Dayz

DayZ is a multiplayer survival video game developed by Bohemia Interactive. It originated as a standalone mod for ARMA 2 created by Dean Hall, and was released as a standalone title in 2013 through Steam Early Access, with a full 1.0 release in 2018. The game is set in a fictional post-Soviet countryside and towns, initially on the Chernarus map, and later expanded with additional maps such as Livonia. Players inhabit a persistent online world where the primary goal is to stay alive as long as possible.

Gameplay involves scavenging for food, water, medicine, weapons, and parts for crafting and vehicles. Players manage needs such as hunger, thirst, health, energy, and body temperature, while injuries and infections can impair survival. The world is sandbox and open-ended, with permission to form alliances or clash with other players. Death is permanent for the character; gear and progress are not carried over to a new survivor, though looting a previous corpse can be possible on a server. Infected NPCs pose threats, and environmental hazards such as cold conditions and sporadic loot spawns create risk.

Development and reception: DayZ's mod roots reinforced the popularity of open-world survival games and inspired many similar titles. The standalone version has received continuous updates, introducing new content, maps, vehicles, and a revamped loot economy. It was released on consoles after PC, with Xbox One in 2019 and PlayStation 4 in 2020.

DayZ is primarily supported as a live-service title, emphasizing emergent, player-driven storytelling through exploration, scavenging, and interaction within a harsh, persistent online world. The game has fostered a large community of both official and community-run servers and modding projects.