When Will 7 Days to Die Alpha 22 Drop? Release Window and Confirmed Features

Alpha 21 barely had time to settle in before the 7 Days to Die community started asking the obvious question: what about Alpha 22? With overhauled systems still fresh and a long roadmap still ahead, the next major patch is already collecting attention.

This guide pulls together the leaks, the developer streams, and the hard math behind release cadence to estimate when Alpha 22 might arrive, plus everything The Fun Pimps has confirmed so far.

Alpha 22 Release Window: An Educated Guess

As of writing, The Fun Pimps has not committed to an official release date. Given that Alpha 21 slipped past its scheduled launch window, the studio is likely being careful about throwing dates around this time.

The next best move is to look at the history of recent updates and see how the pattern lines up:

• Alpha 21: June 9, 2023
• Alpha 20: December 21, 2021
• Alpha 19: June 25, 2020
• Alpha 18: October 2, 2019
• Alpha 17: December 22, 2018

Roughly speaking, each stable update has landed about 18 months after the previous one. Applying that same gap to Alpha 21, a realistic target for the stable Alpha 22 release falls somewhere around late 2024.

What's Coming in Alpha 22?

On a developer stream dated April 21, 2023, the studio walked through a long list of items already in the works. Some of them are clearly destined for Alpha 22, others are tagged for "and beyond," so expect movement between patches. Here are the highlights confirmed so far.

Reworked Characters and Item Models

Player models will receive a noticeable refresh, with extra variety in body types and skin tones for both male and female survivors. Storage crates, crafting benches, and similar everyday objects are also getting fresh art. Enemies like Raiders are part of the same pass, so the visual identity of the world should feel more cohesive.

A peek at the new face models surfaced on social media:

https://twitter.com/7daystodie/status/1679987719248723968

New Outfits and Gear

The studio teased three new outfit sets during its developer stream: the Hoarder, the Wasteland Assassin, and the Desert Gear. Each one is more than cosmetic. Wearing the Wasteland Assassin, for instance, could grant a stealth bonus, while the Hoarder might bump up your carry capacity.

A new armor set, Plant Fiber armor, has also been revealed. You can watch the teaser here.

Cleaner User Interface

Anyone who has spent time in 7 Days to Die knows how much menu juggling the game requires. Alpha 22 plans to thin out the visual clutter, reducing button density and reorganizing grids so navigation feels less like paperwork.

Brighter Environments

Some campsites are getting a visual lift. Older campsites were intentionally muted to fit the post-apocalyptic mood, but Alpha 22 introduces more color and warmth to those spots. The change creates small breathing rooms between waves of horde nights without losing the overall tone.

Improved Zombie Visuals

Zombies will benefit from new Albedo textures that add visual depth and grit. The result, judging by teaser shots, is a meaner, more detailed undead lineup compared to current builds.

New Locations: Duke's Casino and Noah's Compound

Two notable maps have been name-dropped: Duke's Casino and Noah's Compound. Both are reportedly tied to major enemies, suggesting boss encounters and possibly fresh story beats tied to the main narrative.

Returning and New Animals

Survivors will not just be dodging zombies. New animals are joining the roster, including the long-absent pig that was cut from the game after Alpha 16.

Additional Points of Interest

Tired of looting the same buildings? Alpha 22 plans to bring fresh PoIs into the mix, including a Tier 5 school and a commercial business strip dropping into Navezgane.

Vehicles to Cruise Through Hell In

New rides are also confirmed, including a minibike, a motorbike, and a 4x4. Useful for both exploration and high-speed zombie removal.

Subject to Change

Everything covered above is based on streams and teasers from The Fun Pimps. Nothing is locked in until the patch goes live, and features can shift between alphas. Bookmark this article and check back for the latest news as the Alpha 22 launch window gets closer.