Jul 2, 2026
View on Steam↗Phasmophobia Quality of Life Update Preview
3/5 Moderate
PREVIEW13 Willow Street rework and a massive Quality of Life overhaul featuring faster animations and improved photo evidence detection.
Key Changes
- 1Complete rework of the 13 Willow Street map
- 2Removal of character hand animations to significantly speed up gameplay
- 3New photo evidence priority system (Unique photos > Duplicates)
- 4Journal animation speed increased and positioning improved for readability
- 5Obake shapeshift now counts toward Ghost video objectives
- 6Ability to cancel 'Use' animations by pressing the button again
- 7Fixed Yurei door ability being incorrectly used by all ghost types
- 8Console players can now toggle Eye Adaptation settings
- 9Instant Journal opening and rotation improvements for VR players
- 10New speaking icon added to Player ID Cards
All Changes
🏚️Locations(7)
- new13 Willow Street: Complete rework of the 13 Willow Street map.
- changeSunny Meadows: Ghosts on Sunny Meadows will now only lock wing doors if both the ghost and a player are inside that wing.
- fixBrownstone High School: Fixed Brownstone High School setup timer not counting down on Amateur/Intermediate difficulty.
- fixBleasdale Farmhouse: Fixed Bleasdale Farmhouse foyer hiding spot door being interactable when blocked.
- fixBrownstone High School: Fixed Brownstone High School side gate opening without the Truck key.
- fixSunny Meadows: Fixed Sunny Meadows washing machines being unable to turn on.
- fixCamp Woodwind: Fixed interaction prompts for gates at Camp Woodwind and Maple Lodge Campsite.
🔦Gameplay(8)
- changeCharacter Animations: Removed character hand animations for grabbing, dropping, and interacting to increase gameplay speed.
- changePhoto Evidence: Improved photo evidence detection with a priority system (Unique photos > Duplicates).
- changeEquipment: Players can now cancel 'Use' animations by pressing the Use button again during the animation.
- changeLighting: Improved player lighting to provide better visibility in dark areas.
- buffApocalypse Challenge: Apocalypse challenge now accepts any Media type instead of only photos.
- changeTutorial: Tutorial now requires recording Ghost Orbs rather than just seeing them on screen.
- changeCharacter Model: Character legs now use standard animations instead of procedural generation.
- newKeybinds: PC players can now use keys 1, 2, 3, and 4 to change inventory slots.
🛠️Equipment(8)
- buffJournal: Journal moved closer for better readability and animation speed significantly increased.
- changeEye Adaptation: Eye Adaptation now adjusts lighting faster when opening or closing the Journal.
- fixFlashlight: Fixed multiple Flashlight issues including invisibility on pickup, light remaining after death, and placement in the Truck.
- fixEquipment: Fixed placement animation bugs for Firelights, Salt, and the Photo Camera.
- fixEvidence Collection: Fixed recording issues where Video Cameras missed moving Ouija Boards and Sound Recorders missed burning Crucifixes.
- fixHead Gear: Fixed Tier 1 Head Gear being tilted when in use.
- fixSpirit Box: Fixed Spirit Box becoming unusable when switching to text recognition after pickup.
- fixCrucifix: Fixed softlock occurring when using a Crucifix at the start of a Hunt.
👻Ghosts(5)
- buffObake: Obake's shapeshift now counts towards the Ghost video objective.
- fixYurei: Fixed an issue where all ghost types could incorrectly mimic the Yurei's door ability.
- fixKormos: Fixed Kormos hearing players during grace periods, through walls, or after using Incense.
- fixPhantom: Fixed Phantom ability incorrectly targeting dead players or players outside.
- fixGhost AI: Fixed ghosts being unable to interact with doors they already touched during an event.
🥽VR(6)
- buffVR Journal: Journal now opens instantly in VR.
- changeVR Movement: Character now rotates instantly to match head rotation when looking ahead.
- fixVR Stamina: Fixed VR stamina not recovering while crouched.
- fixVR Video Camera: Fixed Video Camera jitter when attached to Tier 2 or 3 Tripods.
- fixVR Character Model: Fixed character head detaching from body when walking sideways.
- fixVR Interaction: Fixed ability to grab Head Gear off other players' heads.
🖥️UI/UX(5)
- newUI: Added a speaking icon to the Player ID Card.
- newConsole Settings: Console players can now enable or disable Eye Adaptation.
- changeCustomization Shop: Customization shop camera now zooms specifically on the selected character part.
- changeCosmetics: Unearnable cosmetics are now hidden from view.
- fixController Support: Fixed Crouch binding on controllers (X/A) preventing Journal use.
🐛Bug Fixes(5)
- fixNetwork: Improved network stability to reduce player disconnects.
- fixCCTV: Fixed players being visible through Truck walls on CCTV.
- fixExploit: Fixed infinite sprinting exploit involving the Journal.
- fixRevive System: Fixed softlock where players could not continue after being revived.
- fixTutorial: Fixed various tutorial bugs preventing Truck exit or item interaction.
Summary
Phasmophobia's upcoming Quality of Life update, launching July 21st, 2026, is the first of a two-part series focused on streamlining gameplay. The update introduces the highly anticipated 13 Willow Street rework alongside significant speed improvements to character animations and the Journal. Players can expect a more responsive experience with the ability to cancel 'Use' animations and a refined photo evidence system that prioritizes unique captures over duplicates. The update also addresses a vast array of bugs across equipment, VR, and ghost behaviors.