up gameplay.  We want to keep players on the move. 

Based on these core gameplay principles, here’s how a typical match of H1Z1 would play out: As the match starts to ramp up, multiple supply crates are airdropped into the arena at the same time. These airdropped crates are loaded with upgraded variants of the weapons found around the arena to give you an edge over the competition. You’ve got a choice: Get aggressive and hit these airdrops before your opponents, or try to outmaneuver your opponents and let them make the first move. Supplies will airdrop in waves with more powerful weapons coming in as the game goes on. Action in the end-game is intense, so you’ll build up your arsenal from airdrops and downed players if you want to be the last one standing. 

We know this is a bold move and we’re committed to challenging ourselves to create the best experience possible as we continue to raise the quality bar and get ready to head out of Early Access.



At the end of the day, our goal is to bring you even more action from start to finish. We're excited about this renewed focus on faster match times and in-game power progression and we look forward to your feedback as we continue to evolve H1Z1 to be a better and more fun experience for all. As always, all of the updates we make will be on Test before reaching the Live servers, and we’ll need your feedback now more than ever. 

In addition to doubling down on fast faced play we’re also looking to add new guns, maps & more! Lots more info coming at TwitchCon! 

Thank you for joining us on this journey, and game on! 

With the launch of the Combat Update this week, we’re excited to bring you a glimpse into the future roadmap of H1Z1. Your feedback was hugely instrumental in helping shape the combat update, and now that it’s live, we want to share our vision with you as we take the next steps toward redefining what it means to play H1Z1. 

Our vision is for H1Z1 to be the dominant fast-paced, action packed game in the genre. This is what sets H1Z1 apart from its competition. PUBG is very clearly a slow paced, tactical experience. And they have certainly delivered on that vision. But ours has always been and will continue to be based on fast paced & action packed moment to moment gameplay. In the coming months, all of the updates and features we bring to the game will be driving towards fully delivering on this vision.

Today, we want to share with you how we intend to speed up matches & deliver on action packed in the next few months:



The goal is to put less emphasis on the tedious aspects of looting and more emphasis on power progression and vehicles to speed up gameplay.  We want to keep players on the move. 

Based on these core gameplay principles, here’s how a typical match of H1Z1 would play out: As the match starts to ramp up, multiple supply crates are airdropped into the arena at the same time. These airdropped crates are loaded with upgraded variants of the weapons found around the arena to give you an edge over the competition. You’ve got a choice: Get aggressive and hit these airdrops before your opponents, or try to outmaneuver your opponents and let them make the first move. Supplies will airdrop in waves with more powerful weapons coming in as the game goes on. Action in the end-game is intense, so you’ll build up your arsenal from airdrops and downed players if you want to be the last one standing. 

We know this is a bold move and we’re committed to challenging ourselves to create the best experience possible as we continue to raise the quality bar and get ready to head out of Early Access.



At the end of the day, our goal is to bring you even more action from start to finish. We're excited about this renewed focus on faster match times and in-game power progression and we look forward to your feedback as we continue to evolve H1Z1 to be a better and more fun experience for all. As always, all of the updates we make will be on Test before reaching the Live servers, and we’ll need your feedback now more than ever. 

In addition to doubling down on fast faced play we’re also looking to add new guns, maps & more! Lots more info coming at TwitchCon! 

Thank you for joining us on this journey, and game on! 

Servers will be down starting at 11am PT for 4 hours.


With the rollout of the Combat Update, Preseason 6 begins.  There is all-new scoring for Solos, Duos, and Fives.  All leaderboards and Top 10s have been cleared for the new season – good luck getting to Royalty this season!


Weapons have all been re-tuned and improved so that they behave and feel more like their real-world counterparts and have a distinct and important role in the game.  Overall, bullets now move at a more believable speed and with a flatter trajectory; though bullets still begin to drop over long distances. Rifle rounds fly fastest and flattest while pistol rounds hit hard up close but lose power over distance.  

• Throwables no longer have to “reload” before they can be thrown.  Hold aim (default: right mouse button) to see an Aim Arc to line up your throw, or tap left-click for a quick throw.  Your character will slow down while lining up a throw.
• The bleed mechanic has been simplified so that there are now three bleeding states (previously, there were five).  The UI is now consistent with the system, showing three blood icons to indicate Minor, Moderate, and Major bleeding.  It’ll take one bandage to heal each bleed marker or a First Aid Kit to heal all three.
• Free-look functionality (Default: Left Alt) has been added to the Parachute.  The look sensitivity can be adjusted with the Vehicle Camera Sensitivity slider.
• Movement controls have been fine-tuned to be more responsive and better connected to the in-game actions of your character.  Running, turning, throwing, and strafing animations have all been improved.
• A new reticle has been added that blooms as recoil increases.  Aiming down sights will bring the reticle down to a smaller size to demonstrate accuracy, while holding down fire of an automatic weapon will show how recoil increases over time.  The old reticle can be used via the “Reticle Style” option in Settings.
• Shots now leave a light trail behind them so that you can see the bullet trajectory.  This can also be disabled in Settings.
• New hitmarkers have been added to the shotgun to show how many of the pellets landed.
• You can now move while looting.  

 

• New Weapon: Hellfire 4-6 Submachine Gun
  
  • Lightweight and highly effective in close-quarters combat.
  • Fully automatic, fires its 30-round magazine in approximately two seconds.
• The R380 has been removed from the game. Its skin will be made available for the M1911.
• AR-15 and AK-47 have been rebuilt with new models, improved animations and better muzzle effects.  Other guns will be improved similarly in the future.
• All weapons have had recoil, cone of fire, and reset time tuned to improve overall feel as well as help reinforce their intended ranges. 

AR-15

• Role: Long-range versatile - low recoil and high accuracy.
• Damage per shot: 22.5 (decreased from 25)
• Headshot modifier: x4.5
• Projectile speed: 800 meters per second (up from 375)
• Bleed applied per shot: 1
• Fire Rate: Semi-automatic
• Notes: Recoil now includes vertical movement

AK-47 

• Role: Mid-range versatile – high recoil and high damage.
  
• Damage per shot: 30
  
• Headshot modifier: x4
  
• Projectile speed: 625 meters per second (up from 375)
  
• Bleed applied per shot: 2
  
• Fire Rate: Automatic, slightly increased.

Hellfire 4-6

• Role: Close-range versatile – highest fire rate
• Damage per shot: 15
• Headshot modifier: x4
• Projectile speed: 500 m/s
• Bleed applied per shot: 1
• Fire Rate: Automatic, very fast.

Shotgun

• Role: Close-range specialist – capable of one-shot kills
• Damage per pellet: 12 pellets fired, doing 4.0 - 9.1 damage each, depending on distance.
• Headshot modifier: Between x1.0 and x2.7, depending on distance.
• Projectile speed: 250 meters per second
• Bleed applied per pellet: ¼ (per pellet)
• Fire Rate: Pump action, slightly decreased.
• Note: Shotgun damage decreases over distance.  It will inflict max damage at point blank and begin to decrease beyond 8 meters.  It will inflict minimum damage at ranges of 13m and above.

.308 Hunting Rifle

• Role: Long-range specialist – capable of one-shot kills
• Damage per shot: 65
• Headshot modifier: x4
• Projectile speed: 1000 meters per second (up from 659)
• Bleed applied per shot: 3
• Fire Rate: Bolt action
• Notes: Scope sway & hold breath mechanics have been removed.  Bypasses the 50% bleed reduction that body armor provides.  Also increased zoom from 4x to 8x.

Magnum

• Role: Powerful pistol - packs a huge punch
• Damage per shot: 45 (increased from 30)
• Headshot modifier: x2.5
• Projectile speed: 350 meters per second (down from 375)
• Bleed applied per shot: 2
• Fire rate: Semi-automatic, slowest pistol
• Notes: Bypasses the 50% bleed reduction that body armor provides.

M1911

• Role: Versatile pistol - good in many situations
• Damage per shot: 27.5 (increased from 25)
• Headshot modifier: x4
• Projectile speed: 300 meters per second (down from 375)
• Bleed applied per shot: 1
• Fire rate: Semi-automatic
• Notes: Increased magazine size to 10 rounds, up from 7.

M9

• Role: Run and gun pistol - large magazine and low recoil
• Damage per shot: 18
• Headshot modifier: x5
• Projectile speed: 400 meters per second (up from 375)
• Bleed applied per shot: 1
• Fire rate: Semi-automatic, fastest pistol
• Notes: Increased magazine size to 17 rounds, up from 15.

Two new camera options have been added to the game; Dynamic and Static.  These are both over-the-shoulder cameras that give you a much clearer connection to your character and line of sight to your target.  Static will be the default option, and you can choose between the two new cameras, and the classic live camera, in Settings.

• The Dynamic camera will pull in tight in buildings for a better view of interior spaces and will move back to when running forward to provide a better view of your character.  It will also shift over a bit to the side when aiming down sights to give you the clearest possible view of your target.
• The Static camera is also side-shifted like the Dynamic camera but does not move at all.
• With both the Static and Dynamic cameras, you can swap which shoulder the camera is on during gameplay, default key: left control.
• A new icon has been added to the HUD to indicate when your shot is blocked.  With an over-the-shoulder camera, you may be able to put your crosshair on a target that you can’t actually hit because an object is in between the barrel of your gun and the target. The shot-block icon can be disabled in settings.

• There is now a ‘Play Again’ button on the end screen for Solos games.  Clicking it will put you right back into the queue for another match without ever having to return to the Main Menu.  The “Stay Together” flow is still in place for Team Games.
• There is now a rotating compass centered at the top of the screen that is much easier to use than the previous directional indicators, which have been removed.  
• Exact locations of players and their teammates are now shown on the map.  The red box that indicates the grid location has been removed.  Grid coordinates that display on the HUD can now be hidden in Settings.
• Players and their teammates can now place a marker on the map by clicking on it.  Use this to call out destinations or targets for your teammates!
• Multiple players can now simultaneously interact with lootable containers such as player loot bags and vehicle inventory.
• Loot bags can now be looted from proximity by opening Inventory while standing next to them.
• Medical items and throwable items now stack in the loadout slot instead of having 1 item in the loadout and the rest stacked in the inventory.
• Shift-dragging a stack of items now defaults to half of the stack.
• Overall inventory performance should be improved.  Proximity items should update faster, dragging items from slot to slot should be crisper, and large stacks of items should no longer cause performance issues.
• The diagnostic HUD is now enabled by default.  This is massively helpful when it’s turned on when we are sent videos of lag, desync, etc.  It can still be disabled (default: N) however we ask that if you are streaming or recording to leave this on to help us identify issues when videos are sent our way.
• Speaker indicators on the HUD now include player tier and identify group members.
• Muting and unmuting players can now be done by looking at a player and pressing Control+T (this can be rebound in Keybindings).  Muted players are now shown in the voice speakers list, but with a ‘muted’ icon and do not contribute to voice ducking.

• All passengers can now use the vehicle inventory, even while it’s in motion.
• ATVs no longer require a key or hotwiring to start.
• ATVs no longer spawn with keys or biofuel.
• ATVs have had their downforce increased in order to achieve better high speed stability
• Doubled the number of ATVs that spawn in The Arena.
• Raised the spawn caps for off-roaders, pickup trucks, and police cars by 17%.  This is to make sure that the new POIs are properly populated with drivable vehicles.
• Improved the vehicle flip function to prevent “overflip” and be much more consistent.
• Vehicles will no longer give the “cannot exit” message when parked in tight spaces like garages. Instead, the player will exit the car from the nearest available door.
• We’ve adjusted the Pickup Truck to be a bit less bouncy when going over rough terrain to help compensate for the additional top speed that was added last patch.
• Cruise Control is now in the Keybindings menu and can be rebound.

We’ve done a tuning pass on all footwear in the game to make sure they have distinct and useful roles depending on the situation.  Shoes found in the world will auto-equip if a lesser type of shoe is currently equipped, and can now be salvaged into useful crafting materials.  Details below.


Quiet Shoes

• Found: Starting item
• Footstep volume: lowest
• Can now be shredded for 2 scraps of cloth
• 5% sprint speed bonus (increased from 2%)
• 25% falling damage reduction (increased from 5%)
• 30 inventory space

Sturdy Shoes

• Found: Looted from the world
• Footstep volume: highest
• Can now be salvaged for 2 composite fabric
• 12% sprint speed bonus (increased from 7%)
• 90% falling damage reduction (increased from 65%)
• 200 inventory space

Fast Shoes

• Found: Looted from the world
• Footstep volume: moderate
• Can now be salvaged for 2 composite fabric
• 16% sprint speed bonus
• 15% falling damage reduction
• 200 inventory space

Barefoot

• Found: Only used if player removes footwear
• Footstep volume: light
• No bonuses to speed or falling damage

New Points of Interest

• New POI: Harris County Fairgrounds in E5 – these abandoned fairgrounds feature a quick-changing mix of long to short range combat.
• New POI: CWP Water Treatment Authority in C6 – this spot offers good protection and visibility of the surrounding area, making it a great spot to dig in and fortify.
• New POI: East Valley Shopping Center in I7 – large shopping center that offers loot to be grabbed on the move.
• New POI: CWP Utilities Compound 62 in F4 – an electrical utility area which has been fortified and used as a hold-out by survivors during The Outbreak, offering cover and a great view of the surrounding area.
• New POI: Sunny Pines in G3 – the former trailer park has expanded to a community of trailers, houses, warehouses, and a church spreads across the hills.  

World Improvements

• Added Leaderboards back into Fort Destiny
• Reduced the number of explosive barrels that spawn in the world
• Reduced explosive barrel damage so that single explosions will no longer kill full health players
• Adjusted the spawn logic so that multiple explosive barrels will not spawn next to each other
• Increased the time to reach the safe zone for the first two gas phases
• Old rocks have been removed and replaced with new, varied rock formations. These new rocks have more accurate collision for more precise combat gameplay.
• Tents now flatten when shot
• Blue mail boxes, newspaper boxes, cement trash cans, fire hydrants, woodpiles, and playground slides are all now destructible
• Updated ground visuals to look more visually appealing
• Updated lighting and ambient occlusion to give the world better visual quality
• In Training, weapons and ammo will respawn if they have been partially looted (e.g. only the ammo boxes were looted, but not the weapon).

• This is a standard BR mode except that all players in the match start with the same *random* gun in hand and infinite ammo for that weapon.
• No other guns or ammo are spawned in the map to loot, but you’ll still need to scavenge for other supplies
• At certain population thresholds as the match advances, all players will have their current weapon removed and we’ll randomly select a new weapon that will be granted out to all remaining players.
• When the weapon switch process begins, an audio effect and a system message will play to help alert players that in 5 seconds, their weapons will be removed
• When the weapons are removed, all players will get another message saying everyone will get a new weapon in 5 seconds
• When the weapon is added to everyone, they’ll get a message saying that everyone now hasand its go time again
• This process repeats as the population in the match is reduced

A number of key updates to Hosted Games will improve the experience that Hosts have running games and their communities have playing them.

• Support for Duos and Fives
• A new Admin Panel UI to make using commands easier
• New Admin commands including Broadcast, Summon, and Pause Toxic Gas
• Spectate improvements including a new “Versus” system that displays a HUD for the targeted player and up to two other engaged players.
• Hosts and Moderators will not automatically switch to Spectate mode after dying in a match.

Hosts will receive an e-mail with additional detailed information.  Think you have what it takes to be a Host?  Follow the instructions and complete the application here 

• Ping lock has been improved so that it picks a more appropriate home region based on your actual geographic location. 
• Improved anti-cheat systems including heightened game client security.
• Increased the initial parachute spawn area by 25% so that players are a bit more spread out as the game begins.
• Games are now limited to 150 players per match.  This helps with overall game balance as well as making sure that games are starting as quickly as possible.
• The gas phases have been tuned and now include the ability to be skipped entirely based on remaining population.
• Slightly lowered the probability that a match will end in a city.
• The volume of the starting Main Menu music has been decreased.
• Molotovs now deal damage to explosive barrels.  Approximately 5 seconds of fire will cause the barrel to explode.
• Molotovs initial damage now applies to vehicles
• Molotov and grenade visual and audio effects now play at 300 meters (increased from 65).
• Explosive arrows now do more damage against vehicles.
• Fire arrows now do damage to players who are in vehicles.
• Fire arrow burn damage is no longer extinguished by entering a vehicle.
• Fire arrow initial damage has been increased to match that of regular arrows.

• Players should no longer be killed by the environment when parachuting on or near vehicles.
• Players should no longer fall out of their parachute.
• Players should no longer experience loading screens after exiting a vehicle.
• Footsteps should be far more consistent and reliable. 
• Shots fired by other players should never incorrectly be silent.
• Fixed a rare issue that could cause players to be killed by the gas before the first gas phase.
• The gas ring will no longer expand or change unexpectedly during the last gas phase.
• The second to last kill in team games should always count towards the kill score.
• Explosive damage is now applied much more consistently despite objects being in the way that do not provide complete cover.
• Gas grenade damage no longer stacks. 
• Fixed a crash that could occur when loading into a fives match with teammates from the previous game.
• End screens should properly show even if the last players teammates all disconnected.
• Machetes and axes now properly break glass.
• Gas grenades no longer cause biofuel to explode.
• Stun grenades now have a sound effect when picked up.
• Armor icon will now show up properly after looting armor from proximity.
• Group Tier text is once again present for Royalty One players on the end screens.
• Group Tier now specifies Duos or Fives depending on the game mode.
• The last player on a team will no longer briefly see the option to Spectate after dying.
• Menu items should no longer disappear after backing out from the Top 10 screen.
• Dying while interacting with a loot bag will no longer prevent other players from looting it.
• ‘Recently Played With’ UI now populates properly
• Wooden arrows now correctly cause bleeding.
• Various text and Steam inventory bug fixes.

There are some known issues in this build that the team is working on fixing.  We plan on hot-fixing them out to Live as soon as they are confirmed fixed internally.

• Framerate may be slightly lower for certain machine specs in certain areas of The Arena.  The team is working on a hotfix that will correct this as soon as possible.
• Aiming down sights while peeking from cover with the Static or Dynamic Cameras can cause the aim-point to occasionally drift.  This is fixed on the Classic Camera and we are working on a fix for the offset cameras.
• Other players occasionally do not play the throwing animation.
• Sprinting with a Shotgun equipped can cause inconsistent footstep sound effects.
• Players are unable to see tracer rounds fired from other players at certain angles.
• Tracers are delayed for shots that are fired right as a prone animation begins or ends.
• Tracers and glowing skin effects show through smoke from smoke grenades at certain angles.
• Priming a throwable while entering a vehicle will cause it to be immediately thrown upon exiting the vehicle.
• Swapping reticles in-game (from Dynamic to Classic, or visa-versa) will not take effect unless you switch to First Person (default: T) and back.  Occasionally, both reticles can display.
• The world may not render in immediately when parachuting into the first match of a play session.
• The weapon stocks of the AK-47 and AR-15 slightly clip into and through the character model.
• When spectating a player who goes into first person, their weapon does not currently show.
• Hoodies and parkas do not show up when first equipped by a character wearing armor.
• The reticle slightly moves when punching.
• In game sound effects can occasionally be heard while on the Main Menu after exiting a game.
• Rarely, the end screens may show up on the Main Menu.
• Spectated players name can occasionally be missing in Duos.

Servers will be down starting at 11am PT for 4 hours.


With the rollout of the Combat Update, Preseason 6 begins.  There is all-new scoring for Solos, Duos, and Fives.  All leaderboards and Top 10s have been cleared for the new season – good luck getting to Royalty this season!


Weapons have all been re-tuned and improved so that they behave and feel more like their real-world counterparts and have a distinct and important role in the game.  Overall, bullets now move at a more believable speed and with a flatter trajectory; though bullets still begin to drop over long distances. Rifle rounds fly fastest and flattest while pistol rounds hit hard up close but lose power over distance.  

• Throwables no longer have to “reload” before they can be thrown.  Hold aim (default: right mouse button) to see an Aim Arc to line up your throw, or tap left-click for a quick throw.  Your character will slow down while lining up a throw.
• The bleed mechanic has been simplified so that there are now three bleeding states (previously, there were five).  The UI is now consistent with the system, showing three blood icons to indicate Minor, Moderate, and Major bleeding.  It’ll take one bandage to heal each bleed marker or a First Aid Kit to heal all three.
• Free-look functionality (Default: Left Alt) has been added to the Parachute.  The look sensitivity can be adjusted with the Vehicle Camera Sensitivity slider.
• Movement controls have been fine-tuned to be more responsive and better connected to the in-game actions of your character.  Running, turning, throwing, and strafing animations have all been improved.
• A new reticle has been added that blooms as recoil increases.  Aiming down sights will bring the reticle down to a smaller size to demonstrate accuracy, while holding down fire of an automatic weapon will show how recoil increases over time.  The old reticle can be used via the “Reticle Style” option in Settings.
• Shots now leave a light trail behind them so that you can see the bullet trajectory.  This can also be disabled in Settings.
• New hitmarkers have been added to the shotgun to show how many of the pellets landed.
• You can now move while looting.  

 

• New Weapon: Hellfire 4-6 Submachine Gun
  
  • Lightweight and highly effective in close-quarters combat.
  • Fully automatic, fires its 30-round magazine in approximately two seconds.
• The R380 has been removed from the game. Its skin will be made available for the M1911.
• AR-15 and AK-47 have been rebuilt with new models, improved animations and better muzzle effects.  Other guns will be improved similarly in the future.
• All weapons have had recoil, cone of fire, and reset time tuned to improve overall feel as well as help reinforce their intended ranges. 

AR-15

• Role: Long-range versatile - low recoil and high accuracy.
• Damage per shot: 22.5 (decreased from 25)
• Headshot modifier: x4.5
• Projectile speed: 800 meters per second (up from 375)
• Bleed applied per shot: 1
• Fire Rate: Semi-automatic
• Notes: Recoil now includes vertical movement

AK-47 

• Role: Mid-range versatile – high recoil and high damage.
  
• Damage per shot: 30
  
• Headshot modifier: x4
  
• Projectile speed: 625 meters per second (up from 375)
  
• Bleed applied per shot: 2
  
• Fire Rate: Automatic, slightly increased.

Hellfire 4-6

• Role: Close-range versatile – highest fire rate
• Damage per shot: 15
• Headshot modifier: x4
• Projectile speed: 500 m/s
• Bleed applied per shot: 1
• Fire Rate: Automatic, very fast.

Shotgun

• Role: Close-range specialist – capable of one-shot kills
• Damage per pellet: 12 pellets fired, doing 4.0 - 9.1 damage each, depending on distance.
• Headshot modifier: Between x1.0 and x2.7, depending on distance.
• Projectile speed: 250 meters per second
• Bleed applied per pellet: ¼ (per pellet)
• Fire Rate: Pump action, slightly decreased.
• Note: Shotgun damage decreases over distance.  It will inflict max damage at point blank and begin to decrease beyond 8 meters.  It will inflict minimum damage at ranges of 13m and above.

.308 Hunting Rifle

• Role: Long-range specialist – capable of one-shot kills
• Damage per shot: 65
• Headshot modifier: x4
• Projectile speed: 1000 meters per second (up from 659)
• Bleed applied per shot: 3
• Fire Rate: Bolt action
• Notes: Scope sway & hold breath mechanics have been removed.  Bypasses the 50% bleed reduction that body armor provides.  Also increased zoom from 4x to 8x.

Magnum

• Role: Powerful pistol - packs a huge punch
• Damage per shot: 45 (increased from 30)
• Headshot modifier: x2.5
• Projectile speed: 350 meters per second (down from 375)
• Bleed applied per shot: 2
• Fire rate: Semi-automatic, slowest pistol
• Notes: Bypasses the 50% bleed reduction that body armor provides.

M1911

• Role: Versatile pistol - good in many situations
• Damage per shot: 27.5 (increased from 25)
• Headshot modifier: x4
• Projectile speed: 300 meters per second (down from 375)
• Bleed applied per shot: 1
• Fire rate: Semi-automatic
• Notes: Increased magazine size to 10 rounds, up from 7.

M9

• Role: Run and gun pistol - large magazine and low recoil
• Damage per shot: 18
• Headshot modifier: x5
• Projectile speed: 400 meters per second (up from 375)
• Bleed applied per shot: 1
• Fire rate: Semi-automatic, fastest pistol
• Notes: Increased magazine size to 17 rounds, up from 15.

Two new camera options have been added to the game; Dynamic and Static.  These are both over-the-shoulder cameras that give you a much clearer connection to your character and line of sight to your target.  Static will be the default option, and you can choose between the two new cameras, and the classic live camera, in Settings.

• The Dynamic camera will pull in tight in buildings for a better view of interior spaces and will move back to when running forward to provide a better view of your character.  It will also shift over a bit to the side when aiming down sights to give you the clearest possible view of your target.
• The Static camera is also side-shifted like the Dynamic camera but does not move at all.
• With both the Static and Dynamic cameras, you can swap which shoulder the camera is on during gameplay, default key: left control.
• A new icon has been added to the HUD to indicate when your shot is blocked.  With an over-the-shoulder camera, you may be able to put your crosshair on a target that you can’t actually hit because an object is in between the barrel of your gun and the target. The shot-block icon can be disabled in settings.

• There is now a ‘Play Again’ button on the end screen for Solos games.  Clicking it will put you right back into the queue for another match without ever having to return to the Main Menu.  The “Stay Together” flow is still in place for Team Games.
• There is now a rotating compass centered at the top of the screen that is much easier to use than the previous directional indicators, which have been removed.  
• Exact locations of players and their teammates are now shown on the map.  The red box that indicates the grid location has been removed.  Grid coordinates that display on the HUD can now be hidden in Settings.
• Players and their teammates can now place a marker on the map by clicking on it.  Use this to call out destinations or targets for your teammates!
• Multiple players can now simultaneously interact with lootable containers such as player loot bags and vehicle inventory.
• Loot bags can now be looted from proximity by opening Inventory while standing next to them.
• Medical items and throwable items now stack in the loadout slot instead of having 1 item in the loadout and the rest stacked in the inventory.
• Shift-dragging a stack of items now defaults to half of the stack.
• Overall inventory performance should be improved.  Proximity items should update faster, dragging items from slot to slot should be crisper, and large stacks of items should no longer cause performance issues.
• The diagnostic HUD is now enabled by default.  This is massively helpful when it’s turned on when we are sent videos of lag, desync, etc.  It can still be disabled (default: N) however we ask that if you are streaming or recording to leave this on to help us identify issues when videos are sent our way.
• Speaker indicators on the HUD now include player tier and identify group members.
• Muting and unmuting players can now be done by looking at a player and pressing Control+T (this can be rebound in Keybindings).  Muted players are now shown in the voice speakers list, but with a ‘muted’ icon and do not contribute to voice ducking.

• All passengers can now use the vehicle inventory, even while it’s in motion.
• ATVs no longer require a key or hotwiring to start.
• ATVs no longer spawn with keys or biofuel.
• ATVs have had their downforce increased in order to achieve better high speed stability
• Doubled the number of ATVs that spawn in The Arena.
• Raised the spawn caps for off-roaders, pickup trucks, and police cars by 17%.  This is to make sure that the new POIs are properly populated with drivable vehicles.
• Improved the vehicle flip function to prevent “overflip” and be much more consistent.
• Vehicles will no longer give the “cannot exit” message when parked in tight spaces like garages. Instead, the player will exit the car from the nearest available door.
• We’ve adjusted the Pickup Truck to be a bit less bouncy when going over rough terrain to help compensate for the additional top speed that was added last patch.
• Cruise Control is now in the Keybindings menu and can be rebound.

We’ve done a tuning pass on all footwear in the game to make sure they have distinct and useful roles depending on the situation.  Shoes found in the world will auto-equip if a lesser type of shoe is currently equipped, and can now be salvaged into useful crafting materials.  Details below.


Quiet Shoes

• Found: Starting item
• Footstep volume: lowest
• Can now be shredded for 2 scraps of cloth
• 5% sprint speed bonus (increased from 2%)
• 25% falling damage reduction (increased from 5%)
• 30 inventory space

Sturdy Shoes

• Found: Looted from the world
• Footstep volume: highest
• Can now be salvaged for 2 composite fabric
• 12% sprint speed bonus (increased from 7%)
• 90% falling damage reduction (increased from 65%)
• 200 inventory space

Fast Shoes

• Found: Looted from the world
• Footstep volume: moderate
• Can now be salvaged for 2 composite fabric
• 16% sprint speed bonus
• 15% falling damage reduction
• 200 inventory space

Barefoot

• Found: Only used if player removes footwear
• Footstep volume: light
• No bonuses to speed or falling damage

New Points of Interest

• New POI: Harris County Fairgrounds in E5 – these abandoned fairgrounds feature a quick-changing mix of long to short range combat.
• New POI: CWP Water Treatment Authority in C6 – this spot offers good protection and visibility of the surrounding area, making it a great spot to dig in and fortify.
• New POI: East Valley Shopping Center in I7 – large shopping center that offers loot to be grabbed on the move.
• New POI: CWP Utilities Compound 62 in F4 – an electrical utility area which has been fortified and used as a hold-out by survivors during The Outbreak, offering cover and a great view of the surrounding area.
• New POI: Sunny Pines in G3 – the former trailer park has expanded to a community of trailers, houses, warehouses, and a church spreads across the hills.  

World Improvements

• Added Leaderboards back into Fort Destiny
• Reduced the number of explosive barrels that spawn in the world
• Reduced explosive barrel damage so that single explosions will no longer kill full health players
• Adjusted the spawn logic so that multiple explosive barrels will not spawn next to each other
• Increased the time to reach the safe zone for the first two gas phases
• Old rocks have been removed and replaced with new, varied rock formations. These new rocks have more accurate collision for more precise combat gameplay.
• Tents now flatten when shot
• Blue mail boxes, newspaper boxes, cement trash cans, fire hydrants, woodpiles, and playground slides are all now destructible
• Updated ground visuals to look more visually appealing
• Updated lighting and ambient occlusion to give the world better visual quality
• In Training, weapons and ammo will respawn if they have been partially looted (e.g. only the ammo boxes were looted, but not the weapon).

• This is a standard BR mode except that all players in the match start with the same *random* gun in hand and infinite ammo for that weapon.
• No other guns or ammo are spawned in the map to loot, but you’ll still need to scavenge for other supplies
• At certain population thresholds as the match advances, all players will have their current weapon removed and we’ll randomly select a new weapon that will be granted out to all remaining players.
• When the weapon switch process begins, an audio effect and a system message will play to help alert players that in 5 seconds, their weapons will be removed
• When the weapons are removed, all players will get another message saying everyone will get a new weapon in 5 seconds
• When the weapon is added to everyone, they’ll get a message saying that everyone now hasand its go time again
• This process repeats as the population in the match is reduced

A number of key updates to Hosted Games will improve the experience that Hosts have running games and their communities have playing them.

• Support for Duos and Fives
• A new Admin Panel UI to make using commands easier
• New Admin commands including Broadcast, Summon, and Pause Toxic Gas
• Spectate improvements including a new “Versus” system that displays a HUD for the targeted player and up to two other engaged players.
• Hosts and Moderators will not automatically switch to Spectate mode after dying in a match.

Hosts will receive an e-mail with additional detailed information.  Think you have what it takes to be a Host?  Follow the instructions and complete the application here 

• Ping lock has been improved so that it picks a more appropriate home region based on your actual geographic location. 
• Improved anti-cheat systems including heightened game client security.
• Increased the initial parachute spawn area by 25% so that players are a bit more spread out as the game begins.
• Games are now limited to 150 players per match.  This helps with overall game balance as well as making sure that games are starting as quickly as possible.
• The gas phases have been tuned and now include the ability to be skipped entirely based on remaining population.
• Slightly lowered the probability that a match will end in a city.
• The volume of the starting Main Menu music has been decreased.
• Molotovs now deal damage to explosive barrels.  Approximately 5 seconds of fire will cause the barrel to explode.
• Molotovs initial damage now applies to vehicles
• Molotov and grenade visual and audio effects now play at 300 meters (increased from 65).
• Explosive arrows now do more damage against vehicles.
• Fire arrows now do damage to players who are in vehicles.
• Fire arrow burn damage is no longer extinguished by entering a vehicle.
• Fire arrow initial damage has been increased to match that of regular arrows.

• Players should no longer be killed by the environment when parachuting on or near vehicles.
• Players should no longer fall out of their parachute.
• Players should no longer experience loading screens after exiting a vehicle.
• Footsteps should be far more consistent and reliable. 
• Shots fired by other players should never incorrectly be silent.
• Fixed a rare issue that could cause players to be killed by the gas before the first gas phase.
• The gas ring will no longer expand or change unexpectedly during the last gas phase.
• The second to last kill in team games should always count towards the kill score.
• Explosive damage is now applied much more consistently despite objects being in the way that do not provide complete cover.
• Gas grenade damage no longer stacks. 
• Fixed a crash that could occur when loading into a fives match with teammates from the previous game.
• End screens should properly show even if the last players teammates all disconnected.
• Machetes and axes now properly break glass.
• Gas grenades no longer cause biofuel to explode.
• Stun grenades now have a sound effect when picked up.
• Armor icon will now show up properly after looting armor from proximity.
• Group Tier text is once again present for Royalty One players on the end screens.
• Group Tier now specifies Duos or Fives depending on the game mode.
• The last player on a team will no longer briefly see the option to Spectate after dying.
• Menu items should no longer disappear after backing out from the Top 10 screen.
• Dying while interacting with a loot bag will no longer prevent other players from looting it.
• ‘Recently Played With’ UI now populates properly
• Wooden arrows now correctly cause bleeding.
• Various text and Steam inventory bug fixes.

There are some known issues in this build that the team is working on fixing.  We plan on hot-fixing them out to Live as soon as they are confirmed fixed internally.

• Framerate may be slightly lower for certain machine specs in certain areas of The Arena.  The team is working on a hotfix that will correct this as soon as possible.
• Aiming down sights while peeking from cover with the Static or Dynamic Cameras can cause the aim-point to occasionally drift.  This is fixed on the Classic Camera and we are working on a fix for the offset cameras.
• Other players occasionally do not play the throwing animation.
• Sprinting with a Shotgun equipped can cause inconsistent footstep sound effects.
• Players are unable to see tracer rounds fired from other players at certain angles.
• Tracers are delayed for shots that are fired right as a prone animation begins or ends.
• Tracers and glowing skin effects show through smoke from smoke grenades at certain angles.
• Priming a throwable while entering a vehicle will cause it to be immediately thrown upon exiting the vehicle.
• Swapping reticles in-game (from Dynamic to Classic, or visa-versa) will not take effect unless you switch to First Person (default: T) and back.  Occasionally, both reticles can display.
• The world may not render in immediately when parachuting into the first match of a play session.
• The weapon stocks of the AK-47 and AR-15 slightly clip into and through the character model.
• When spectating a player who goes into first person, their weapon does not currently show.
• Hoodies and parkas do not show up when first equipped by a character wearing armor.
• The reticle slightly moves when punching.
• In game sound effects can occasionally be heard while on the Main Menu after exiting a game.
• Rarely, the end screens may show up on the Main Menu.
• Spectated players name can occasionally be missing in Duos.

Our weekend update to the Test Server is here! In addition to a number of bug fixes, we’re opening team games (Duos and Fives) for the weekend.

General Updates:

• The dot indicating your position on the map has been replaced by an animated icon so that it’s easier to quickly spot when you bring up the map.
  
• Slightly lowered the probability that a match will end in a city.
  
• Frag Grenades and Molotov Cocktails visual and audio effects now play at 300 meters (increased from 65 meters). Combat Update Bug Fixes:
  
• Fixed an issue that caused the Airdrop audio to occasionally not play.
  
• First person throwing preview arc is far more precise to the trajectory of the throw.
  
• You can no longer enter a vehicle while throwing, which caused numerous issues.
  
• Scope now displays properly when zooming in while jumping.
  
• Fixed a camera jitter that could occur when interacting while aiming down sights.
  
• Camera should no longer bobble up and down when using the classic camera and fists out.
  
• Fixed a delay that occurred when zooming in with the binoculars for the first time.
  
• End screens now properly display when a player wins with their inventory open.
  
• Letting the match timer end will no longer cause end screens to not appear.
  
• ATV mud splash effects have been cleaned up.
  
• Dead teammate map locations no longer show up.
  
• Fixed a few crashes that were occurring on the last build.

Live Bug Fixes (Fixed in this build, will go Live with the Combat Update):

• Incoming shots should no longer occasionally be silent.
  
• Explosive damage should now be applied much more consistently despite objects (that do not provide complete cover) being in the way.
  
• Improved the performance issues that could briefly occur when opening the Inventory.
  
• Recently Played With’ UI now populates properly.
  
• Wooden arrows now cause bleeding.

Known Issues in this build:

• Voice chat does not work in the group lobby on the Main Menu. Works in-game though.

Our weekend update to the Test Server is here! In addition to a number of bug fixes, we’re opening team games (Duos and Fives) for the weekend.

General Updates:

• The dot indicating your position on the map has been replaced by an animated icon so that it’s easier to quickly spot when you bring up the map.
  
• Slightly lowered the probability that a match will end in a city.
  
• Frag Grenades and Molotov Cocktails visual and audio effects now play at 300 meters (increased from 65 meters). Combat Update Bug Fixes:
  
• Fixed an issue that caused the Airdrop audio to occasionally not play.
  
• First person throwing preview arc is far more precise to the trajectory of the throw.
  
• You can no longer enter a vehicle while throwing, which caused numerous issues.
  
• Scope now displays properly when zooming in while jumping.
  
• Fixed a camera jitter that could occur when interacting while aiming down sights.
  
• Camera should no longer bobble up and down when using the classic camera and fists out.
  
• Fixed a delay that occurred when zooming in with the binoculars for the first time.
  
• End screens now properly display when a player wins with their inventory open.
  
• Letting the match timer end will no longer cause end screens to not appear.
  
• ATV mud splash effects have been cleaned up.
  
• Dead teammate map locations no longer show up.
  
• Fixed a few crashes that were occurring on the last build.

Live Bug Fixes (Fixed in this build, will go Live with the Combat Update):

• Incoming shots should no longer occasionally be silent.
  
• Explosive damage should now be applied much more consistently despite objects (that do not provide complete cover) being in the way.
  
• Improved the performance issues that could briefly occur when opening the Inventory.
  
• Recently Played With’ UI now populates properly.
  
• Wooden arrows now cause bleeding.

Known Issues in this build:

• Voice chat does not work in the group lobby on the Main Menu. Works in-game though.

Test Update 8/16 - The servers came down at 10am PT and will remain down for approximately 3 hours.

The team is still hard at work on fine-tuning the Combat Update so that we can get it ready for Live servers. While it is not our goal to make knee-jerk reactions; we will continue to tune and iterate until we get it just right. Please continue to send your feedback; it’s been massively helpful to the process.


There is a fresh update to The Arena in this build. In addition to a lot of general art polish, nearly 500 issues were fixed, ranging from clipping items to spots where players could get stuck. We are aware of certain machine specifications having slightly decreased performance on this the latest version of The Arena and are looking into that as a top priority.


AK-47

• Slightly increased bullet drop
  
• Reduced projectile speed to 650 (from 700)

AR-15

• Slightly increased bullet drop
  
• Reduced projectile speed to 875 (from 1000)
  
• Increased cone of fire recovery rate allowing the first shot to recover faster. Two-tap feel should be more comparable to current Live behavior than before.

Hellfire 4-6

• Slightly Increased bullet drop
  Magnum
  
• Headshots (against players without a helmet equipped) are now one-shot kills

• Raised the spawn caps for off-roader, pickup truck, and police car by 17%. This is to make sure that the new POIs are properly populated with drivable vehicles.
  
• Balanced the spawn distribution for ATVs so that they can be found more consistently across the map.

• Speaker indicators on the HUD now include player tier and identify group members
  
• Muting and unmuting players can now be done by looking at a player and pressing Control+T (this can be rebound in Settings->Keybindings).
  
• Muted players are now shown in the voice speakers list, but with a ‘muted’ icon and do not contribute to voice ducking.

• Throwable weapons now all have consistent throwing ranges
  
• Weapons are no longer missing their shooting animations for firing while crawling
  
• Entering the menu while in third person ADS will no longer lock aim-point (previously fixed opening the map causing this)
  
• Inventory capacity is now properly displayed when a player has no items equipped that increase capacity.
  
• Driver shadows are no longer rendered over the vehicle shadow.
  
• Other players tracers can now be seen even if they weren’t in sight (as long as the shot comes into view).
  
• Several crashes have been fixed.

• More improvements and fixes for silent footsteps. Found three material types that weren’t playing the correct shoe sound, and also identified and fixed a bug that could cause footsteps to sound muffled from certain angles. Please let us know if you experience this issue!
  
• The gas ring will no longer expand or change unexpectedly during the last gas phase

Test Update 8/16 - The servers came down at 10am PT and will remain down for approximately 3 hours.

The team is still hard at work on fine-tuning the Combat Update so that we can get it ready for Live servers. While it is not our goal to make knee-jerk reactions; we will continue to tune and iterate until we get it just right. Please continue to send your feedback; it’s been massively helpful to the process.


There is a fresh update to The Arena in this build. In addition to a lot of general art polish, nearly 500 issues were fixed, ranging from clipping items to spots where players could get stuck. We are aware of certain machine specifications having slightly decreased performance on this the latest version of The Arena and are looking into that as a top priority.


AK-47

• Slightly increased bullet drop
  
• Reduced projectile speed to 650 (from 700)

AR-15

• Slightly increased bullet drop
  
• Reduced projectile speed to 875 (from 1000)
  
• Increased cone of fire recovery rate allowing the first shot to recover faster. Two-tap feel should be more comparable to current Live behavior than before.

Hellfire 4-6

• Slightly Increased bullet drop
  Magnum
  
• Headshots (against players without a helmet equipped) are now one-shot kills

• Raised the spawn caps for off-roader, pickup truck, and police car by 17%. This is to make sure that the new POIs are properly populated with drivable vehicles.
  
• Balanced the spawn distribution for ATVs so that they can be found more consistently across the map.

• Speaker indicators on the HUD now include player tier and identify group members
  
• Muting and unmuting players can now be done by looking at a player and pressing Control+T (this can be rebound in Settings->Keybindings).
  
• Muted players are now shown in the voice speakers list, but with a ‘muted’ icon and do not contribute to voice ducking.

• Throwable weapons now all have consistent throwing ranges
  
• Weapons are no longer missing their shooting animations for firing while crawling
  
• Entering the menu while in third person ADS will no longer lock aim-point (previously fixed opening the map causing this)
  
• Inventory capacity is now properly displayed when a player has no items equipped that increase capacity.
  
• Driver shadows are no longer rendered over the vehicle shadow.
  
• Other players tracers can now be seen even if they weren’t in sight (as long as the shot comes into view).
  
• Several crashes have been fixed.

• More improvements and fixes for silent footsteps. Found three material types that weren’t playing the correct shoe sound, and also identified and fixed a bug that could cause footsteps to sound muffled from certain angles. Please let us know if you experience this issue!
  
• The gas ring will no longer expand or change unexpectedly during the last gas phase

Hey folks,

We just brought the Test servers down to publish a first round of changes/fixes at 10am (Pacific) this morning. We expect to have them back up within 2 hours (Noon Pacific/19:00 UTC). Once they're up, NA, EU and APAC Test servers will remain up 24/7.

SOLOs will still be the only mode of play. However, we intend to begin unlocking team modes later this week. We also plan to perform several publishes to Test this week, so please check back frequently and continue providing feedback.
Below is the high-level list of changes included with this morning's publish:

Tuning & quality of life updates:

• Magnum damage has been decreased slightly, and the minimum cone of fire and cone of fire bloom has been increased.
  
• Hellfire 4-6 damage has been decreased slightly, and the minimum cone of fire has been increased.
  
• The sun color and time of day have been adjusted to more closely match the previous lighting of the Arena in response to feedback.
  
• Materials now have less glare at low settings.
  
• Added emissive textures and detail normals to the AK-47 and the AR-15 to increase visual fidelity in first person.
  
• Changed the text option for the Tracer options in Gameplay Settings from
• “Show Local” to “Show Yours” for clarity.
  
• Updated the AR-15s base textures to read more consistently with various skins.

Bug fixes:

• Tracer settings will no longer render thrown grenades invisible at certain settings.
  
• Entering the menu or map while in third-person ADS no longer locks aim-point.
  
• Camera no longer snaps away when entering free look from ADS.
  
• Throwable weapons can now be thrown in all directions that an ATV or Truck passenger can look.
  
• Throwable weapons no longer go straight down when thrown from any vehicle.
  
• Removed the R380 category from weapon customization and moved Hellfire 4-6 category to in-between the shotgun and hunting rifle categories.
  
• “Take a short time to celebrate” no longer appears at the end of a match, and the winner screen appears immediately upon victory.
  
• Error text no longer briefly displays on the end-screen.
  
• Fixed a number of crashes.

Hey folks,

We just brought the Test servers down to publish a first round of changes/fixes at 10am (Pacific) this morning. We expect to have them back up within 2 hours (Noon Pacific/19:00 UTC). Once they're up, NA, EU and APAC Test servers will remain up 24/7.

SOLOs will still be the only mode of play. However, we intend to begin unlocking team modes later this week. We also plan to perform several publishes to Test this week, so please check back frequently and continue providing feedback.
Below is the high-level list of changes included with this morning's publish:

Tuning & quality of life updates:

• Magnum damage has been decreased slightly, and the minimum cone of fire and cone of fire bloom has been increased.
  
• Hellfire 4-6 damage has been decreased slightly, and the minimum cone of fire has been increased.
  
• The sun color and time of day have been adjusted to more closely match the previous lighting of the Arena in response to feedback.
  
• Materials now have less glare at low settings.
  
• Added emissive textures and detail normals to the AK-47 and the AR-15 to increase visual fidelity in first person.
  
• Changed the text option for the Tracer options in Gameplay Settings from
• “Show Local” to “Show Yours” for clarity.
  
• Updated the AR-15s base textures to read more consistently with various skins.

Bug fixes:

• Tracer settings will no longer render thrown grenades invisible at certain settings.
  
• Entering the menu or map while in third-person ADS no longer locks aim-point.
  
• Camera no longer snaps away when entering free look from ADS.
  
• Throwable weapons can now be thrown in all directions that an ATV or Truck passenger can look.
  
• Throwable weapons no longer go straight down when thrown from any vehicle.
  
• Removed the R380 category from weapon customization and moved Hellfire 4-6 category to in-between the shotgun and hunting rifle categories.
  
• “Take a short time to celebrate” no longer appears at the end of a match, and the winner screen appears immediately upon victory.
  
• Error text no longer briefly displays on the end-screen.
  
• Fixed a number of crashes.