Spearhead Update Out Now - Changelog
Hey, everyone,
Spearhead, the third major update for Gray Zone Warfare, is now live.
Update 0.4 introduces sweeping changes across nearly every part of the game, including major reworks, core system rebalancing, improved clarity, and expanded sandbox features.
This update is designed to give players more agency and deliver a stronger overall experience. We focused on improving the core gameplay loop, making combat easier to read, and finding a better balance between realism and satisfying game feel.
Step into Lamang, now richer, more dynamic, and more interactive than ever before, with more opportunities to explore, loot, and experiment with an expanded arsenal of weapons and gear.
Watch the launch trailer and explore the full list of changes below.
What’s New in Spearhead
The update introduces the following key features:
Redesigned the task system to create a replayable progression loop
100+ new Tasks and Contracts, plus 50+ updated tasks, bringing the total to more than 250
25+ new locations
Rebuilt and polished existing locations
Expanded lore
8 new weapons, 380+ weapon parts, and 150+ gear pieces
AI improvements
Revamped loot system
Redesigned Tactical Map
Reworked vendor stocks and economy
Rebalanced ballistics
Reworked core movement animations
Refactored sound design
Rebalanced health system
New onboarding area and tutorial
New Field Manual
New Player Statistics
Learn more in the devlogs:
Read the complete CHANGELOG below for all the details.
Edition Upgrades
If you'd like to further support the development of Gray Zone Warfare, you can upgrade to one of the game’s higher editions.
Each edition includes gear, weapons, and resources, giving PMCs a stronger starting point and offering extra value to those backing the game’s continued development. We’ve also introduced exclusive morale patches for Supporter Edition owners.
Check out the full breakdown in our latest article.
A Fresh Start for Everyone
This update includes a full progress wipe, giving all players a fresh start. It creates a level playing field and lets everyone experience the redesigned systems, tasks, and economy from the beginning.
Wipes are an important part of Early Access. They allow us to introduce major changes, rebalance the experience, gather player feedback, and iterate as we continue building the game together with the community. Thank you for your patience and support.
Stay Tuned
This update marks a major step forward in Gray Zone Warfare’s development, but we are far from done. Expect regular patches, hotfixes, and ongoing improvements.
We also have additional features, content, and gameplay improvements planned for future major updates. We will prepare an updated roadmap to give you a clearer idea of what lies ahead.
We look forward to your feedback on Update 0.4 and will continue improving Gray Zone Warfare together with you. Join the conversation on Discord, share your feedback, and help shape the path forward.
Every Move Matters,
MADFINGER Games Team ------------------
UPDATE 0.4 CHANGELOG
Core Gameplay Overhaul
Progression and Task System
The task system has been fully redesigned to create a more replayable progression loop that gives players more agency and freedom.
Tasks now feature more engaging gameplay, including puzzles and new types of world interaction. They are no longer tied to a specific time of day, based on community feedback.
The majority of tasks are now replayable (apart from Starter Town tasks)
New tasks will take players deeper into the jungle and encourage exploration across the island.
With more than 100 new Tasks and Contracts and over 50 updated ones, the total number of tasks now exceeds 250
Contracts replace Squad Strike Missions. They offer simpler objectives and can be played in a squad as before, as well as solo
Improved rewards and clarity
Task rewards have been rebalanced to place a greater emphasis on money over items, giving players more flexibility in how they progress
Rewards are now delivered directly to your locker instead of through the messenger.
All available tasks are now shown on the map, including the approximate locations of the objectives, and can be accepted directly from the map instead of through the task list
Vendors can now also send attachments in messages, including images, to make it easier for players to identify the objectives
The map is now divided into regions. These regions are open to exploration, but tasks within each one are unlocked through your progress.
Vendor reputation system revamp
Vendor inventories have been completely reworked to provide more meaningful choices and reduce reliance on the M4 meta
Access to vendors is now tied to player rank milestones
As you earn reputation with vendors by completing tasks and trading items, you level up and unlock new regions, more dangerous and profitable tasks, and access to better weapons, gear, and items.
Vendors now sell secure containers
Vendors no longer sell limited quantities of items
AI Improvements
AI behavior has been reworked to create a more balanced and believable combat experience. Enemies are less likely to detect players with unrealistic accuracy or land long-distance one-shot kills. At the same time, AI NPCs now operate more effectively in groups and make better use of cover
One-shot kills have been significantly reduced
AI NPCs' shot precision is now properly adjusted with regard to the distance to the player
AI NPCs no longer know whether they have hit their target during suppression fire, which reduces their ability to track player positions
Reactions to sound are now less precise, making stealth gameplay more viable
AI NPC groups now patrol designated areas, especially around important strongholds
Bosses now spawn together with their guards
Some of the AI NPCs now have new roles, such as bodyguards and sergeants, each distinguished by their appearance and gear
Silent kills are now more effective. Eliminating enemies quickly and quietly can prevent nearby groups from being alerted, supporting stealth-oriented playstyles
AI NPCs now activate their flashlights in sync with environmental lighting, such as street lamps.
… and many more under-the-hood improvements and tweaks to make the combat challenging but fair
Enhanced Combat Immersion
This update also focuses on improving combat readability and refining character movement
Clearer combat feedback
We are making it easier to see when and how AI NPCs have been injured.
We have added two types of hit reactions: shorter animations for light hits, and longer, more severe reactions for organ or bone hits
AI NPCs now use limping animations when suffering from a broken leg
Upgraded character movement
Character movement has been upgraded across jumping, sprinting, and falling
Sprint now has two forms: Tactical sprint for covering longer distances, and Emergency sprint, which is faster at the expense of stamina drain and noise
Jumping has been reworked to feel more immersive and realistic, while also preventing unintended or unrealistic behavior
Falling has also seen updates. Smaller falls will slow the player down, while larger falls stop movement entirely. Falling from a great height now triggers a free-fall animation and results in immediate death
Health System polishing and balancing
New medical items
We've expanded the range of available medical products to include, among other things, painkiller bottles with multiple charges, or hemostatic syringes for quickly stopping bleeding
Rebalanced symptoms and enhanced audiovisuals
Symptoms have been rebalanced, and their audiovisual presentation has been improved.
Fatigue is now more pronounced, including heavier breathing even during normal running.
Improved UI indicator when healing other players
The time to death indicator now shows how urgently you need to act to save a teammate
If other players are treating a wounded friend, you can now see both the progress of their action and which wounds are being treated
The improved health status indicator in the top left corner now shows how severe the injury is
Updated stims now have weaker negative side effects and are more viable
Expanded World Atmosphere & Logic
Deeper lore and storytelling
The world's lore has been significantly expanded. You will delve deeper into Lamang's history, uncover some of its darkest secrets, and move closer to understanding the mystery of The Event.
Lamang has undergone major changes, and its locations are now filled with new details and varied assets that hint at the island's dark history
We've added more than 25 new locations across the island, ranging from small points of interest to larger exploration areas
We've added 351 intel items to explore, including magazines, letters, and posters that will help you uncover Lamang's dreadful reality
New small-scale biomes have been added across the map, including burned forests, bamboo forests, and swamps.
Existing locations have been rebuilt and polished, with a stronger focus on environmental storytelling and visual consistency.
Vegetation around Combat Outposts and key points of interest has been reduced to improve visibility and combat clarity.
The base camp has been redesigned to support the new tutorial area, including a shooting range, obstacle course, and infirmary
New factions & bosses updates
The enemies across Lamang are now divided into seven clearly differentiated factions, with various levels of enemy difficulty
Each faction now has its own identity, visible through unique faces, clothing, weapons, gear, and carried loot.
Each faction also comes with its own boss, featuring distinctive voice lines and equipment
World systems and immersion
New interaction types
Some interactive objects now require power to function, adding another layer of world logic
Most locked doors are now breachable from the inside
New valuables
Valuable loot has been expanded and better aligned with the locations where it spawns, making exploration feel more consistent and rewarding.
Lamang now features moon phases, adding another layer of atmosphere and, more importantly, darkness to night operations.
Visual improvements
A wide range of visual upgrades has been made to improve overall quality and realism.
New models for player characters and vendors
Reworked and visually upgraded all PMC heads (16 heads in total)
Lighting improvements across multiple environments
Visual polish of grenade explosions, fences, cars, buildings, and much more
Audio improvements and reworks
Audio has been significantly expanded and refined across multiple areas of the game.
Improved various aspects of the game audio
Movement sounds are now more detailed, and additional actions such as standing up from a crouch or dropping from obstacles are now supported with dedicated sound effects. Character reactions to health states such as exhaustion, pain, and injury have been improved.
Medical equipment now has more distinct and immersive audio.
Spatial and equipment audio
Spatial audio and echo behavior have been improved in selected buildings.
All active headsets have updated sound profiles, making each type feel more distinct and more valuable in gameplay.
Voice-overs and combat audio
New voice-overs have been added for AI NPCs and bosses, with reactions that reflect their current health state.
Close-range gunfire now has a stronger, more impactful sound profile.
Weapon audio has been expanded with new sounds for handling, distant gunfire, bullet impacts, ricochets, and sonic cracks to better communicate weapon types.
Ambient sounds
Wildlife now reacts to gunfire, providing additional environmental audio cues.
Radios emit localized audio that can hint at nearby enemy presence
Weapons, gear, and loot
Weapons
8 new weapons have been added: Alien, L403A1, M16A1, M1A, M14, Sa vz. 58, Remington Model 788 .222, and M-201C
More than 380 new weapon parts are included, featuring both brand new components and additional color variants for existing ones
We are introducing magnifiers
Magnifiers, a long-requested feature, are now available. They allow you to significantly extend your effective range. Flip them up or down with a single click and enjoy the flexibility in combat they offer.
Weapon customization and visuals
9 unique camo variants for firearms
12 unique engraved weapons for the bosses
New reticle color variants for selected scopes
Weapon handling and balance overhaul
Weapon stats have been revamped to better reflect handling characteristics, including aiming down sights speed, sway, inertia, reload speed, and weight.
Weapon weight now affects ergonomics, sway, acceleration, and ADS in the first-person view
Ballistics calculations have been improved to better balance realism and gameplay, making both weapons and ammunition more viable across different scenarios
Gear
More than 150 new gear pieces have been added, including new colour variants of previously existing equipment
33 unique boss variants of existing and new gear
Rebalanced helmets to offer more meaningful protection, with caliber and velocity directly affecting penetration potential
Binoculars & Range Finders
Scout the area in advance and discover enemies hiding in the distance. With range finders, measure the distance to the target easily and adjust your zeroing for maximum lethality
A new Attachment Interface section has been added to the Inspect window, clearly showing which socket items can be attached to
Tracking tag durations has been increased
Basic Tracking Tag 1 -> 3
Tracking Tag 2 -> 6
Advanced Tracking Tag 4 -> 12
Loot
The loot system has undergone extensive changes in this update. We significantly expanded the loot pool to increase variety and make exploration more exciting.
Doubled the number of distinct loot, adding over 123 items, including cases, food, meds, medical supplies, and valuables
The spawn rate and variety of high-value loot have been increased to encourage exploration across the map.
Introduced junk items
Added new container types
Magazine
Safe
Injector
Certain foods and drinks now provide buffs when consumed. For example, coffee boosts stamina recovery speed
New player-first features
A new Onboarding stage, a.k.a tutorial
To help new players get familiar with the game, we created a dedicated starting area featuring an obstacle course, an infirmary tent, and a shooting range, along with a tutorial that introduces the game's basic mechanics.
The tutorial can be completed in just a few minutes and may be skipped if preferred, for example, after a character wipe
It covers the basics of navigation, wound treatment, combat, travel, and accepting tasks
GZW Field manual
Everything you need to know about Gray Zone Warfare is now in one place, right in the game.
A detailed in-game Field Manual with over 110 pages covering nearly every feature in the game.
Player Statistics
More than 500 different statistics are now tracked
These include both lifetime statistics, which reflect your long-term progress, and seasonal statistics, which track your activity during a specific update
For example: tasks completed, exploration progress, items collected, loot boxes opened, hidden stashes found, kilograms of food consumed, liters of blood lost, kilograms of ammunition used…
Quality-of-Life improvements
The tactical map has been redesigned to improve clarity and make navigation easier
Tasks can be accepted directly from the tactical map
Players now begin with map regions locked, supporting clearer progression and exploration
A new map legend has been added to make navigation and map reading more intuitive
Faction members are now indicated on the compass for better situational awareness
Hovering over items at the vendor shopping window now shows the complete name of the item
The caliber loaded in a magazine is now displayed directly on the magazine itself
No more unloading to find out what ammo is in the mag
Durability and UI icons improvements
Icons now visually reflect an item’s durability, making condition easier to read at a glance
Added Stat comparisons when attaching weapon parts.
Stat comparisons have been added when attaching weapon parts, allowing players to see in real time how a new part will affect their weapon
Technical State
Reworked scope rendering
The new rendering system is less demanding on hardware, which should reduce FPS loss when aiming down sights.
Improved performance on lower-end GPUs to provide a smoother overall experience
Lower memory usage
Memory usage is expected to drop by around 3 GB
Server performance improvements
Server-side improvements should result in fewer hitches, better hit registration, and less rubberbanding.
A wide range of crashes have been addressed to improve overall stability.
Anti-cheat improvements
Update 0.4 brings improvements to wallhack detection and banning, with additional improvements planned over time.
Steam Rich Presence
Steam will now display your rank, location, game mode, and faction to your friends while you are in the game
--
Summary:
Bugs fixed:
Changes based on community feedback:
Crashes fixed: 349
Bugs discovered by the community fixed: 8
--
Bug fixes
Most Important Community-Requested Fixes
Fixed an issue where players could fall through the ground after being revived from a coma
Fixed an issue where replacing damaged parts of a weapon and then repairing the whole weapon might cause a negative repair timer on weapon parts when detached
Fixed an issue where players did not receive their DLCs immediately after creating a new character in some cases
Fixed an exploit where players attacked the enemy base camps in PVE to gain high-tier gear from the guards. From now on, enemy base camp guards cannot be killed in PVE mode
Fixed an issue where fog density increased while aiming through a scope
Fixed an issue where the IR flashlight and laser were visible in reflections of glass surfaces
Fixed an issue where the game sounds might disappear completely after getting shot
Fixed various locations where players could get stuck (listed below)
Animations
Fixed an issue where the weapon shifted in the character's hands while suffering from cramps
Fixed an issue where pressing the trigger during a cocking animation was not properly synchronized with other clients
Fixed minor clipping during reload animations of the M700
Fixed an issue where shells could spawn incorrectly during the Mossberg 590 reload animation
Fixed a missing barrel tilt for Glock 17 when the bolt is locked
Fixed a missing cocking animation for SKS and Mosin rifles that caused the weapons to become inoperable after removing and reattaching the internal magazine
Fixed incorrect finger placement during the magazine check animation on AK rifles in third-person view (3PV)
Fixed an issue where characters revived from a coma used an incorrect weapon-holding pose when equipped with a pistol or knife
Fixed an issue where the magazine did not follow the AI NPC's hand during a reload when critically injured
Fixed an issue where AI NPC hands clipped into collimators on their rifles
Fixed an issue where a bullet appeared incorrectly during the reload animation of critically injured AI NPCs using an SKS
Fixed a minor clipping issue during the check magazine animation on the AKS-74U in prone
Fixed an issue where the hand clipped into the player's head when canting the M700 or Mosin Archangel while shooting
Gameplay
Fixed an issue where players might get stuck in free look mode if free look was set to press to toggle
Fixed an issue where players could sell helmets with NVGs attached to Turncoat and receive an incorrect monetary value, even though he does not buy NVGs individually
Fixed an issue where players were able to stun friendly base guards or players in the base camp with a stun grenade
Fixed an issue that prevented attaching tactical devices to the left barrel slot when using the V-Block mount
Fixed an issue where some safes could be looted without entering a code first
Fixed an issue where dragging did not cancel when players started other actions, such as consuming food or attacking with a knife
Fixed an issue where the base guards got stuck against a pole while patrolling the base camp
Fixed an issue where players were unable to use mortar shells stored inside a container within a gear case
Fixed a rare issue where a player might be unable to select a grenade with the shortcut despite having grenades in active slots
Fixed an issue where players were able to move while the redeploy screen was active
Fixed an issue that allowed a player in a coma to interact with a COP laptop and capture it
Fixed an issue where the backup package failed to be delivered if players had exactly $1,000 worth of equipment
UI
Fixed an issue where the magazine color failed to update after reloading a weapon with a different type of magazine
Fixed an issue where the player's death POV was visible for a moment after respawning
Fixed an issue where the Twitch signup button was present briefly after entering the main menu
Fixed an issue where placing a waypoint on the western part of the map might cause an "Out of boundary" error message
Fixed an issue where attaching a scope would increase the rifle's size in the locker
Fixed the incorrect inventory size of the SVD sniper rifle to reflect its real-world size better
Fixed an issue where the durability bar disappeared after the item was fully destroyed
Fixed an issue where the friend list might overflow its bounds when searching for a friend
Fixed an issue where compatible items failed to be highlighted after opening the inspect window and then selecting the weapon's inspect view
Fixed an issue where the text on the interaction widget failed to update after collecting the task item "UNLRA Bio Samples" from a fridge
Fixed an issue where the PVP zone indicator overlapped the Squad Side mission button on the map
Fixed an issue where squad invite messages disappeared when closing the chat channel
Fixed an issue where dragging the settings screen only affected one section and caused it to overlap with other sections
Tasks
Tasks are no longer displayed on the vendor screen
Added the difficulty tooltip for each task
Fixed an issue where the task "Paranoia Agent" could fail despite having no fail condition
Fixed the incorrect drop location for the Dongphou hiking camp cottage key
Updated the task text for "Art of Deception" to mention that the item can be handed over in a COP as well as in the base camp
Fixed an issue where task interaction prompts were visible on other nearby interactive items
Rendering
Fixed an issue where the brightness dropped for a moment after visiting the vendor screen with the Global Illumination set to Low
Fixed an issue where the game briefly displayed a static image after leaving an expedition outside the base camp
Fixed an issue where shadows abruptly popped in during helicopter flights
Fixed an issue where setting Resolution Quality to High might cause a sparkling effect on vegetation
Fixed an issue where the mountains at the edges of the map looked gray and washed out
Fixed an issue where light intensity changed suddenly at night during weather transitions
Fixed an issue where AI chest flashlights were not visible from longer distances
Fixed misaligned flashlights on various weapons
Fixed an issue where the flashlight cone split after performing a weapon check animation
Fixed an issue where the laser beam disappeared from an active laser tactical device when another weapon part was attached
Fixed an issue where turning on an IR flashlight caused the regular flashlight light cone to split
Fixed an issue where turning on an IR flashlight changed the color temperature of the regular flashlight if used at the same time
Fixed an issue where IR lasers and flashlights were partially visible without using NVGs at longer distances
Technical
Fixed a potential issue that could cause severe hitching or a crash if an extreme number of messages is loaded in the messenger
Fixed an issue where the Twitch signup button was present briefly after entering the main menu
Fixed an issue where the available display resolution did not update after switching monitors with different aspect ratios
Fixed an issue where the available display resolution was fetched from the monitor set as primary in Windows, rather than the one where the game was played
Fixed an issue where 4K monitors might report lower resolution in Windowed mode and force players to use Fullscreen mode to play at full resolution
Fixed an issue where FSR frame generation did not work on Intel Arc B580 GPUs
Implemented matchmaking improvements to accommodate new players better
Reduced hitching during shooting
Optimized the muzzle flash effects for all weapons
Added a warning that a restart is required after changing the frame generation method in the settings menu
Updated to the latest Easy Anti-Cheat module
Audio and sound
Fixed an issue where players could hear a teammate's coma sounds anywhere on the map
Fixed an issue where audio might get distorted when entering the Midnight Sapphire Hotel when many enemies were nearby
Fixed an issue where directional audio did not work correctly in the main staircase of the Fort Narith HQ building
Fixed an issue where squad VOIP mute did not persist after the muted player joined the squad leader's server
Fixed an issue where the squad leader could not hear squad members on VOIP if they were in the game menu when the leader connected to the server
Fixed an issue where game sounds would stop playing after reconnecting to the server if the player had been kicked for inactivity after dying
Fixed an issue where the noise reduction from the construction earmuffs remained active after reconnecting
Improved VOIP disconnection handling, and the UI now warns players when they lose connection to the VOIP server
Upgraded Wwise to version 2024.1.8
Custom servers
Fixed an issue where menu tabs disabled on custom servers were still accessible via keybinds
Fixed a brief screen flicker when entering the custom server menu section
Fixed an issue where players were unable to join custom servers after restarting due to the "Invalid invitation code" error message
Fixed an issue where some text on the custom server screen was incorrectly positioned on 4K monitors
Improved custom server configurations to prevent issues caused by invalid data cached in the client
Fixed an issue where spamming the Free Camera key on custom servers could drop the player below the map
Fixed an issue where players could see below the map when switching to a free camera on custom servers
World
Fixed a door in Fanny Paradise that opened inward when kicked in
Fixed an issue where players were able to interact with a lootbox through a fence in Pha Lang Airfield
Fixed a broken rock near Blue Lagoon
Fixed missing collisions on tree branches in the southern area of Tiger Bay
Fixed a missing collision on a tree behind a concrete fence that allowed players to vault through it
Fixed a missing collision for a tent rope at the Khonwan Village checkpoint
Fixed incorrect collisions on a fallen fence at Pha Lang Airfield Wreckyard
Fixed an incorrect collision on a bridge near Hunter's Paradise
Fixed an invisible collision at YBL-1 that caused grenades to bounce back
Fixed an invisible collision between two poles at Fort Narith
Fixed an issue where moving over the edges of rice fields caused significant shaking due to incorrect collisions
Fixed a collision on a clothesline that prevented the player from walking below it
Fixed an issue where rock formations used an incorrect collision setup near Sawmill and near the Siang Radio Station
Removed an invisible collision above rocks near the Aquila COP
Fixed the following locations where players could get stuck:
Tiger Bay
behind rocks sliding downhill near Tiger Bay Viewpoint (185, 136)
between a car and a wall in Tiger Bay (199, 129)
between a car and a building in Tiger Bay (199, 129)
between a fence and a tree in Tiger Bay (200, 132)
between a small wall and a tree in Tiger Bay (199, 129)
between a tree and a wall in Tiger Bay (200, 127)
between a wall and a tree in Tiger Bay (199, 130)
between a wall and bricks in Tiger Bay (196, 131)
between a wall and a crate in Tiger Bay (197, 132)
between crates in the Refugee Camp (200, 131)
between pallets near the Trade Depot (196, 131)
between rocks at the beach in Tiger Bay (200, 131)
between rocks and a misaligned tree at Tiger Bay Viewpoint (191, 138)
between two hills west of the Tiger Bay Viewpoint (186, 137)
Other locations
at Ground Zero (159, 137)
near Donghieng trail (133, 127)
near the LAF Radio Tower (139, 140)
near the Radio Tower in a rock (189, 128)
near the Radio Tower south of the Juliett 4 landing zone (189, 128)
on rocks near the Radio Tower (189, 128)
north of the Winchester COP in a hole (203, 150)
on a chair in the remote hangar (181, 156)
on a rock near Nomad COP (190, 158)
on a rock near Westmore COP (168, 160)
on rocks near Phiengdao Viewpoint (151, 156)
on rocks at Phathep Lake (131, 142)
in rocks near the Phathep Lake (133, 142)
in barbed wires on a bridge in LAF Checkpoint (167, 162)
inside a rock between the LAF Checkpoint and Hidden Poppy Fields (177, 151)
between a shed and wooden logs near the Mystic COP (136, 154)
Fixes and changes after the supporter preview:
Fixed a crash that frequently occurred when scoping at night on Radeon GPUs
Fixed six different server crashes
Fixed an issue where players' factions changed unintentionally
Fixed an issue where some enemies took too many shots to kill
Fixed an issue where AI NPCs started shooting before aiming at the player
Fixed an issue where some tasks were respawning too fast
Fixed an issue where some tasks were not respawning at all
Fixed an issue where boss weapon tasks were missing markers
Fixed an issue where military valuables spawned too often
Fixed an issue where the Ritalin effect stacked unintentionally
Fixed an incorrect display of player faction on Steam
Fixed an issue where Mithras' base guards had Crimson patches
Fixed an issue where vendor icons glitched out when switching between vendors
Fixed an issue where headset effects randomly stopped working
Fixed an issue where some medical boxes never spawned blood bags
Les images et les vidéos sont seulement sur Steam. Lire sur Steam