This Open-World Zombie Survival Game Was In Early Access For 11 Years, 7 Months, and 13 Days… But It Was Totally Worth The Wait

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As a gamer, I’ve noticed that a lot of cool indie games launch in ‘early access’ these days. It’s basically a way for developers to get feedback and polish the game before it’s officially released, and honestly, it’s a good thing! We get to play them sooner, and they get our help making the game even better. Look at games like Valheim, Palworld, and Phasmophobia – they all blew up while still being works in progress, and they’re amazing because of it. It’s a win-win!

7 Days to Die is an independently developed game that spent a remarkably long time in early access – over ten years, starting with its first alpha release in August 2013. The full Version 1.0 finally launched in 2024. Throughout that development process, changes and updates were sometimes praised and sometimes criticized, but ultimately helped shape the game into a surprisingly excellent, yet often overlooked, zombie survival experience.

7 Days to Die Was a Long Waiting Game, But Version 1.0 Marked a New Era For the Zombie Title

  • 7 Days to Die‘s official release date was July 25th, 2024.

Even after fully launching, 7 Days to Die continues to receive updates. Last year, the big 2.0 update arrived, bringing new environments and zombie types to keep the game fresh and challenging. Players could explore new biomes like Snow, Wasteland, Burnt Forest, Pine Forest, and Desert, though the changes weren’t without debate. These new areas included unique challenges that often required crafting specific items. Some players didn’t like this, feeling it limited the game’s open-ended nature, which it was known for. Overall, version 2.0 added more depth to the gameplay experience.

If you haven’t checked it out yet, the whole game is about trying to survive and gather everything you need because every seven days, this massive zombie horde attacks during something called the Blood Moon. It’s seriously intense prepping for that!

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7 Days to Die Looks Like a Completely Different Game Now

While updates to 7 Days to Die haven’t always pleased everyone, the game’s graphics have dramatically improved. The original blocky style had a simple charm, similar to Minecraft, but the current visuals are much more immersive and frightening. Zombies now look genuinely disturbing, and the detailed environments make exploration more engaging.

7 Days to Die supports both PvP and PvE, but the focus is definitely geared towards the latter.

7 Days to Die’s Base Building Still Brings Hours of Fun

Building a base in 7 Days to Die is consistently praised as one of the most enjoyable aspects of survival games. The challenge of creating a strong defense against waves of enemies remains central to the experience and creates intense, exciting moments. Over time, the game has moved away from being a pure survival title and now blends in elements of shooter games with some survival aspects. While long-time players might be disappointed by this change in focus, the fundamental elements that made the game great are still present.

Since its early beginnings, 7 Days to Die has evolved significantly. While it might not appeal to all zombie game enthusiasts, players who enjoy building bases and tackling challenges in specific locations should definitely check it out. The game recently received a major update with version 2.0, and even more substantial changes are likely on the way.

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2026-02-22 17:36