Project Zomboid’s Build 42.22 is now available for testing on a new Steam branch, adding ladder interactions and crowbar break-ins while the default Stable version remains 42.21. The Indie Stone’s 42.22 announcement introduces Pre-Release as the replacement for the Unstable branch.
The new name is meant to reduce confusion tied to the long-running Unstable branch in Build 42. Most players should stay on Stable while 42.22 goes through testing. The Pre-Release branch is aimed at modders, multiplayer server admins, and players willing to test early builds.
Testing stays separate from Stable
To opt in, right-click Project Zomboid in your Steam Library, open Properties, choose Game Versions & Betas, then select Pre-Release. Back up any saves you want to keep before switching. The Indie Stone warns that long-term single-player saves may not work on the test build or in the eventual release.
Going forward, builds are meant to spend at least one week in Pre-Release before moving to Stable. The team may prepare another revision if testing uncovers problems, while urgent hotfixes can still go straight to Stable.
Ladders and crowbars open new routes
Players can now interact with placed ladders using E, including ladders near empty pools and the one at the Rosewood Fire Station. Crowbars also gain a new use: the right-click menu lets players force open locked windows, doors, garage doors, and gates. Security doors and jail cell doors remain beyond their reach.
Burglars are better and quieter at forcing openings than other survivors, while higher Strength helps too. Repeated failed attempts raise the chance of damaging the crowbar, so forcing a stubborn door can cost more than time.
Other gameplay changes include clearer XXL tree rendering while driving and aiming, and the ability to push while carrying encumbering items. Characters drop anything that prevents them from pushing. A Bad Smell moodle now blocks sleep, and players can open ammo boxes while walking. Animal fixes address deaths when a cell unloads, rabbit kits starving when their mothers do not produce milk, and chickens disappearing from full hutches.
Multiplayer fixes target duplicate characters and incorrect PvP damage by moving damage calculations server-side. The update also addresses crashes involving characters leaving a chunk while chickens are in nest boxes, improves server backup performance, and fixes trailer behavior and physics. Other fixes cover the All Known on Start sandbox option and notes failing to save on map items. The build also includes further multiplayer fixes and updated anti-cheat measures.
Which part of Build 42.22 would you be most interested in testing? Keep up with its testing and progress toward Stable on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.
