H1Z1: Just Survive Drops H1Z1 Branding & Releases Huge Update

Published: August 18, 2017 9:40 PM /

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Just Survive Moonlit Zombies

H1Z1: Just Survive has dropped the "H1Z1" bit from its name and is now called Just Survive as revealed in an interview over at Massively Overpowered and a related press release. Additionally, Just Survive has had a major patch released with quite a few changes and bug fixes.

Just Survive is one of two games that resulted from H1Z1 being split into two distinct titlesH1Z1: King of the Kill became a multiplayer-only game focused on Battle Royale-esque "fight to the death" gameplay modes and Just Survive was made to focus on the survival & crafting aspects of the game. Although King of the Kill got quite a few updates in recent months, its sister game was relatively low-key until its name change was recently revealed. A trailer accompanied the announcement of the name change:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBbPNjLQDQI

Of course, a lot more has changed than the game's name: Just Survive has had a massive overhaul in terms of its map, gameplay mechanics, and overall design. After remaining radio silent for some time (presumably to work on revamping the title), Creative Director Ben Jones spoke to Massively Overpowered and detailed some of the changes that have been made and what will be coming to the game in future.

One of the most immediately recognizable changes is that players will no longer spawn at a random point in the wilderness; you now spawn at a safe military base where you can get a feel for the game's mechanics before venturing out into the world on your own. Although there is only one military base currently in the game, a total of three are planned for future updates. The entire map has been overhauled specifically for this new venture and is distinct from anything you would have seen in H1Z1: King of the Kill.

You'll no longer be able to plop down a building just anywhere; instead, you must purchase a plot of land in order to build a Stronghold on it. The change was made in order to reduce crowding in certain areas (and therefore improve performance) as well as force players to fight over specific areas of the map in a new contention system. Of course, players will have other options available to them whether it's reinforcing an existing Point of Interesting or living the nomadic life.

Just Survive Large Base
The map for Just Survive is brand new and completely distinct from anything you'll see in H1Z1: King of the Kill.

Weapons have been completely revamped; they now have loot qualities and tiers. With new loot comes a new economy; aside from bartering with other players, you can acquire Golden Eagle coins which are tied to your character and necessary for certain in-game options such as purchasing plots of land in order to build a Stronghold.

The full interview has more details about the reasoning for these changes as well as expanded explanations. Aside from this bit of news, Just Survive players will be happy to hear that the game will now be getting regular content upgrades just like its sister game. The updates were kicked off with a massive patch that has enacted sweeping changes and reforms to the title (aside from those already mentioned above).

A number of client and server crashes have been fixed and some exploits (such as the "drone exploit" and "snaking exploit") have been removed. Stashes can no longer be dropped and several stash duplication bugs have been patched out. Stashes are now dedicated, static safes unique to each player and you can only own one of them at a time; while they are not completely invincible, it would take a concentrated effort for players to be able to destroy one. Strongholds have had a number of balance changes that make them a good bit hardier, improve zombie pathfinding through the area, and increase the cost of the plots of land that you must buy to build them.

This is by no means an all-inclusive list of the changes made in Just Survive's first patch under the new name; hundreds of changes both small and large have taken place across most aspects of the game. Read the full patch notes for more details. In the meantime, if you don't yet own Just Survive you can grab an Early Access copy for yourself on Steam for $19.99 or your regional equivalent.

What do you think of Just Survive dropping the H1Z1 branding from the name? What do you think of the changes that were made to the game? Do you think it's possible for the game to recover some of its reputation & player base with the overhauls or is it too late? Let us know in the comments below!

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A photograph of TechRaptor Senior Writer Robert N. Adams.
| Senior Writer

One of my earliest memories is playing Super Mario Bros. on the Nintendo Entertainment System. I've had a controller in my hand since I was 4 and I… More about Robert N