- Games
- Project Zomboid
Project Zomboid
You scavenge, build and care for a shared home while zombies and small mistakes threaten your survival.
Online co-op for up to 254 players and split-screen co-op for up to 4 players.
- 254 online
- 4 split-screen
Where to buy
Playing together
- Online co-op254 players
- Local co-op4 playersSplit screen
- Not confirmedFriends on different platforms, such as PC and PlayStation, can play together.
- Not confirmedA friend can join or leave while you are already playing, without starting over.
- Not confirmedFriends play free with a Friend's Pass or similar.
- Steam DeckVerifiedValve's own rating
About the game
You try to stay alive in the towns and countryside of Kentucky after a zombie outbreak. You search homes for food and tools, treat injuries, learn practical skills and build defenses. Hunger, illness and noise matter alongside the undead outside. A useful supply run can become a desperate retreat when an alarm brings a crowd.
You share an ongoing world online or play with four people on one device in split-screen. Friends can divide work around the base and head out together for supplies. The pace leaves room for ordinary chores, but careless decisions can end a survivor. It suits a patient group that enjoys learning detailed systems and setting its own goals.
How it feels
Kind of game
One lasting world your group settles. You gather, build and push into dangerous places together.
- At its heart
- A big part
- Now and then
- Calm and coziness
- Sessions
- Ongoing world
- About
- Scavenging, Zombies
Rated on our own feel scale. 5 sources back these ratings.
Screenshots
From the Steam store page. Open one to see it full size.
If you liked Project Zomboid
You will probably enjoy these too. Each one says why.
Unturned
Why it scores 86%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Shared survival world
- About
- Scavenging and Zombies
- Notable in both
- Laughter and chaos, Time to hang out, Building and creating, Exploring, Tension and danger, Fighting, Unlocks and progress
- Sessions
- Ongoing world
- Co-op
- Online and split-screen local co-op
How Unturned differs
- Easier to pick up than Project Zomboid
- 24 online
- 2 split-screen
Both give your group a hard world to survive in together. Both are about scavenging for loot and zombie outbreaks. Both get loud and silly when plans go wrong.
But easier to pick up than Project Zomboid.
State of Decay 2: Juggernaut Edition
Why it scores 80%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Shared survival world
- About
- Scavenging and Zombies
- Notable in both
- Time to hang out, Building and creating, Working in sync, Exploring, Tension and danger, Planning ahead, Fighting, Unlocks and progress
- Sessions
- Ongoing world
- Co-op
- Online co-op
How State of Decay 2: Juggernaut Edition differs
- Easier to pick up than Project Zomboid
- Fits a smaller group than Project Zomboid
- 4 online
- Crossplay
Both give your group a hard world to survive in together. Both are easy to play while you chat. Both give you one lasting world to come back to.
But easier to pick up than Project Zomboid.
Don't Starve Together
Why it scores 79%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Shared survival world
- Core to both
- Tension and danger, Getting better, Exploring
- Notable in both
- Fear, Laughter and chaos, Building and creating, Working in sync, Planning ahead, Fighting, Unlocks and progress
- Sessions
- Ongoing world
- Co-op
- Online and split-screen local co-op
How Don't Starve Together differs
- Fits a smaller group than Project Zomboid
- Online
- 2 split-screen
Both give your group a hard world to survive in together. Both keep you on edge. Both are often scary.
But fits a smaller group than Project Zomboid.
All co-op facts
Last checked 24 October 2026. The small numbers link to the page that states each fact.
Co-op
- Fewest players online
- Not confirmed
- Separate-device co-op
- Not confirmed
- Most players on separate devices
- Not confirmed
- Free base co-op
- No
The checked computer full-base edition has a paid base-game access model. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
- 56
- Confirmed free setups
- Does not apply
- Crossplay
- Not confirmed
- Crossplay between
- Not confirmed
- Friends can join mid-game
- Not confirmed
- Only one of you needs to buy it
- Not confirmed
Sources
11 pages
projectzomboid.comOfficial site, read 24 October 2026
Backs Online co-op, Local co-op, Split or shared screen, Platforms, Genres, Kind of game, About, Exploring, Building and creating, Unlocks and progress.
- Online co-op: The maker names player-run servers. Current Build 42.21 news also describes multiplayer.
- Local co-op: The maker explicitly names split-screen play with friends.
- Split or shared screen: The maker names split-screen.
- Platforms: The maker lists PC, Mac and Linux.
- Genres: The maker calls it a zombie survival RPG and sandbox survival.
- Kind of game: Friends settle a dangerous world through scavenging and construction.
- About: The feature list pairs searching for food with avoiding zombie hordes.
- Exploring: Towns across Kentucky form a large map to explore.
- Building and creating: You construct buildings and defenses.
- Unlocks and progress: Practical skills develop through play.
projectzomboid.comOfficial site, read 24 October 2026
Backs Most players on one screen, Most players online.
- Most players on one screen: The feature list explicitly gives four local players.
- Most players online: This older maker page gives 100. The newer 42.20.3 official notes raise the server limit to 254.
theindiestone.comOfficial news, read 24 October 2026
Backs Most players online.
- Most players online: The August 17, 2026 Stable 42.20.3 hotfix implements support for up to 254 server players. This is the current Build 42 player-run survival-server ceiling, not a normal coordinated party or a guarantee of performance. It does not apply to legacy Build 41.
projectzomboid.comOfficial news, read 23 October 2026
Backs Online co-op.
- Online co-op: The current Stable release fixes multiplayer zombie behavior, confirming that Build 42 multiplayer is available.
gog.comStore page, read 24 October 2026
Backs Most players on one screen, Split or shared screen, Sessions, Free base co-op.
- Most players on one screen: GOG explicitly states four-player local split screen but warns that gamepad support is unavailable on Mac. Local-four does not promise identical controller support on every operating system.
- Split or shared screen: The same feature names split-screen.
- Sessions: The product describes persistent servers and survival across seasons.
- Free base co-op: The checked computer full-base edition has a paid base-game access model. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
store.steampowered.comStore page, read 24 October 2026
Backs Release status, Release date, Fear, Free base co-op.
- Release status: The current product still has an Early Access section.
- Release date: The Steam Early Access product date is 2013-11-08.
- Fear: Displayed tags include Survival Horror.
- Free base co-op: The checked computer full-base edition has a paid base-game access model. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
store.steampowered.comStore data, read 24 October 2026
Backs Steam app ID.
- Steam app ID: The returned app is Project Zomboid, app 108600.
store.steampowered.comStore data, read 23 October 2026
Backs Steam Deck.
- Steam Deck: Valve rates the game Verified on Steam Deck.
tryhardguides.comPress, read 24 October 2026
Backs Tension and danger, Working in sync, Getting better, Calm and coziness, Time to hang out, Fighting.
- Tension and danger: Try Hard Guides, 2022-04-20. A small mistake destroys a prepared scavenging party.
- Working in sync: Try Hard Guides, 2022-04-20. Friends divide skilled work, including a dedicated tailor.
- Getting better: Try Hard Guides, 2022-04-20. Detailed tasks demand learning and practice.
- Calm and coziness: Try Hard Guides, 2022-04-20. Reading and recovery create slow intervals.
- Time to hang out: Try Hard Guides, 2022-04-20. Long shared chores provide room between emergencies. This is an inference from the described pace.
- Fighting: Try Hard Guides, 2022-04-20. Fighting hordes alternates with gathering and household work.
spritesanddice.comPress, read 24 October 2026
Backs Laughter and chaos, Planning ahead.
- Laughter and chaos: Sprites and Dice, 2016-10-31. Survival mistakes create absurd stories shared with friends.
- Planning ahead: Sprites and Dice, 2016-10-31. Escape routes, winter supplies and future utility failures shape plans.
projectzomboid.comOfficial site, read 24 October 2026
Backs Voice chat by distance.
- Voice chat by distance: Historical Build 35 adds built-in location-based voice heard only within audible character distance. Current 42.21 notes separately fix radio VOIP, corroborating retained integrated voice. Server settings and in-game radios affect communication.