Bodycam is bringing zombies back, and Reissad Studio has picked Friday the 13th for their return. Bodycam v0.9, titled The Dead & Damned, launches on November 13, 2026, with a new survival mode, returning Zombies maps, two additional weapons, and Easy Anti-Cheat.
The update follows September’s massive Locked & Loaded overhaul, although Reissad is taking a smaller approach this time. Instead of rebuilding the entire shooting experience, the developers are bringing back Zombies with new features while continuing to improve multiplayer.
There’s also one piece of disappointing news for players waiting to squad up in regular PvP matches: the long-promised party system won’t make it into version 0.9.
Bodycam 0.9 Release Date and Playtest Details
The Dead & Damned releases on Friday, November 13, 2026, for PC players through Steam. Reissad hasn’t announced a specific launch time in its pre-release announcements.
Before the full update, the developers held a 24-hour public playtest from November 11 at 09:00 UTC until November 12 at 09:00 UTC. Access was limited, with selected players receiving invitations through Steam.
The test included the new Zombie Trenches experience and the reworked Village and Asylum maps. Players who received access could also invite up to three eligible Steam friends.
With that test now finished, attention turns to Friday’s full release.
Zombie Trenches Introduces a 10-Minute Survival Challenge
The headline addition is Zombie Trenches, a new Zombies mode set on the Trenches map introduced in the previous major update.
Instead of fighting other players across the battlefield, you’ll have to survive an undead assault for 10 minutes. Heavy rain, lightning, and thick fog make the trenches particularly unpleasant, especially when enemies start closing in.
Reissad has described Trenches as the hardest map in the Zombies playtest and recommends bringing a full four-player squad.
The conditions sound like a good fit for Bodycam’s body-camera presentation. Its limited visibility and close-range combat were already intense against human opponents. Throwing zombies into a muddy battlefield during a storm should make things considerably more uncomfortable.
Of course, we’ll have to see how the final version plays once the update is released.
Village and Asylum Return With Improvements
Two familiar Zombies locations are coming back as well.
Village and Asylum have received changes to zombie spawns and enemy behavior, along with improvements to lighting, materials, and audio.
These aren’t being advertised as entirely new maps. They’re reworked versions of existing locations, with changes intended to address problems reported by players.
That gives Zombies three confirmed environments for the update: Zombie Trenches, Village, and Asylum.
Weapon Boxes Now Offer Random Attachments
Getting a weapon from a Zombies box should be less predictable in version 0.9.
Previously, weapon selection was more limited. The new boxes can provide guns equipped with random attachments, using the same customization system found in the regular multiplayer loadout.
There’s also a rarer loadout box joining the system.
This connects Zombies more closely with the weapon customization introduced in Locked & Loaded. Different attachment combinations can affect handling, recoil, reload speed, and other weapon characteristics.
It also gives players a reason to adapt their approach depending on what they receive rather than relying on the same weapon setup every round.
New Weapons: Crossbow and TEC-9
Bodycam 0.9 introduces two notable loadout additions.
Crossbow Becomes Available in PvP
The Crossbow isn’t entirely new to Bodycam. Previously, players could obtain it through a secret on the Village map.
With The Dead & Damned, it becomes a selectable loadout weapon, allowing players to bring it into regular PvP matches.
That makes the Crossbow more accessible without requiring players to discover the original Village secret.
TEC-9 Joins the Secondary Weapon Options
The TEC-9 is being introduced as Bodycam’s first machine pistol available in the secondary weapon slot.
This gives players another option alongside their primary weapon, although Reissad hasn’t yet provided a full set of weapon statistics for the upcoming release.
We’ll have a better idea of how it performs against the existing secondary weapons once players can test it in live matches.
Easy Anti-Cheat Finally Arrives in Bodycam
One of the biggest non-Zombies changes is the arrival of Easy Anti-Cheat.
Reissad originally discussed the anti-cheat integration during development of Locked & Loaded, but it wasn’t ready for that September release. The developers have now confirmed that the system is scheduled to arrive with version 0.9.
For a competitive shooter, this is a significant addition. Bodycam’s multiplayer experience depends heavily on players trusting that matches are fair, particularly in modes where a single encounter can decide the outcome.
Easy Anti-Cheat won’t automatically eliminate cheating, and Reissad has said it will continue monitoring and improving the system after launch.
Still, its introduction addresses an issue that has been on the studio’s to-do list for some time.
Public Pool Gets a Visual and Layout Rework
Zombies aren’t the only part of Bodycam receiving attention.
The Public Pool multiplayer map has been redesigned with updated visuals and layout improvements.
According to Reissad, Public Pool became the least-played map following the Locked & Loaded update. The developers want to bring it closer to the visual quality of the game’s other environments and give players a reason to revisit it.
The studio hasn’t detailed every layout adjustment yet, so we’ll have to see whether the changes also affect popular sightlines and combat positions.
Drones and RC Cars Get Their Own Lobby Room
Players who enjoyed experimenting with the drones and remote-controlled cars introduced in version 0.8 will have something else to try.
The multiplayer lobby is getting a dedicated room with separate circuits for FPV drones and RC cars.
Reissad worked with the developers of TRYP FPV to improve drone handling and add support for compatible FPV radio controllers. The RC cars have also received handling improvements.
It’s a smaller addition than the new Zombies content, but the dedicated courses should make practicing with both gadgets more convenient.
The update also builds on the weapon handling, reload animations, and stress systems introduced in Locked & Loaded. In Zombies, infected enemies can now react with ragdoll stumbling.
Bodycam 0.8 vs 0.9: What’s Changed?
The previous major update, Bodycam v0.8: Locked & Loaded, launched on September 2, 2026. It was a substantial overhaul, introducing new weapon customization, redesigned animations, major audio changes, and improvements to the game’s underlying systems.
Version 0.9 has a different purpose.
| Feature | Bodycam v0.8: Locked & Loaded | Bodycam v0.9: The Dead & Damned |
| Release date | September 2, 2026 | November 13, 2026 |
| Main focus | Core gameplay overhaul | Zombies and multiplayer improvements |
| Trenches | New PvP map | New Zombie Trenches mode |
| Zombies | Existing mode reworked as part of core systems | Return of Village and Asylum, plus new mode |
| Weapons | Extensive loadout and attachment customization | Crossbow in PvP loadouts and TEC-9 |
| Weapon boxes | Existing customization foundation | Random attachments and rarer loadout box |
| Drones and RC cars | Introduced as gameplay gadgets | Lobby circuits and controller improvements |
| Anti-cheat | Integration still in development | Easy Anti-Cheat planned for launch |
| Public Pool | Existing multiplayer map | Visual and layout rework |
| Party system | Not included | Delayed again |
Locked & Loaded changed how Bodycam plays. The Dead & Damned is more concerned with giving players new things to do with those systems.
The new weapon boxes are a good example. They’re using the attachment customization already introduced in 0.8 rather than creating a completely separate system for Zombies.
The Party System Is Delayed Again
There’s one important limitation players should know before the update launches.
Bodycam 0.9 will not include the promised multiplayer party system.
Reissad says the feature requires significant changes to the game’s multiplayer infrastructure, and technical problems have delayed its release.
Here’s how playing with friends will work in version 0.9:
- Zombies: Supports co-op for up to four players.
- Quick Play: Remains solo queue.
- Server Browser: Remains solo queue.
- Private hosted matches: Players can host games with up to 10 friends.
The developers say the party system remains a priority, but they haven’t committed to a new release date.
If you mainly play Bodycam with friends, that’s worth keeping in mind. Zombies will offer a straightforward four-player co-op experience, but regular multiplayer still won’t have the grouping features many players have been requesting.
What Else Is Coming in Bodycam 0.9?
Reissad has also confirmed additional bug fixes and general optimization work, although the complete technical changelog hasn’t been published ahead of release.
The studio plans to share the full patch notes when version 0.9 launches.
For now, the confirmed additions include the new Zombies content, weapon changes, Public Pool redesign, Easy Anti-Cheat, and drone and RC car improvements.
The Dead & Damned might be smaller than September’s overhaul, but the return of Zombies gives Bodycam something quite different from its usual competitive firefights.
And if you’re planning to attempt Zombie Trenches on your own, remember that Reissad recommends a full four-player squad. Ten minutes can feel awfully long when you’re surrounded by zombies in the dark.
Bodycam 0.9: The Dead & Damned is scheduled to launch on Steam on November 13, 2026.
I’m Alex Mercer, a senior gaming and esports writer at GamingImba. I’ve been involved in gaming for as long as I can remember, and for more than a decade I’ve been writing about competitive play, industry trends, and the culture that grows around games.
My work focuses on esports, online gaming platforms, and how technology continues to shape the way people play, compete, and connect. I’m especially interested in meta shifts, balance changes, and the business decisions that influence modern games behind the scenes.
At GamingImba, I aim to break down complex topics in a way that’s clear, honest, and useful—whether that means analyzing a major tournament, exploring new gaming platforms, or looking at how player behavior evolves over time.
I follow global esports scenes closely, experiment with different games and mods in my free time, and enjoy digging into the details that most players notice but rarely stop to question.
