Project Zomboid Build 42.20 will move directly to the stable public branch on Wednesday, July 29, The Indie Stone announced in a Steam announcement. The update will arrive alongside a new Build 42 trailer for the Steam store.
The trailer was created by Art Director Ayrton, captured by Amz, and supported by 3D renders from Werlias. Matteo and the team at Arrival handled the sound, while Michael Billington, Gemma Acosta, Jane Perry, and Stefan Ashton provided voice work.
Here is the trailer:
What happens to existing saves?
Build 41 save files will not work with Build 42. Players who want to keep playing on Build 41 can switch to the dedicated legacy41 beta branch before the stable release. The same option is available to server owners and online groups that are not ready to move on.
- Right-click Project Zomboid in your Steam library.
- Select Properties.
- Open Game Versions & Betas and choose legacy41.
Players currently using unstable version 42.19 will face a separate save issue. Because Build 42.20 adds more content, existing 42.19 saves will not be compatible with the new version. Anyone who wants to finish an unstable 42.19 game can select the 42.19 beta branch from the same menu.
What Build 42.20 will address
The Indie Stone plans to share a closer look at the new content early next week, along with an interview featuring Art Director Ayrton. The interview follows the format of the earlier discussion with Design Director Christian Allen.
The update will also address problems involving character spawns, controllers, meat yield from Butcher Hooks, vehicle towing, and zombie culling in multiplayer.
What comes after the stable release?
Once any needed hotfixes are out, the team plans to work on a follow-up patch based on player feedback. Its main focus will be tweaks to the late game.
The Indie Stone also plans to release its latest mapping tools, including WorldZed and TileZed, as well as the in-house animation editor and integration tool AnimZed. An extensive modding guide is planned too, along with more work aimed at supporting the Project Zomboid mod community.
Community localization will continue through future patches. The team will later ask players from different regions to share feedback in the #localisation_feedback channel on The Official Project Zomboid Discord Server.
For the rest of 2026, the developers will also work on a Build 42 Support Update focused on optimization, more modding support, and player-requested features and polish that missed the stable cutoff. Multiplayer and controller improvements will continue throughout the Build 42 patching and support process.
Christian Allen’s latest survival session
Design Director Christian Allen recently joined BigBadBeaver for a long survival session covering Project Zomboid, Build 42, and the game’s future plans. The session ended with Allen’s character becoming a zombie, and the edited interview is available through the full video.
Build 42 players should back up anything they want to keep before choosing a new branch. Share your thoughts on the stable release in the comments, and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, and Instagram.
