Read history without assuming a rerun
Official changelogs document winter, Valentine, Easter, Halloween, the Drying, Soviet Takeover, and other event periods. A prior event establishes history, not next year’s schedule. Every event record needs official name, start/end dates when published, map scope, limited content, current/expired status, source, and last live check.
Never predict a return or copy old objectives into a new season. Wait for a current official note and compare the live client.
Event-status lookup
The Drying 2026
The official June 18 update announced the Drying through July 20, 2026. It added the Covert Militia Radio and updated random events, containers, infected, vehicles, and other content. The event is historical at the September 18 check date.
Do not treat Drying container maps, radio routes, vehicle observations, or cosmetic locations as ordinary current-world facts. Mark the event scope. The radio’s present availability and signals require a live check.
Soviet Takeover 2026
The official August 13 update announced Soviet Takeover through September 7, 2026. It added limited content including an AN-94, event structures, a vehicle, backpacks, and other equipment, alongside inventory and ammunition changes.
The acquisition window is expired at this check date unless a newer official post says otherwise. Players may still own items; ownership is separate from current acquisition. Preserve exact historical additions while marking live routes closed or unverified.
Winter and other recurring themes
Official history includes winter, Valentine, Easter, and Halloween themes. A December 2025 winter entry described a temporary doubled infected-drop period and specific event guarantees. That language belongs to that event and cannot be generalized to current ordinary infected.
A repeated theme may change map, objectives, items, multipliers, passes, infected, and rewards. Create a new dated record for each run rather than overwriting history or assuming last year’s mechanics.
Prepare for a current season
Read the newest official changelog and live event panel. Confirm dates, map, objectives, separate save rules if any, and reward status. Carry ordinary survival needs first: healing, food, hydration, supported ammunition, and empty space. Add event-specific items only when the live interface explains them.
Choose a route with observation cover and exits. Seasonal locations attract players. In a group, assign objective reader, navigator, and lookout. Leave after the goal rather than extending an exposed loot run.
Record limited content
For each weapon, vehicle, backpack, cosmetic, infected, container, or utility record exact name, event, map, source, paid/free state, availability, official addition, live observation, and date. Do not invent pools or rates.
After the event, set acquisition expired while retaining the item’s history. If it returns, verify every field again. A store pack may have a different availability window from the world event.
Use Special Weapons, Vehicles, and Cosmetics for entity details.
Avoid stale guide errors
- Check dates rather than only the event name.
- Keep event and ordinary maps separate.
- Do not apply a temporary drop multiplier permanently.
- Do not promise a limited weapon or cosmetic after the window.
- Treat old walkthrough steps as leads until the live tracker matches.
- Never predict the next start date without an official announcement.
Maintain the history
Store official announcement URL, release date, stated end, actual live status, map variant, broad additions, and superseding update. If an end date was not published, say unknown instead of guessing. Review at launch, near stated end, and after removal.
Verification status
The named seasonal histories and cited dates come from official Beta changelogs. Current availability, exact objectives, pools, map variants, reward rules, and future returns need live and official revalidation. No future schedule is predicted. Last reviewed September 18, 2026.