Project Zomboid 42.22 Pre-Release Adds Ladders and Crowbar Break-Ins

Project Zomboid is testing Build 42.22, and two long-requested survival tools are finally changing how players move through Knox Country: usable ladders and crowbars that can force open locked entrances. Developer The Indie Stone announced the new version on October 27, 2026, alongside a change to the way experimental updates are released.

Build 42.22 is not the standard stable update yet. It is available for testing on a newly named Pre-Release branch, while the default Stable branch remains on 42.21. That distinction is especially important for anyone with a long-running save, a modded installation or a multiplayer server.

Project Zomboid 42.22: what's new?

The headline change is the first implementation of ladder interactions. Players on the Pre-Release build can use E to interact with ladders already placed around the map. The Indie Stone specifically points to climbing into the upper reaches of Rosewood Fire Station and escaping some previously awkward locations, including empty pools.

This is an initial implementation rather than a promise of a full ladder-building system. The developer is asking testers to try ladders around the world and report where interactions fail. It is therefore sensible to expect edge cases until the feature completes testing.

The other major addition gives the crowbar a practical role beyond combat and removing certain fixtures. From the right-click context menu, survivors can attempt to force locked windows, doors, garage doors and gates. Security doors and jail-cell doors remain resistant to the new action.

The character's build matters. Burglars are better and quieter at forcing entry; Strength also affects success. Failed attempts can damage your crowbar. That makes the change interesting for stealth, exploration and character planning rather than merely adding a universal unlock button.

How to access the new Pre-Release branch

The developer's official Steam announcement explains how to opt in:

1. Back up any saves you care about before changing branches.
2. In your Steam library, right-click Project Zomboid and open Properties.
3. Select Game Versions & Betas.
4. Choose Pre-Release from the available options.
5. Let Steam update the game before launching it.

If you want a predictable experience with an established single-player world, stay on Stable 42.21 for now. The Indie Stone explicitly warns that a save moved into Pre-Release may not work in the eventual stable release. Backing it up is a minimum precaution, not a guarantee of backward compatibility.

The new branch replaces the old Unstable name. That is intended to make the release process clearer; it does not suddenly make experimental builds risk-free.

What changes for multiplayer and servers?

Build 42.22 also addresses several multiplayer problems. The developer lists a fix for the duplicate-character issue, changes that calculate PvP damage on the server, and fixes involving trailers, map knowledge and saving notes.

Server stability work includes crashes associated with chickens in nests when players leave a chunk, as well as improvements to backup creation performance. These are meaningful maintenance items for server administrators, though the announcement does not provide independent benchmark figures or claim that all multiplayer bugs are resolved.

Server owners should not treat Pre-Release as a routine production upgrade. Keep backups, consider mod compatibility and test with a separate environment before moving a persistent community world. The developer specifically says the branch is useful for admins and modders who want time to inspect coming changes.

Other gameplay fixes in Build 42.22

Ladders and crowbars are the eye-catching additions, but a wider set of adjustments could affect everyday survival.

• Vehicle visibility: XXL trees have received rendering polish designed to improve what players can see while driving.
• Pushing while overloaded: Characters can push even when both hands carry encumbering items, although they may drop objects that would otherwise prevent the action.
• Sleep: A Bad Smell moodle now prevents a character from sleeping.
• Ammunition: Ammo boxes can be opened while walking.
• Animals: Fixes target disappearing chickens, starving rabbit kits and deaths linked to cells unloading.
• Multiplayer: Additional work covers character cloning, PvP hit registration, trailers, server backups and persistent map notes.

These are the developer's announced changes, not a guarantee that every related scenario has been independently retested. Anyone relying on a particular behavior should check the final stable changelog before building a strategy around it.

When will 42.22 reach the Stable branch?

The Indie Stone says its intended update cycle now runs through Pre-Release testing for at least one week before deployment to Stable. Urgent hotfixes may take a different route. If issues need further revisions, testing can continue and the developer plans to communicate through its forums and community channels.

There is no confirmed exact Stable release date for 42.22 in this announcement. A one-week minimum is a testing policy, not a promised launch appointment. Players who prefer Stable should wait for an explicit release notice rather than counting seven days from October 27.

That approach could help mod authors and server operators identify broken systems before the majority of players receive an update. It also lets curious survivors try headline features early, with the trade-off of accepting unfinished behavior.

Should you install Project Zomboid 42.22 right now?

For players eager to test climbing, crowbar break-ins and multiplayer changes, Pre-Release offers a useful early look. Create a backup first and consider testing in a disposable world.

For anyone midway through a lengthy survival run, hosting a heavily modded server or simply expecting a smooth evening, the better choice is to remain on 42.21 Stable until The Indie Stone finishes vetting the build.

The important news is not merely that Project Zomboid has a new version number: it is changing both player movement options and its release process. Ladders and crowbars may alter how survivors approach buildings, while the new branch gives the community an earlier opportunity to test those changes.

Primary source: The Indie Stone, “Moving on Up: 42.22 Pre-Release,” published on Steam on October 27, 2026. This report describes developer-reported changes and does not claim hands-on verification of the test build.