Released way back in 2013 into Early Access on Steam, The Indie Stone’s Project Zomboid has developed into a fun open-world RPG that recently gained a huge boost thanks to a multiplayer patch. The devs aren’t done though. In fact, the latest update from the team promises big plans for the coming year and beyond.

In case you’ve never heard of the game, Project Zomboid touts itself as “the ultimate in zombie survival”. Play alone, or with others and you’ll have to survive by fighting, building, crafting, and more. The game features a “hardcore RPG skillset” with an ever-expanding map and various challenges for players to tackle.

In regards to the update, the developers are going to switch to a two-team release schedule. Going forward, in addition to one team improving MP, optimizing the server, increasing the player count, and “other MP-related tech”, there will be a second team devoted exclusively to bringing human NPCs into the game. According to The Indie Stone, “it’s very clear that human NPCs have long been the most requested feature” from fans. This is on top of the requested additions of hunting and pets, which will be taking a back seat to the NPCs at this point.

The team breaks it down like this: with Build 41 now out the door, the team will spend the next while polishing and bug-squashing. After that, in Build 42, advanced crafting will be introduced, along with the start of a revamp of the game mechanics. Build 43 will introduce the first version of NPCs, where the team will begin “moving bits into a new room, setting them up, plugging them in together, and making something cool out of them”. Once they’re satisfied, (“perhaps 2 or 3 builds until the first room is empty”), then the team will finally be able to get to pushing out NPC-related content.

The team has other things in mind, such as revamping the gun mechanics and PVP elements, but for now, the focus is on the NPCs. However, the team also says that if things aren’t ready, it’s “not in [their] DNA” to push it out of the door in an unfinished state. You can check out a “proof-of-concept” video below in regards to the NPCs in action.