Unturned has opened its source code and project files to the community, giving players and modders room to create new features and even total conversions under a non-commercial license. Smartly Dressed Games announced the release on August 8, 2026.
The files are available through the U3 SDK repository on GitHub. The studio said the release was meant to support the creative community that has kept the free-to-play zombie survival game going for years.
In its Steam announcement, Smartly Dressed Games wrote, “Unturned’s greatest strength is our passionate community.” The studio added that the source files would let players build a “lasting legacy” for the game regardless of future changes or how many years pass.
The release gives creators access to more than the usual balance tweaks or small Workshop additions. Our earlier look at Unturned’s codebase covers how the project files could help players work on custom systems, larger mods, and total conversions.
The biggest restriction is the license. According to the studio’s U3 SDK FAQ, all uses of the source code must be strictly non-commercial, and players must be able to access every feature and piece of content in a mod for free.
Some code was left out because Smartly Dressed Games does not have permission to redistribute it. The removed material includes code tied to anti-cheat systems and third-party pathfinding programs.
The studio also made clear that this release does not turn Unturned into an open-source game under the formal definition. Its non-commercial license does not meet the Open Source Initiative’s requirements. Smartly Dressed Games said it would like to relicense the U3 SDK under the MIT License after finishing another game and hopefully reacquiring certain rights.
There is still an active audience for those community projects. Unturned entered Early Access in 2014, reached version 1.0 three years later, and continues to attract thousands of players each day, as reflected by Steam Charts.
The studio also released a major California map update in April after six years of development. The update made the map six times larger, added more than 100 quests, and expanded the game’s endgame through the California update.
Would you use the newly available code to build a major Unturned mod or total conversion? Share your thoughts in the comments, and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.
Unturned
Developed by Nelson Sexton, Smartly Dressed Games
You're a survivor in the zombie infested ruins of society, and must work with your friends and forge alliances to remain among the living.
- Genre Shooter, Adventure, Indie
- Platforms PlayStation 4, Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
- Perspective First person, Third person
- Modes Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative, Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO)
- Release July 7, 2017
- Publisher Smartly Dressed Games, 505 Games
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Age Rating
