Entropy : Zero 2 · build 17127527 · published
This year’s birthday message is brought to you by 1upD! A little hurried on the birthday news this year as we’ve all been super busy. As always, thank you all for your continued support! - Breadman
1upD here! Entropy : Zero 2 (EZ2) was released on August 20, 2022. At the time of publication, that was three years ago. It’s almost impossible for me to believe another year has gone by. So much has happened since EZ2’s last anniversary, and yet it seems like no time has passed at all.
I wanted to take this opportunity to write a quick update for what the Entropy : Zero 2 team and the community has been working on in 2025. This article will have many links to other pages that will have more information about specific updates and projects, so please bear with the links!
Here are some quick stats / numbers from Breadman:
We seem to be big on reviews. At the time of writing we have 29,300 reviews with 98.3% of them being positive. We always love seeing these. We’re not sure what it is about EZ2 that prompts players to leave reviews, but we’re not complaining!
Around 504,269 players have downloaded and played Entropy : Zero 2. That is mind blowing!
Art by AsterNerd on LambdaGeneration
Back in May of this year, Breadman and I announced a return to the first Entropy : Zero (EZ1) I consider this update to be “Entropy : Zero VR” because it will release with a VR mod alongside an update to the base game. But the VR mod is only part of the update: as we started making improvements to Entropy : Zero’s maps, the scope has expanded. It is now a complete refresh of the original mod to bring it into line with Entropy : Zero 2 with or without a VR headset.
Working on Entropy : Zero VR (EZ1VR) has been cathartic because we have so many opportunities to use the things we learned from EZ2 to address pain points players had with EZ1. One example of the recent work I have done was bringing the vortigaunt changes from EZ2 into EZ1. Breadman was able to use this to make the vortigaunt fights later in the game more dynamic and interesting.
As part of the goal of bringing EZ1 into parity with EZ2, we updated the viewmodels (in the non-VR version, of course) to use the animations from EZ2. To me it really sells the idea that you are playing as the same character. (Or rather the original character whose memories were imprinted, but let's not get too technical here) We will also be revoicing Bad Cop with Trivvy reprising his role, which is something I am very excited to hear in action. The team is in the process of editing and revising dialogue right now because there will be a few added lines, although the goal is to keep the story and the character mostly the same.
Continued work on Entropy : Zero would not have been possible without the incredible response from our community. As part of the EZ1 update, we have incorporated some assets that were created by fans. There was a QOL mod for EZ1 being worked on by Back4uL8r/Dorkysail that has been merged into the update, including some new textures and effects for the Hunter and other texture improvements. Also included are snowy textures for the Combine soldiers and metrocops created by xdxdxd that have been used to great effect.
Outside of the Entropy : Zero community, we also asked to use an asset from a Map Labs challenge. There is a new Combine biohazard logo created by sassyroess for the map “Blue Canary” in the challenge called The Wrap-Up Three. This biohazard logo will be showing up often in City 10 as a warning about CFLU.
The EZ1 update will include plenty of new off-shoot areas and added lore that will make it the perfect time for a replay. I have greatly enjoyed testing the map changes and getting the chance to explore new parts of City 10 that we have never seen before.
As for the VR mod itself, it is based on the incredible work of the Half-Life 2 VR team. Anyone who has played that mod should know what to expect in terms of the controls and gameplay.
The EZ1VR mod is very faithful to the original and so there are almost no changes between the desktop and VR versions of EZ, except for the VR controls.
You can watch a trailer and a gameplay preview on my YouTube channel: We’ll be back with more information and media about the EZ1 update in the near future.
One year ago, we announced Axon Pariah and Progenitors as two episodic expansions of EZ2. Progenitors is a prequel introducing a new protagonist, while Axon Pariah is the direct sequel that will continue Bad Cop’s journey. We don’t have much new information to share during this update. Breadman and I have been very focused on the EZ1 update, while Blixibon has been hard at work on new Mapbase updates. We’re stretched thin and time moves quickly. But there will be more news in the future. I feel that the project to revisit Entropy : Zero is a necessary sidequest that will help the team regain our creative footing with Axon Pariah when we return to it. We are using this time away from the episodes to work on something that I think players will really enjoy.
In case you haven't seen them already, here are the Axon Pariah screenshots and videos that were shared alongside the EZ1 update announcement post for the meantime.
Overwatch is requesting all units refresh and resolve. Update is live. Acceptance is mandatory. Version 1.8.1 has been published to the default Steam branch. You can read the full 1.8.1 patch notes here:
Version 1.8.1 was an update that mostly improved things under the hood and added features to be used in future content like the episodes as well as in workshop maps. Most notably, version 1.8.1 upgrades EZ2 to Mapbase version 7.3. This will carry along many QOL improvements and features for mappers to use when making EZ2 content.
You can read more about Mapbase 7.3 here:
Mapbase v7.3 released on ModDB
Mapbase v7.3 Documentation on Notion
Just a few days ago, we published version 1.9.0 to the “upcoming” Steam branch for testing. You can read the full 1.9.0 patch notes here:
1.9.0 is notable because it is the first update to include changes to a map file. The update is focused on making level design improvements and bug fixes to the map ez2_c2_4, which is the secret lab in Arbeit 1 at the conclusion of Contact Aberration. Expect to see plenty of QOL improvements, glowing zombies that illuminate their environment, and a new corridor added in the basement.
We also updated the poker chip assets. Thanks Khult!
If you would like to play 1.9.0 now, opt into the “upcoming” branch on Steam.
Mapbase 8 was also released this year. We will be moving to Mapbase 8 in an update eventually but doing so will have a risk of invalidating save files, so that will be considered our 2.0.0 update. (If there are any updates that we publish before we merge the code for Mapbase 8.0, those will be 1.10.0, 1.11.0, and so on) It may be some time before we have a build ready, but stay tuned! Mapbase 8 is going to power future features like systems for changing the playable character, visible legs, and NPC improvements that will be important for Progenitors. It also includes an under the hood rewrite of save/restore with Vscript, which is why it will require new save files.
Player with legs enabled from the Mapbase Notion
You can read more about Mapbase 8.0 here:
Mapbase v8.0 released on ModDB
Mapbase v8.0 Documentation on Notion
Currently, you can access any previously published EZ2 build from the Steam betas menu. To access pre-release builds, you can use a code that is on the Versions guide. However, there is a limit on the number of branches in Steam. As we publish more versions, we will have to start pruning old branches. That means that if you are interested in conserving old or pre-release versions of EZ2 for historical purposes, now would be the ideal time to switch to those branches and copy whatever files you need. As I publish builds, I will start to prune branches starting with the release candidate branches, and then the pre-release betas from newest to oldest, and then old released versions. We will be sure to maintain at the very least one branch from each major release for compatibility.
Art by Critter on LambdaGeneration
I wanted to take the opportunity to showcase mods created by the Entropy : Zero 2 community during the past year since our previous anniversary. The love and passion of the community is what drove EZ2 to be made and what continues to power our present endeavors.
I would like to show everyone the creativity behind these projects and their creators. This list is not comprehensive as there are many other mods being released and still being developed. Please feel free to let me know any that I’ve missed in the comments on this update!
In April, the mod Entropy : Zero Uprising celebrated its 5th anniversary of development. Entropy : Zero Uprising (EZU) is a mod for EZ1 created by another team that tells the story of a metrocop during the early stages of the uprising immediately following the destruction of Nova Prospekt. Entropy : Zero Uprising 5 Year Anniversary on ModDB As part of their anniversary, the EZU team published a massive update to EZU Episode 1. If you haven’t played it already, EZU Episode 1 is a must-play experience for fans of EZ1 and EZ2. You can download the updated Episode 1 here on ModDB:
Entropy : Zero Uprising Episode 1 Download on ModDB
Here are some work in progress screenshots of environments from the in-development EZU Episode 2
I have been fortunate enough to be a playtester for EZU for years and helped them with the code for their metrocop zombie NPC. I can’t speak highly enough of the Entropy : Zero Uprising team and their creative vision. EZU Episode 2 is one of my most highly anticipated projects and I can’t wait to see more.
Shadow Apartment is a new map for the Steam workshop created by Danskart in April of 2025.
In Shadow Apartment, you discover something otherworldly and unexplainable while fleeing from the chaos of the uprising as a metrocop deserter. Though Shadow Apartment draws inspiration from the Shadow Walker maps that I created previously, it feels like a completely fresh and original idea for an EZ2 workshop map. It even features a completely new weapon model and new NPC variants! I consider it to be the next installment of the Shadow Walker series, so you can call it an official sequel if you’d like.
Try Shadow Apartment for something new and a little spooky. It’s going to be the perfect map to play when October rolls around.
The addon Prospekt : Zero Remake on the Steam workshop had a large update in May of 2025.
Prospekt : Zero is a mod that puts you into the boots of a shotgun-wielding soldier in Nova Prospekt following its destruction. It’s a great chance to revisit the Nova Prospekt environment and command a squad of Combine soldiers against antlions and other threats. Definitely check it out if you have not already! WARNING: Make sure to uninstall Prospekt : Zero Remake when you are done playing because it will adjust the HUD colors of the game. You should only install it for the duration of one playthrough.
Isolation : Zero Breach is another mod for EZ2. It is not released yet, but it did get a development update back in December of 2024.
This project has some serious talent behind it and so I will be keeping an eye out for future updates.
Isolation : Zero Breach First Anniversary post on ModDB
Art by Simon on LambdaGeneration
LambdaGeneration is a Valve fan community that started in 2010. In 2021, they launched the LambdaGeneration Community Platform, which is a site for sharing content about Valve games. They have graciously provided a community platform for Entropy : Zero. I have greatly enjoyed seeing the incredibly creativity of fan artists on the Entropy : Zero community page. Check out Lambda Generation for some great fan art.
The Burton Equation (TBE) is a time-traveling romp through 4 separate eras of history as a hard-boiled noir detective on a mission to stop a gangster from teaming up with the Combine. TBE is not a mod for EZ2 or related to EZ2 in any way, but I wanted to include it on this list because Kralich is one of the developers who worked on Entropy : Zero 2, creating numerous art assets for the mod. It was a pleasure working with him and I am very excited to play any project he worked on.
The Burton Equation is a unique experience that puts Kralich’s great eye for weapon models and animations as well as environment design on display.
Combine Base Assault is a Half-Life 2 mod by Gildun, who is also an EZ2 Workshop mapper.
I wanted to highlight this one because I enjoyed playing it when it released back in May of 2025. It uses Mapbase and features some memorable interactions with companion NPCs. Check it out for some rebel gameplay!
Combine Base Assault Remade Released on ModdB
Thank you for reading this article! I am happy to have had the opportunity to talk about the community surrounding EZ2 as well as our own work on the EZ1 update. We could not have made EZ2 without the support and passion of the community of players. As always, thank you for playing!
Art by CW3D