‘Project Zomboid’ to expand the map “on all sides” with Build 42

Project Zomboid developer The Indie Stone has discussed the zombie survival game’s next map expansion, which will “most likely” arrive as part of Build 42.

In a blog published yesterday (September 1), The Indie Stone shared that it’s “time to talk about the next map expansion – which will most likely hit with [Build 42].”

The team responsible for adding new areas are “essentially pushing the map out on all sides,” though it doesn’t plan to cross the Ohio River – which currently serves as the game’s Eastern map boundary.

As for what that expansion will entail, The Indie Stone shared screenshots of several new locations and said “the map team are returning to fictionalised versions of real places on the Kentucky map – Riverside and March Ridge being entirely fictional.”

“We don’t want to name exactly which ones, but it might be worth mentioning one of them will be Ekron,” added the developer.

However, The Indie Stone went on to clarify that “the location currently commonly known as Ekron within the community is not supposed to be our version of that place, and (for reasons that will become explicit when viewed on the PZ map) is internally known as Fallas Lake.”

Besides the map expansion, The Indie Stone also disclosed several other features that it is planning to release with Build 42. That includes new sound effects for sprinter zeds and bullet impacts, more TV and radio channels, and rats – “which could also become part of the Knox Event alongside domestic animals.”

Build 42 is shaping up to be a major update for Project Zomboid, as it’s also set to add the game’s first set of animals and an improved crafting system.

In other gaming news, Halo Infinite developer 343 Industries has scrapped plans for split-screen co-op.