Halloween 2022

The Halloween 2022 event was the first event to include both ZBR and ZDC game modes. This event introduced a lot of new elements to the game.

• Ghostly/ghoulish grey storm color instead of the typical blue
• 12 Abilities
• Uniquely dressed monsters on the ZBR map
• A dark map with a flashlight in ZDC

Abilities

Abilities as seen in inventory

Before the event, players knew abilities as the BGM and Air Strike. This event introduced 12 new abilities that could be equipped on slot 7 (one of them being a buffed Air Strike). These abilities could be used in both modes and were equipped from the lobby before joining a match. They could not be changed once in a round.

Some abilities were better suited for support roles, like healers, while others were better suited for individual use—both offensive and defensive. When used, abilities without instant effect displayed a particle effect on or around the player. They each had a unique effect/color per ability.

These abilities were:

• Aggro
• Revive
• Healing
• Speed
• Jump
• Ammo
• Shield
• Armor
• Max Capacity
• Air Strike II
• Radar
• Knockback

They have shown in both Zombie Battle Royale and Zombie Dead City modes since.

Monster Royale (ZBR)

The mode functioned the same as previous events in the ZBR family. What made the event different was the enemy variety. While the main premise of dropping into the map from the plane stands, monsters now have little variety between them other than appearance. PVP returned as an option, though this is usually worse off for your survival. Monsters respawn until the last few circles of the storm. If players hold out on killing until near the end, there will be around 50 monsters total. Enemies glowed.

Enemy variety

All monsters had high jump capabilities, with those holding no weapons jumping regularly like the Vampire. This reduced the uniqueness of the monsters.

• Witch: RPG wielders
• Goblin: Concussion Grenade wielders
• Frankenstein: armored
• Vampire: high jump
• Skeleton: fast attack

Some monsters would have cosmetics equipped (like a Frankenstein with a farmer hat). These were all standard items from the Gear Crate.

ZDC

Presents as a ground item

Being the second ZDC now to have players escort a tank, this mode was pretty familiar to those who had played with the concept in Christmas, 2021. Players must escort the glowing Halloween-patterned tank towards the end goal under the premise of delivering candy to the poor residents of Dead City. A very low number of enemies will be present wandering around during the looting phase. After pushing the tank 50m, enemies will suddenly spawn in larger amounts (seen by a chain of self destructs in the kill feed) and focus on the tank. Every 600m along the way, planes will fly overhead and drop presents in supply drops that the player can collect; these provide the player a Halloween Crate. Spawns increase as time/distance increases.

Enemy spawn increase

The tank when dim

The tank when at full glow

Candy/Present as found on the ground

When looking at a candy/present

Option to pick up a candy/present

Splash text describing the drops as presents

Other splash text describing the drops as candy

In this event the map is dark and lit by player's flashlights.

Enemy variety

Enemies are reminiscent of past Halloween events and the previous vehicle escort–based ZDC (Christmas, 2021). All monsters had a high jump this year, though vampires still kept it as their main characteristic by jumping on the way to players, rather than only when an obstacle may be in the way. Enemies glowed.

• Skeleton: fast attack, weave side to side
• Vampire: high jump, jump as approaching
• Frankenstein: armored, Rubber Chicken wielders
• Witch: RPG wielders
• Goblin: Concussion Grenade wielders

Monsters can be thought to have a permanent Jump ability (3x Jump), while Frankenstein has a permanent Armor ability (35% damage reduction).

Trivia

• During the initial day of testing for ZDC (October 12, 2022), players would instead travel at a slowed walking speed rather than the sprint that they travel at normally.
  • At the time this actually provided more use to the Speed ability, making it an option to allow players to not be slowed down
• On release day (October 13, 2022), Halloween Crates from ZDC would give the same rewards as Special Crates as well as some blacklisted cosmetics (Steam exclusives). This was later alleged to be patched, though some users still claimed to earn some blacklisted cosmetics like Orange Glowing Eyes.

Gallery

A decorative spider on the wall in ZDC

The human race is dead....

The dark sky

Example of a witch when dim

Example of a Witch when at full glow

Del Gato