Well, who would’ve thought they’d see this day coming before 2018 ends? In a new post on the game’s official website, Bohemia Interactive has announced that the DayZ early access release date is set for December 13, 2018 — yes, this year!

DayZ is going to get the big 1.0 update on December 13, after almost five years in development! There’s a launch trailer to mark this momentous occasion which you can watch below.

The studio also has a message to fans who stuck with the game all these years.

Everyone on our team has been working hard and will continue for this remaining week to deliver the best launch version we can. With the BETA last month, we’ve seen the return of the first vehicle and item stashes, as well as the premiere of DayZ base building, the release of server files and the beginning of Modding Support. The most recent Experimental Update has returned horticulture to the game, making survival within your base more autonomous, and allowing the return of the full hermit play style.

Backed by the underlying engine changes introduced with the BETA, the 1.0 launch should feel like a fresh new start for anyone who has not played DayZ for some time – so let your friends know that they have a game to play on December 13.

Keep following us for more events and information over the course of the next two weeks!

See you in Chernarus!

Anyone excited for this? We’ll make sure to keep everyone updated with the patch notes once it’s out.