2.5|Dec 9, 2025
View on Steam↗2.5 Survival Revival Update
4/5 Significant
Empty jars return alongside a new Smell System, 3rd person camera support, and a massive overhaul to weather and temperature mechanics.
Key Changes
- 1Reintroduction of Empty Jars for immersive water scavenging and crafting.
- 2New Smell System where raw meat and food odors attract zombies to the player.
- 3Full 3rd Person Camera support with customizable FOV and distance settings.
- 4Significant buffs to default vehicle storage and new storage expansion mods.
- 5New Apiary workstation for honey production and infection-curing food recipes.
- 6Reworked Biome Hazards, Storms, and Temperature systems with new debuffs.
- 7Turrets now support all ammo tiers including AP and Hollow Point rounds.
- 8New Rancher and Chuck zombie variants replace the Plague Spitter and Frost Claw.
- 9Quest system overhaul for better trader variety and distance distribution.
- 10New Food and Water HUD bars with numerical stat displays.
All Changes
💧Water & Survival(6)
- newEmpty Jars: Reintroduced Empty Jars which can be scavenged and filled with murky water from natural sources.
- changeWater Sources: Toilets, sinks, and other water fixtures are now dried up and do not provide water.
- nerfDew Collector: Dew collectors now unlock at Workstation Crafting level 16 and require a workbench and additional resources to craft.
- changeEmpty Jars: Jars are now one-time use and are not refunded by default after consumption.
- newJar Refund System: Added a Jar Refund menu option to set the chance of getting a jar back (0% to 100%).
- newEmpty Jars: Jars can now be crafted at a forge with a crucible using 31 sand and 6 clay (reduced to 25 sand and 5 clay with Advanced Engineering 5/5).
⚙️Gameplay Systems(7)
- newSmell System: Added a Smell System where carrying 5+ Raw Meat creates a scent that attracts zombies after a 10-second grace period.
- changeFood: Consuming food now causes a temporary smell based on the item's Smell Distance stat.
- changeDysentery: Flatulence caused by Dysentery now generates a smell.
- changeSmell System: Smell distance is reduced to 20% when indoors or sheltered.
- changeSmell System: Submerging in water now clears the player's current smell.
- newAI Smell Mode: Added AI Smell Mode game option with settings from Off to Nightmare (defaults to Run).
- changeAnimal Carcass: Animal carcasses can now be smelled from farther away by zombies.
🚲Vehicles(3)
- buffVehicles: Increased default storage slots for all vehicles: Bicycle (+1), Minibike (+3), Motorcycle (+4), Gyrocopter (+5), and 4x4 Truck (+9).
- newVehicle Storage Mod: Added Vehicle Storage Mods that add 10 slots per mod (max 2 mods per vehicle for +20 total slots).
- newVehicles: Vehicle storage mods now add visible cosmetic changes to vehicles, such as saddlebags on bicycles.
⛈️Environment & Weather(7)
- newWeather System: Added Distant Storm Rendering to show storm clouds in neighboring biomes as an early warning.
- changeBiome Hazards: Reworked Biome Hazards to include Smoke/Ash (Burnt), Sand/Dust (Desert), Cold Air (Snow), and Toxic Fallout (Wasteland).
- changeStorms: Storms now provide a 30-second grace period (extendable by clothing) before affecting the player.
- buffZombies: Zombies now become more aggressive and have a higher loot drop chance during storms.
- changeTemperature System: Reintroduced a more intuitive Temperature system affected by time, shelter, shade, and wetness.
- nerfTemperature System: Added Hot and Sweltering debuffs that increase water consumption by 300-600% and reduce movement by 10-20%.
- nerfTemperature System: Added Cold and Freezing debuffs that increase food consumption by 100-200% and reduce movement by 10-20%.
🔨Crafting & Stations(3)
- newApiary Workstation: Added the Apiary Workstation (unlocked at level 30) to produce honey every 2 game days.
- newApiary Workstation: Added Apiary upgrades: Smoker (removes bee swarms), Brood Box (doubles storage), and Extractor (doubles speed).
- changeWorkbench: Workstation progression changes may remove active workbench recipe unlocks and clear crafting queues upon updating.
🧟Zombies(3)
- changeThe Rancher: The Plague Spitter has been replaced by 'The Rancher' zombie, which retains the swarm spitting attack.
- changeChuck: The Frost Claw has been replaced by the 'Chuck' zombie, which retains the boulder throwing attack.
- newBeeswax: Beeswax can now be harvested from tree stumps or looted from the new Rancher zombie.
🎥UI & Camera(4)
- new3rd Person Camera: Added full Third Person Camera support with a toggleable key-bind and customizable FOV/distance settings.
- newUI: Added a Quick Actions radial menu for camera perspective, dropping weapons, and equipment toggles.
- changeHUD: Added new Food and Water bars under health/stamina that display numerical stat values.
- changeCharacter Window: Updated the character window with a new perspective rendering system and rotatable model.
🔫Combat & Turrets(2)
- buffTurrets: Turrets now accept all ammunition tiers (standard, AP, hollow point) for increased flexibility.
- buffTurret Ammo: Different ammo types now provide distinct benefits to turrets, such as armor-piercing or hollow point advantages.
📜Quests(2)
- changeQuests: Traders now offer up to 7 quests per tier using a new distance algorithm (3 near, 3 medium, 1 far).
- changeQuests: Starter and opening trader quests now prioritize traders located near cities or high-density quest areas.
👕Items & Clothing(4)
- newClothing: Added four new insulation clothing groups: Socks, Cap liners, Long Underwear, and Glove Liners.
- changeClothing: Clothing now comes in three tiers (Tattered, Patchwork, ThermalCore) and has quality levels but no degradation.
- newArmor Mods: Added three levels of progressive armor insulation mods to further boost temperature resistance.
- newFood Recipes: Added Honey Tea, Honey Glazed Sham, and Honey Brisket (150 food) recipes; tea and brisket cure infections.
🎨Cosmetics(3)
- newCosmetic Skins: Added the Free Original Survivors Pack featuring original male and female character models.
- newCosmetic Skins: Added a Free Holiday Santa Hat that can be found in loot during the holiday season.
- changeTrader Jen: Updated Trader Jen with a brand new character model.
Summary
The V2.5 Survival Revival update for 7 Days to Die reintroduces the fan-favorite empty jar system for water survival while adding a complex new Smell System that forces players to manage raw meat and food odors. This update also introduces full 3rd person camera support, significant vehicle storage buffs, and a new Apiary workstation for honey production. Players should be aware that workstation progression changes may reset active workbench crafting queues and controller bindings will be reset to new defaults upon first launch.