The Project Zomboid developers posted an announcement on October 27, 2026, detailing the upcoming 42.22 update, now available for testing on the new Pre-Release branch. The full announcement is available on Steam.
What changed
The most significant change is the introduction of the Pre-Release branch, which replaces the Unstable branch for early testing. The developers explained that the old name caused confusion among players. Going forward, builds will be released to Pre-Release before moving to Stable, with a minimum of one week of testing. Urgent hotfixes may still go directly to Stable.
Build 42.22 adds the first implementation of climbable ladders. Players can interact with placed ladders on the map using the (E) key. The developers specifically mention being able to climb out of empty pools and reach the top floor of the Rosewood Fire Station.
Crowbars now have a new function. Through the right mouse click menu, players can use a crowbar to force open locked windows, doors, garage doors, and gates. Security doors and jail cell doors cannot be forced. Burglars will be handier and quieter with a crowbar than the average survivor, and Strength helps, just as it does with jammed windows. Weaker characters will struggle more. Repeated failures to force a door may damage the crowbar.
Several general gameplay changes are included. Tree rendering while driving has been polished for XXL trees. Characters can now push while both hands are full of encumbering items, but doing so drops items that would otherwise prevent pushing. Characters cannot sleep if a Bad Smell moodle is present. Ammo boxes can be opened while walking. Animal fixes address untimely deaths: animals dying when their cell unloads, rabbit kits starving because their mothers weren’t producing milk, and chickens disappearing from full hutches.
Multiplayer receives a number of fixes. The duplicate/doppelganger/cloned character bug is fixed. PvP damage calculations moved server-side to address incorrect damage application. Crashes related to characters leaving a chunk while chickens were in the nest box are fixed, and server backup creation performance improved. Trailer behaviour and physics received fixes. The “All Known on Start” sandbox option is fixed, and notes made on map items now save correctly. Additional multiplayer fixes and updated anti-cheat measures are included.
Who it affects
The Pre-Release branch is intended for modders, multiplayer server admins, and players willing to test early builds. The developers recommend that average players stay on the Stable branch, currently 42.21. Anyone opting into Pre-Release should back up save games first, as saves may not work or be usable in the final release.
Once we’ve kicked the tires here, we’ll be rolling out 42.22 to Stable soon.
For every announcement about this update, check the Project Zomboid update tracker.
