Developer and publisher PikPok continues to work on Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days in Early Access, announcing the launch of Update 16. This newest update introduces recruitable dogs to survivors’ shelters, alongside weapon repair and durability rebalancing, and an overhaul to shelter defences.
Players can encounter four-legged companions while scavenging and recruit them to the shelter, with a German Shepherd, Border Collie and Golden Retriever now available. Once recruited, dogs stay in the shelter, where players can feed, pet and care for them. Neglecting their needs can prove fatal.
Dogs also bring new dynamics to shelter life. Their presence can influence survivor morale, with individual survivor traits determining whether they welcome or resent having a canine companion around. During shelter events, dogs can prove either a help or a hindrance, potentially suffering separation anxiety and damaging barricades while survivors are away, or frightening off bandits and leaving behind weapons for the group to recover.
Update 16 also introduces weapon repair mechanics and rebalanced durability, alongside overhauled shelter defences, expanding the systems players must manage to protect their group in zombie-infested Texas.
Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days is currently in Early Access, with the game’s full 1.0 release planned for March 2027 on Steam, the Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch 2, and GeForce NOW.