Do you want to try DayZ updates before they are released into official servers? Then, logging into the DayZ Experimental Branch can pique your interest, and we’re here to tell you about it.

What is DayZ Experimental?

The Experimental Branch is an alternate version of DayZ that shows up as a different game in your Steam library, with the Stable branch being the option for official servers. Think of the Experimental Branch as the test client, wherein players can try out new content and features from future DayZ updates before the developers release them to the game’s Stable client. Since it’s a client used for testing, the Experimental Branch is, by definition, “unstable,” according to Creative Director Brian Hicks from an official forum post. So, although you can try new content and features before they are officially released, playing in the Experimental Branch may not be a steady experience. One way to control this is to host your own server for DayZ experimental with us here at BisectHosting! Note: Character data doesn’t carry over from the Experimental Branch to the Stable Client and vice-versa.

Playing DayZ Experimental

If you purchased DayZ before June 25, 2019, to access the different versions, you must simply alternate between the Stable and Experimental Branch versions of the game. If you purchased DayZ after that date, you will download a separate DayZ Experimental Branch client to your PC. The Experimental Branch should show up on the left sidebar of your Steam game library. In particular, it should be underneath the DayZ Stable version. Click on the Experimental Branch and download the game from its window. Then, wait for the game to finish downloading and installing into your system to start playing in this version. Note that the Experimental Branch requires the same minimum and recommended system requirements as the game’s Stable version. These specifications are the following:

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

Note that an Internet connection should always be present when logging into and playing the game, regardless of the version.

Helping the Future of DayZ With Experimental

The developers are always keeping a watchful eye on users playing in the Experimental Branch. But sometimes bugs, glitches, and errors might escape the devs’ vision. As a DayZ Experimental Branch player, you can submit feedback regarding your experience with certain elements. You can send messages to the Bohemia Interactive Feedback Tracker to report concerns. Remember to be as detailed as possible when submitting feedback. If you can, record the bug, glitch, or error so the developers know what to fix. You can also submit a bug report from Steam, albeit it needs extra steps. If you want to go with this route, here are the steps to do it:

• Launch Steam and log into your account
• Navigate to your Steam game library and right-click on the DayZ Experimental Branch title at the left sidebar
• Select “Properties” from the context menu
• In the Properties window, search for “Steam launch parameters”
• Type “-dologs” in the field (without the quotes)

If successful, the game will automatically send a bug report to the developers if the error occurs. Alternatively, navigate to the following location on your PC: C:\Users\\AppData\Local\DayZ. Here, you’ll find the files for the crash reports that you can send to the developers through the Feedback Tracker.