DayZ Experimental Explained: How the Test Branch Works

DayZ Experimental is the place to try upcoming updates before they reach the normal live game. It is useful if you like testing new content early, finding bugs, or watching a patch wobble before it learns to walk.

What Is DayZ Experimental?

DayZ Experimental is a separate test version of DayZ. The regular live game is the Stable branch, while Experimental is used for content and feature testing before official release.

Creative Director Brian Hicks described Experimental as unstable in an official DayZ forum explanation. That is the point. Players can access future update content early, but crashes, bugs, balance issues, and odd behavior are more likely than on Stable.

Character progress does not transfer between Experimental and Stable. Treat them as separate environments with separate character data.

If you want a more controlled testing setup, a HolyHosting DayZ Experimental server can be used to run the branch with your own group instead of relying only on public test servers.

How to Play DayZ Experimental

Access depends on when DayZ was purchased:

• If DayZ was purchased before June 25, 2019, switch between the Stable and Experimental branch versions.
• If DayZ was purchased after that date, download the separate DayZ Experimental client on PC.

In Steam, DayZ Experimental appears in the left sidebar of the game library, usually below the Stable version. Select it, download the client, wait for installation to finish, then launch it like any other Steam game.

Experimental uses the same minimum and recommended requirements as Stable.

Minimum System Requirements

• OS: Windows 7/8.1 64-bit
• Processor: Intel Core i5-4430
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 or AMD R9 270X
• DirectX: Version 11
• Storage: 25 GB available space
• Sound Card: DirectX-compatible

Recommended System Requirements

• OS: Windows 10 64-bit
• Processor: Intel Core i5-6600K or AMD R5 1600X
• Memory: 12 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD RX 580
• DirectX: Version 11
• Storage: 30 GB available space
• Sound Card: DirectX-compatible

An internet connection is required when logging in and playing either version.

Reporting Bugs from Experimental

The developers monitor Experimental, but player reports help catch bugs that slip through. Report issues through the Bohemia Interactive Feedback Tracker, and include as much detail as possible. Video evidence, reproduction steps, and crash files are especially useful.

Steam can also help generate bug reports:

• Open Steam and log in.
• Go to the game library.
• Right-click DayZ Experimental in the sidebar.
• Select Properties.
• Find the Steam launch parameters field.
• Enter -dologs without quotes.

When enabled, the game can send a report after an error occurs. Crash report files can also be found at C:\Users\AppData\Local\DayZ and submitted through the Feedback Tracker.