Hello Everyone,

We’re happy to bring you our latest update to Generation Zero, Dangerous Experiments! This update will do precisely what it says, to bring you new dangerous top-secret military plunders, as well as a whole lot more to make Östertörn even better.

Let’s start with what you’ve all been talking about; the new Experimental Weapons! The Resistance has been really nifty this year with both new weapons and tactical equipment, and to end the year on a high note, they’ve now managed to salvage three brand-new top secret experimental weapons for you to start using. These weapons will have a chance to drop as all other experimental ones by beating Rivals, Reapers, and completing Base Defense missions. But enough talk about the Resistance; let’s take a look at what they’ve put together!

The Experimental .44 Magnus - The Shrapnel Gun

Shred your enemies to pieces with the Experimental .44 Magnus! This canon will blast straight through your enemies and materials to create a shotgun-like blast behind your target, surprising any foe that might be behind with its deadly shrapnel blast. Great for crowd control!

The Experimental KVM 89 - Thermal Machine Gun

It’s getting hot in here; the KVM 89 just got an experimental alloy upgrade! At low temperatures, the alloy has terrible performance; it is inaccurate and inefficient. But when the heat is on, and the temperature rises, the barrel alloy performs exceptionally well, giving you extreme accuracy, efficiency, and damage. Be careful, though; you do not want to overheat it!

The Experimental Älgstudsare - The Artillery Rifle

As you fire the bullet from the Experimental Älgstudsare, it is covered by a slow-burning coating, slowing the bullet down a bit but completely changing its behavior. The longer the bullet stays in the air before it hits something, the higher the energy build-up of the coated shell. At short ranges, it does minor damage, but as the travel time of the bullet increases, so does the damage. A true Resistance fighter makes this weapon exceptionally lethal by hitting targets that are more than 100 meters away!



Tomas, one of our Game Designers, has this to say about the new experimental weapons: “We know that many of you appreciate realistic depictions of real-world firearms. We also acknowledge that there are many of you that enjoy a moderate dose of sci-fi. Thus, we decided to introduce more experimental weapons to the game. Top secret, military, prototype weapons that balance in-between realism and fiction.

Make the most out of these weapons by leaning into their experimental nature. Conduct your own experiments in the field to figure out how to use them efficiently. If unsure where to start, read the weapon description to get a general idea of its function.

Want to turn the experimental up to 11? Try combining these weapons with experimental ammo and see what happens.

These have been very interesting to develop, and we hope you have as much fun using them as we had making them!”


Time to go on a hunt again; a new collectible set has been added to Östertörn! Bringing you 9 new war figurines and a strategic map to go with them, these collectibles are spread all across the North Coast for you to find. If you know your way around Östertörn well enough and manage to find them all, you’ll be treated with a deeper understanding of what really happened as the Soviets came to Östertörn!



Amanda, our Mission designer, adds: “With these collectibles, we wanted to give some more information about why the Soviets came to Östertörn. What goals do they have in Östertörn, and what hardships they met as they arrived. The narrative is focused on the experiences of different individuals among the Soviet forces. Through these soldiers’ eyes, we were able to give a new perspective on what’s happening in Östertörn and how it is to live in this dystopian war between machines. We hope that you will enjoy the stories and the pretty figurines that come with them!”


Crafting schematics will now be unlocked in an entirely new way! Previously, when you found them hidden throughout the world, you will now be able to unlock them through the Schematics tree. Five new paths, each allowing you to purchase Schematics with its own currency of points; each currency earned by crafting items or completing specific gameplay. Additionally, where the Schematics previously could be found in the world, there are now new pickups that will give you Schematic Points and XP to help you jumpstart your progression! And don’t worry, if you have already picked up a Schematic out in the world, it will be unlocked for you already.

“One of the pain points of crafting in the past has been unlocking the Schematics. Particularly for newer players, having only a small number of Schematics unlocks stops them from taking full advantage of the system, and there was no clear path to unlock more. Now with the Schematic Tree, unlocking schematics becomes much more straightforward and gives players more agency over which Schematics they unlock first. We hope this lets more players craft what they want and, in turn, can play how they want by crafting the ammo/consumables they most enjoy using.” our Senior Systems Designer, Matthew, comments.




Along with the addition of the Schematics Tree, you can now craft 17 consumables that you couldn’t craft before! To make it more intuitive for the player where to find the materials to craft items, we’ve also made it so they can be found more predictably from logical sources. Wondering where these materials can be found? It's now explained in the description of the craftable item!

Talking about recycling, you can now see ahead of time what recycling an item would actually give you back.

And finally, you can now tag items used to craft to keep track of what you're looking for and see when you’ve found the right thing.

“These last several patches have all included improvements to crafting, and this is the next piece of the puzzle. Crafting is more useful than before, giving you access to more items and making it easier to seek out the resources you need. We hope you enjoy the crafting improvements and look forward to hearing what you think of it!” says Matthew.


There are not only new things introduced to the game with this update, but we’ve also taken a look at how the game performs and how we can improve that for you players. Here’s a short rundown from our Gameplay Programmer, Giulio:

Memory optimization: “Now, the game should use less memory; this should help the players on earlier console versions to experience much fewer crashes while playing, especially in very big cities. This is a step in the right direction, and we’re constantly working to improve this to prevent crashes while roaming with vehicles.

FPS boost: “We worked on improving the CPU workload in FPS-heavy situations like chaotic fights and roaming in big cities. This should ensure the player a smoother experience, especially on Gen 8 consoles.”

Streaming time improvements: “The game should be able to stream certain big areas faster now, resulting in less loading time and fewer graphic artifacts when moving fast.”

“All of the above was done without reducing the graphic quality or touching the rendering pipeline of the game. This means that the graphic of the game isn't changed and still remains amazing, but also that players on PC that were GPU bound won't see any improvement unless they reduce the graphic settings.”


The Farmlands has gotten a little retouch! With the New Dawn Update, we introduced 12 new Control Points to the Farmland. Now, we’ve taken a stab at three of them to offer a more varied experience and expand on the narrative a bit. Look out for these changes:

Floda Control Point - This one has turned into a Community grown garden with allotment garden plots used by the locals in the past. Post-cataclysm, this location has been used by the Resistance as a source of food production, and now players can set up their base in this garden to protect the potatoes.

Broängen Dirt Track Control Point - This one used to be a regular farm field. Now it has changed into a Dirt track for motorbike riders. Within the build area for the Control point, there are also opportunities for some stunt riding.

Överby Control Point - Located south of the Airfield where there used to be a farm field where Machines and the Swedish military had battled each other. This narrative has been expanded upon, and 2 lines of defensive trenches have been dug out around the Control Point. The first line has been overrun, and the second one is more fortified and acts as a second line of defense.


Beneath a growing tree

The apples are placed.
But can you see their beauty?
It is time to feel.



General

• [Community Reported] Fixed an issue where the zoom-out would function after reassigning it to another button

World

• [Community Reported] Fixed issues with houses not rendering in Fiskebäck
  
• Fixed an issue where if you deleted your world and created a new game in the main menu, safehouses would still be on the map
  
• Fixed an issue where deleted worlds would reappear after restarting the game

Missions

• Fixed an issue where “The Farm” was stuck on the “Destroy the Machines” step and couldn’t be completed.
  
• Fixed an issue where “Break of Dawn” got soft-locked after a multiplayer game
  
• Fixed an issue in “Death From Above” where clients in a multiplayer session would still see the mission icons after the mission was completed

• [Community Reported] Xbox - “The Home Team” mission soft-locks in single-player after completing it in multiplayer mode
  
• [Community Reported] The Tuned Moped can sometimes sink into the ground when dismounted
  
• PS4/5 - Some users can’t access their DLC content after purchase
  
• Machines can sometimes become unresponsive and invulnerable during a multiplayer session
  
• The Tesla Bombs from the Firebird only damage the host of a multiplayer session
  
• Motorbikes might not be visible to other players during a multiplayer session
  
• There's a missing UI section for the North Coast collectibles in the Collectables tab in the Log
  
• Steam - Clients can sometimes crash in a multiplayer session when fighting the Firebird
  
• Steam/PS4 - Machines might not spawn from Harvesters and Command Centers
  
• The “Simple First Aid Kit” schematic is missing on older save files with the mission “Sanctuary” completed
  
• Firing a weapon while mounting a bicycle will make the weapon continue firing indefinitely

Östertörn just got a touch of Eastern hospitality; If you want more than the new free Experimental Weapons brought with the Dangerous Experiments Update, these eastern treats might be for you!

With the Eastern European Weapons Pack DLC, we're bringing you four new classic weapons to help you up your resistance and go on the offensive against the machines. This new pack brings the following weapons to your arsenal:

Vintovka 1891: Commonly used as a sniper rifle by the Soviets during WWII. After the war, surplus Vintovka 1891 rifles were often favored as hunting rifles due to their power and accuracy.

PM-71 Machine Gun: The standard machine gun used by the Soviet Army during the '80s. Firing high-powered ammunition, this machine gun is especially effective at long range.

Volkov Pistol: Designed during the cold war, the Volkov pistol is the standard sidearm of the Soviet Army. It is reliable and easy to handle while still packing a punch.

Vosa vz.68: The Vosa is a Czechoslovakian handgun/SMG hybrid that fires .32 ACP rounds. It's small in size, light in weight, but high in fire rate.

Weapon Skins are now unlocked in Generation Zero!

With the Dark Skies, Update weapon skins were introduced for the very first time in Generation Zero. With these five new free skins, we opened up the world of Östertörn to an entirely new type of customization and lootable rewards that we’re keen to expand upon in the future.



The free set of skins is available to all players who dare to face the menacing Rival enemies and manage to kill them. If you’re lucky enough, you’ll find one of the skins of their dead bodies.

Rich, our Lead Artist, comments: “Dark Skies sees the introduction of being able to customize your weapons further by applying cosmetic skins to them. The first round has a mix of well recognised camouflage to the more reclusive ones as well as a couple of weapons receiving The Resistance treatment. Keep an eye out for them as you loot machines and which weapons they apply for. We intend to add more skins to your favorite weapons in the future as well as expanding on your collection.”

Starting out, we added these free skins to some of your favorite weapons, such as the Magnus, AG 4, and 5, which we think is a good start as these are very well used among you players. Have you had the chance to equip one of these yet? We’d love to know, so drop us a line on one of our Social channels so we can hear what you think about it!



As our first step to expand on the free skins that we brought into the game, we’ve just now introduced the paid Camo Weapon Skins Pack DLC for all of you who just couldn’t get enough! Included in this pack, you’ll find ten new camouflage skins to redress an even more significant part of your weapon arsenal. These camo skins are specially designed to fit on some of the hard hitters such as the PVG 90, the AI-76, and the Granatgevär m/49! If you got a need for that little extra, get the pack on your platform store today!

It's time to stand out from the crowd with these 10 new camoflague weapon skins!In addition to the free weapon skins released with the Dark Skies Update, we're bringing you the opportunity to upgrade the looks of your favorite weapons with these new skins. Ranging from the KVM 89 to the HP5 and the AI-76 these new styles are guaranteed to always stay in fashion,

This pack will include specially crafted camo skins designated for the following weapons:

• KVM 89
  
• KVM 59
  
• Pansarvagnsgevär 90
  
• Älgstudsare Hunting Rifle
  
• HP5
  
• Klaucke 17
  
• Sjöqvist Semi-Auto
  
• AI-76
  
• Meusser Hunting Rifle
  
• Granatgevär m/49

Get them today here on Steam!

With our latest patch to the game, The Dark Skies Update, we’ve released four new speedy ways to traverse through Östertörn and race against FNIX!

First out, is the Tuned Moped, a classic Swedish Moped with some extra juice to cruise through the streets of Östervik. This free addition to the game will help anyone who finds it to travel the distance through the Swedish archipelago faster than ever before. This bad boy can either be found hidden somewhere in Östertörn for anyone to find it or drop from some of the harder enemy classes in-game! So what are you waiting for? Get cruising today!



In addition to the free Tuned Moped that was added to the base game, we’re also introducing a paid DLC pack with three extra motorbikes. And when we say extra, we mean extra!

This pack is for the Resistance fighters who got a need for speed and ain’t afraid of going off-road. These three new motorbikes all come with their own characteristics to overcome the different challenges that the map provides and burn through even the toughest terrain. If you want more power, speed, and excitement, this is for you!

The Lodjur, Väktare, and Motstånd will all be available instantly when you purchase that pack and can be spawned together with the free Tuned Moped and the regular bicycles from the vehicle station in-game. Are you ready for the thrill? Pick it up at here at Steam today!

Travel through Östertörn as never before; The Motorbikes Pack DLC is here!

It's faster! It's louder! It's more exciting! With this new DLC pack you'll race against the machines in a completely new fashion, but remember, they need fuel to drive. And if the accidents here, you need a repair kit to get it running again. Make sure to check out abandoned cars and gas stations for the supplies you need!

This pack comes complete with three different models to ride, the Lodjur, Väktare, and Motstånd. All with their own characteristics to cruise the Östertörn landscape. Get them here on Steam today!

The next update for Generation Zero has arrived, and we’re very excited to finally show you what we’ve been working on these past months! The Dark Skies Update will bring you not only a brand new Soviet Machine, the Firebird, but also an entirely new way to travel - the Tuned Moped. And if the skies above are too dark for you, now is the time to bring some color to your Östertörn fighter with the new free weapon skins. More about that a little bit below, but first,



Reinforcements have arrived; say “Hej” to Generation Zero’s first weaponized flying enemy! Equipped with everything from Autocannons and Howitzers to Teslacoil spikes and Trip Bombs it will wreak havoc from the air, darkening the sky above Östertörn.

This new machine will surely push the Resistance to its knees. Do you have what it takes to defend not only Östertörn but the skies above it as well? You’ll be introduced to this new flying menace in northern Östertörn where it roams the skies. If you shoot one of them down, don’t forget to loot it, it might carry something special!



Our Lead Artist, Rich comments: "For our first flying machine, we wanted to set out an all-seeing terror. The influence behind it was those police helicopter videos you see at night boasting a large spotlight. Able to find the player in any density whilst they run or fight.

We haven't explored any machine that moves vertically (well not intentionally) and of course that came with a lot of challenges to overcome and questions to answer. But not losing sight of what the Firebird is made the first flying machine a terror in the skies. Bring all the bullets and rockets you can carry, this machine is a monster!"


With a new machine reigning terror from above we need a new way to escape its rapid fire on the ground. Being a long-time sought feature from the GZ community, we’re finally introducing a new means of transportation in Östertörn; the Tuned Moped!



“We wanted to introduce a way for players to travel around our huge game world in a new and exciting way. The moped will allow the player to get from A to B faster than before.” Robert, one of the Game Designers on the team says.


It’s not all dark. The Dark Skies Update brings some new flavor to the game with completely new spoils of war. Show the world just how tough you are and who you’ve beaten with five new free weapons skins. These colorful creations can drop from beaten Rivals and be attached to some of your favorite weapons through a new attachment slot. Go get them all today!



"Dark Skies sees the introduction of being able to customize your weapons further by applying cosmetic skins to them. The first round has a mix of well-recognized camouflage to the more reclusive ones as well as a couple of weapons receiving The Resistance treatment. Keep an eye out for them as you loot machines and which weapons they apply for.

We intend to add more skins to your favorite weapons in the future as well as expand on your collection." Rich, Our Lead Artist adds.


Ready for a fresh start? Included in this full-packed update is a new way to replay the game for all of you who have already cleared your way through Östertörn and FNIX’s threats.

Here’s Björn, Lead Game Designer, giving us a rundown of the New Game revamp:

This new feature aims to fulfill two long-standing wishes from the community:

Provide a way for players to replay the game with a new character in a new world where all the missions and world progression has been reset (without having to delete all existing characters)
Provide a way for players to replay the game with an old character in a new world (“new game+”)

With the old system, the game supported 1 world and up to 4 characters. This has now changed so that you can have a total of 4 worlds and 4 characters.

These worlds and characters can be mixed and matched in any way you want to achieve the goals outlined above while maintaining support for the old system.

Examples of what you can do now:

• Fresh New Game = New Character + New World
  
• New Game+ = Existing Character + New World
  
• Original Approach = New Character + Existing World
  
• Continue Game = Existing Character + Existing World

The Tuned Moped isn’t fast enough for you? Then we’ve got something in store that you’re going to like; the Motorbikes Pack DLC! Included in this fast-paced pack, you’ll find three unique motorbikes. Lodjuret, Väktare, and Motstånd. All with their own characteristics to get you through even the toughest terrains. Get it here on Steam today!




Östertörn gets extra spooky as Halloween arrives in the Swedish archipelago!

Starting today and running until the 2nd of November haunted machines will drop pieces of the four limited vanity sets, the Nightmare, Slasher, Vampire, and the Arctic.

So how will this work exactly? For each machine you take down, there will be a change for apparel items to drop. All four sets contain their own variants for each slot on your character. Be on the lookout for Runners, Hunters, Harvesters, and Tank to be able to snag these items before the event is over! A reminder for those that play Generation Zero offline: this event requires you to be online for our servers to activate the event in-game.

Alongside these spooky shenanigans, we’ll be running a “Most Scary Outfit” competition so make sure to check out our Social Channels as well as the Generation Zero forum for more on that!


General

• The proportional aim sensitivity has been improved
  
• Fixed issues with the aiming system on console
  
• Fixed an issue on PS4/5 where the trophy “Siren Call" cannot be obtained

Missions

• Fixed an issue where “Break of dawn” was being soft-locked after a multiplayer game

World

• Fixed an issue where players were not able to use bicycles after they’d been driven into deep water
  
• Fixed an issue with collision on a wall near Ibholm Church
  
• Fixed issues with tears in the world map at the Himfjäll island
  
• Fixed an issue where a location name was missing its name
  
• Fixed an issue where a spawn point was too far away at Gardberg Mine Control point

UI

• Fixed an issue that happens when trying to bind keys to E may make the “Bind “KEY” prompt semi-stuck on the Key Bindings Screen
  
• Fixed an issue where the 9mm SMG Explosive ammo schematic was listed as an item

Crafting

• Fixed an issue for apparel crafting where visibility and noise reduction schematics didn’t seem to have a big effect on machine senses.
  
• The apparel crafting screen is now sorted by name (first) and quality (second).

Crashes

• Fixed a crash that occurred for some players while roaming near Östervik

• Host sometimes can’t see the client while it is riding a vehicle
  
• Dismounted mopeds can sink it into the ground
  
• Zoom out is not functioning after reassignment it to another button
  
• When deleting a world and then creating a new game in the main menu, the safehouses are still visible on the map
  
• The mission "The Home Team" can in some cases become soft-locked in single-player after completing it in multiplayer (on Xbox)

Östertörn gets extra spooky as Halloween arrives in the Swedish archipelago!

Starting today and running until the 2nd of November haunted machines will drop pieces of the four limited vanity sets, the Nightmare, Slasher, Vampire, and the Arctic.

So how will this work exactly? For each machine you take down, there will be a change for apparel items to drop. All four sets contain their own variants for each slot on your character. Be on the lookout for Runners, Hunters, Harvesters, and Tank to be able to snag these items before the event is over!

A reminder for those that play Generation Zero offline: this event requires you to be online for our servers to activate the event in-game.

Happy hunting and Happy Halloween to you all!

- The Generation Zero Team

Today we've introduced some improvements to the game with a Hotfix for performance issues related to the Recon Update. This fix is now available on all platforms. Thank you all for your reports and feedback! Please see below for the included updates:

• Fixed an issue where saves with many FNIX bases unlocked could cause the game to crash in Östervik
  
• Fixed an issue where the game would crash during the FNIX Rising missions
  
• Fixed an issue where the game would crash when approaching a FNIX Base
  
• Fixed an issue where infinite ticks would spawn and crash the game

-The Generation Zero Team