DayZ expands with the largest map to date: desert, war and extreme survival

A new desert and hostile region arrives in the world of DayZ with a completely different proposal.

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Bohemia Interactive has officially revealed the next major expansion of DayZ, an ambitious content update that will completely change the game’s scenario. With the name DayZ: Badlands, the new map will take survivors to an extreme desert environment marked by heat, water scarcity, and a war-torn past. This expansion will arrive at some point in 2026.

Unlike the forested and cold areas that characterize the base game, this time players will face a completely different challenge: surviving scorching temperatures, managing hydration, and navigating abandoned cities ravaged by past military conflicts. The action takes place in Nasdara, a fictional region located west of Chernarus, bordering the border of Takistan, with a terrain of 267 km², making it the largest map in the game’s history.

Everything about DayZ Badlands, the desert expansion that redefines survival

The province of Nasdara will offer a harsh and treacherous landscape, where every resource will be valuable and the environment will work against the players. Bohemia has confirmed that not only will new locations be incorporated, such as scorched cities, oil fields, and military infrastructure, but also infected adapted to the environment, specific weapons, unique objects, and themed cosmetics will be added.

Additionally, the expansion bets on a more dynamic evolution of the game world. Players will be able to create factions, establish their own rules, and discover secrets buried among the ruins, making each game count with different stories driven by the community.