14 DAY TRIAL // Bohemia Interactive confirms that it's going to release the full and final version of its DayZ standalone experience in 2016, and until then, it's going to deliver big updates to the current version of the title that's available via the Steam Early Access service.
DayZ started out life as a mod for Bohemia's Arma franchise but it quickly took a life of its own, and the studio acquired the rights in order to bring forth a standalone version that didn't require users to also have the Arma titles.
The game appeared on the Steam Early Access storefront some time ago and quickly went on to register big sales, as plenty of people wanted to see how the standalone experience fared even in its alpha stage, while helping Bohemia continue its development.
Now, the studio confirms on the official Steam forums that it's accomplished a major milestone for the project and has a special update roadmap that includes not just some major additions to the game but also the final version that's expected to appear in the first half of 2016.
Major updates are coming throughout 2015
First up, the major updates for DayZ are set to appear in each quarter of 2015, starting with basic vehicles, advanced loot distribution, a new renderer, better zombie AI, a basic stealth system, and diseases in the first few months of the year.
In spring, players should expect advanced vehicles, including mechanics that feature repair and modifications for them, advanced animals that have group behaviors, detailed player stats, a new user interface, player stamina, and dynamic events.
For the third quarter, Bohemia is preparing the introduction of traps, barricades, character life span, soft skills, animal predators and birds, as well as aerial transport.
Last but not least, in the final months of 2015, the studio hopes to introduce animal companions, integration of the Steam community, construction mechanics for base building, and a beta stage.
During 2015, the developer is also going to bring new weapons, objects, craftable items, vehicles, and additional features or optimizations every month.
Final version coming in 2016
DayZ Producer Brian Hicks also hopes that the final version of the standalone game will appear in 2016, with a higher price, so you might want to jump into the experience sooner rather than later, in order to avoid spending that much money.
"2014 has been an immensely successful year for DayZ. We could have never hoped for so many people to join us for the adventure of Early Access development. As the team looks forward to our goals and features set for 2015, the vision of an open world sandbox where the player creates their own story and experiences comes closer to completion."
Expect to hear much more about Bohemia's plans for DayZ in the following months.
