VEIN ships final pre-0.025 hotfixes, reveals Mountain View region

VEIN has released Hotfix 7 and 8, the last patch pair before update 0.025. The hotfixes include networking and dedicated server fixes, with the full changelog on Steam. VEIN is also part of the ongoing Steam 2026 PvE Survival Crafting Fest, which includes deals on similar survival games. As usual, most of the work detailed below is on the experimental beta branch or still in progress, and won't hit the live game until 0.025 at the earliest.

Hotfix 7 and 8 also fix zombie AI audibility (zombies were too quiet when running from behind), VOIP problems, hats and glasses staying on beheaded characters, condition UI issues, some item bugs, and furniture collision and art problems. Screen reader support was added but removed in Hotfix 8 because it caused Windows Smart App Control to block the game for some players; it will return as an opt-in toggle.

Dedicated server FPS has doubled from 11 to 23 on an underpowered test PC, which should mean less desync and faster responses. Character movement fixes have reduced rubberbanding in multiplayer when ping is low, though vaulting still needs attention. Inventory and vehicle networking — the two highest bandwidth users in VEIN — are being optimized to cut multiplayer lag, and lessons from the server work may eventually raise the default single-player zombie count.

The completed Mountain View region sits inside Franklin County and includes Owl's Head and Duane, plus a handful of new unique areas the team doesn't want to spoil. Older areas like Redford are also getting detail passes while the next map expansion is planned. New winter textures are in, along with a rideable sled and ski lifts.

Most larger weapons now have stat-effectiveness requirements: without the right stats, your damage-per-second is roughly 2–3 times lower. Missing crafting schematics for weapons like the claw sword and combat shovel have been added to the world. The weapon work builds on the previous update's balance notes.

Ragdolling will let zombies and characters get knocked down and back up. Car hits won't instantly kill zombies anymore; they'll slow vehicles down and can recover. Seatbelts are under consideration, so unbelted drivers could fly through the windshield on impact.

Visual remakes of the bus, pickup truck, hatchback, SUV, semi truck, and camper van are in pre-production, with separate parts like the sedan proof-of-concept from the last update. You'll be able to remove seats and furniture from the bus and camper van to turn them into mobile bases, though the team warns not to expect too much in the next couple months.

Elsewhere, standalone fortifications are getting independent base pieces with drywall, flooring, and paint; curtains will be openable and closable (with variable amounts under consideration); metal pipe props are replacing the taped-box placeholder; Fifty-Seven pistol animations are finished and heading toward integration; new textured hair types are complete, with a playable character prototype hoped for soon; and higher-resolution roads are being made with extra art for larger towns, including sidewalks and intersections.

VEIN is adding Brazilian Portuguese, Ukrainian, Polish, Swedish, Traditional Chinese, Spanish (Spain), Dutch, and Thai in 0.025. Remancer has also released VEIN Vol. 3, which is included in the Steam soundtrack.

The team says 0.025 "should be soon."