This month H1Z1 is really starting to come into form. While the list of new features may not seem very flashy, these updates should have a massive impact on the whole gameplay experience. I'll give a quick rundown of the highlights for each weeks planned patches.

April 16th

  • Test Server - An all new server where players can log in and see the bleeding edge improvements to the game before they roll out into the rest of the servers. For those players who are very committed to helping test and improve the game, this may be your favorite new home.
  • Steam Friends & Grouping System - The combination of these two features is pretty awesome. After this week, you're going to be able to log directly into servers that people on your friends list are in, and actually have the ability to group up with them and find/communicate a little bit better. This small quality of life improvement should really help make the game feel a bit more social.
  • Throwable Objects - Our first look at a throwables system for grenages, flashbangs, molotav cocktails and other ranged objects. Should definitely add a new wrinkle of strategy to combat and base defense.
  • Routine Anti-Cheat improvements and Bug-squashing - Always good to see this on there, eliminating frustrating bugs and player exploits is always a good thing.

April 23rd

  • Steam Marketplace - This is a very interesting one. It's going to allow players to buy, sell, and trade account inventory items with other players. Could make for a good way to free yourself of some of those aesthetic unlocks you never plan on wearing.
  • 1st Person Battle Royale - People have been clamoring for this one for quite a while. You should also note that these battle royales will be a bit more hardcore, as zombies will get added into the mix as an extra obstacle to victory.
  • Screen Effects - Finally those night-vision goggles will have a purpose! Even more interestingly, players will get to see vision effects from drinking alcohol and taking swizzle. This also opens the door for another huge mechanic that was hinging on these effects:
  • The H1Z1 Virus! - With this implemented, players infected with H1Z1 will slowly change into zombies if the virus isn't properly managed and maintained. The most intriguing aspect of this mechanic is the benefits of being infected. Players will gain zombie senses that include things like night-vision and player tracking as they progress towards becoming a walking dead. Careful not to slip too far though, or you'll never be human again.

That's it for the major changes. Anti-cheat and Bug-squashes are also slated for the 23rd, so expect the battle on hacking and optimization to continually push forward. I'm most excited about the grouping and social features and of course, the H1Z1 virus. I think that adds an entirely new element and mode of gameplay that can really alter the whole experience in a really cool way.

What are you excited about?

 


To read the latest guides, news, and features you can visit our H1Z1 Game Page.

Last Updated: Mar 14, 2016

About The Author

Alex has been playing online games and RPGs for quite some time, starting all the way back with Daggerfall, EverQuest, and Ultima Online. He's staying current with the latest games, picking up various titles and playing during his weekly streams on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings with both MMOs and MOBAs being feature plays. Hit him up on Twitter if you have a stream request for Freeplay Friday! Two future games he's got a keen eye on are Daybreak's EverQuest Next and Illfonic's Revival.

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