❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Aftermath is a major expansion/upgrade to the original World War Z that includes:

• All original content plus new campaigns (Rome, Kamchatka)
• First-person mode option (can toggle between third and first person)
• Two new classes: Vanguard (shield tank) and Dronemaster (drone support)
• Melee weapon system with dual-wielding options
• Horde Mode XL - endless survival mode
• New special zombie: Rats (environmental hazard in new maps)
• 4K and 60 FPS on next-gen consoles

If you own the original WWZ, you can upgrade to Aftermath at a discounted price.

Yes, especially if you enjoy:

• Left 4 Dead style co-op gameplay
• Massive zombie hordes (500+ on screen)
• Class-based team gameplay
• Regular content updates and seasonal events

The game has an active player base, regular updates, and full crossplay support. It frequently goes on sale for $15-20, which is excellent value for the content.

Yes! The game supports:

• Offline mode with AI teammates (requires initial online activation)
• Private lobbies with AI filling empty slots
• AI teammates that are surprisingly competent

The complete Aftermath campaign includes:

• 7 Episodes with 3-4 missions each
• Total: About 25-30 missions
• Playtime: 15-20 hours for first playthrough
• 100% Completion: 50+ hours (all difficulties, challenges)

Each mission takes 20-40 minutes depending on difficulty and team skill.

Recommended progression:

• First time: Normal (learn mechanics without frustration)
• After 2-3 missions: Hard (better rewards, more engaging)
• Level 10+ with perks: Insane (significant challenge jump)
• Prestige 4+ coordinated team: Extreme (requires mastery)

Friendly fire scales with difficulty:

• Easy: 0% (no friendly fire)
• Normal: 0%
• Hard: 10% damage to teammates
• Insane: 25% damage
• Extreme: 50% damage

Pyramids are zombie climbing structures that form during swarms:

• Zombies stack on each other to reach high places
• Form at walls, fences, and elevated positions

How to stop them:

• Shoot the base - Collapsing bottom kills entire pyramid
• Explosives - One grenade/C4 clears whole pyramid
• Mortars/MGs - Positioned defenses auto-target pyramids
• Electric grids - Prevent climbing at that spot

This is a game mechanic, not a bug:

• Zombies can grab through thin barriers (fences, windows)
• Maintain at least 1 meter distance from barriers
• Some walls have "safe zones" - learn them per map
• Lurkers can pounce through some obstacles

Top 3 beginner-friendly classes:

1. Medic: Keep yourself and team alive, always useful
2. Gunslinger: Simple gameplay - just shoot accurately
3. Exterminator: Fire control is intuitive and effective

Avoid initially:

• Slasher: Requires good positioning and game knowledge
• Hellraiser: Easy to damage team with explosives

No, but:

• You can buy ALL perks eventually (no permanent lock-out)
• Yellow coins are farmable - just takes time
• Prestiging resets perks but gives permanent red perks
• You can switch active perks anytime between missions

Yes, but timing matters:

• Prestige 1-4: Essential for red perks (permanent bonuses)
• Prestige 5: Unlocks unique class weapon skin
• Prestige 6-9: New red perks added in 2024 update

Best strategy:

1. Save 30,000+ yellow coins
2. Prestige to level 4 immediately
3. Buy crucial perks back
4. Continue to Prestige 5+ later

Ideal 4-player team composition:

• 1 Medic: Essential for higher difficulties
• 1 Fixer: Ammo and equipment support
• 2 DPS/Control: Mix of Hellraiser, Exterminator, Gunslinger

Alternative strong compositions:

• Tank comp: Vanguard + Slasher + Medic + Fixer
• Explosive comp: 2 Hellraisers + Fixer + Medic
• Balanced: One from each category (support/tank/DPS/control)

XP optimization tips:

• Hard/Insane difficulty: Best XP-to-time ratio
• Full team bonus: +10% XP with 4 players
• No damage taken: Bonus XP for health remaining
• Headshot kills: Extra XP per headshot
• Special zombie kills: Worth 5-10x normal zombies

Best farming mission: "Dead Sea Stroll" (Jerusalem 2) - short with guaranteed swarms

Blue Coins (Supplies):

• Complete missions (scales with difficulty)
• Daily/Weekly challenges
• Horde Mode waves
• First-time map completion bonuses

Yellow Coins (Class Points):

• Level up any class (1000 per level)
• Complete challenge mode missions
• Weekly challenge rewards
• Can use on ANY class (not locked)

Priority order:

1. Class perks - Biggest gameplay impact
2. Favorite weapon upgrades - Tier 3 is sufficient initially
3. Virus samples - For weapon variants
4. Cosmetics - Only after gameplay upgrades

Yes! Full crossplay between:

• PC (Steam/Epic Games Store)
• PlayStation 4/5
• Xbox One/Series X|S
• Nintendo Switch (limited to 30 FPS)

How to enable: Settings → Online → Crossplay (ON by default)

Multiple options:

• Invite Code: Host creates code, friends enter it
• Friends List: Direct invite through platform
• Private Lobby: Set to "Friends Only" or "Invite Only"

Cross-platform play: Use the in-game friend code system, not platform invites.

Common solutions:

• Enable crossplay - Massively increases player pool
• Change region - Try US East or Europe
• Play popular missions - Not obscure challenge modes
• Prime time - Evenings and weekends are busiest
• Lower difficulty - More players on Hard than Extreme

PC Minimum:

• CPU: Core i3-3220 / AMD A10-5700
• GPU: GeForce GTX 650 Ti / Radeon HD 5870
• RAM: 8 GB
• Storage: 50 GB

PC Recommended:

• CPU: Core i7-3970 / AMD FX-9370
• GPU: GeForce GTX 1060 / Radeon R9 380
• RAM: 16 GB

Console Performance:

• PS5/XSX: 4K 60 FPS or 1080p 120 FPS
• PS4/XB1: 1080p 30 FPS
• Switch: 720p 30 FPS (docked)

Controls:

• PC: Press V
• Console: Click right stick (R3)

Settings: Gameplay → Camera → Default View Mode

Common fixes:

• Lower Zombie Count: Settings → Video → Zombie Count
• Disable Vsync: Can cause input lag
• Vulkan Mode: Often better performance than DX11
• Close background apps: Especially browsers
• Verify game files: Through Steam/Epic

Endless survival mode with:

• Progressively harder waves
• Shop system between waves
• Leaderboards for competition
• Unique rewards and achievements

Tips for success:

• Save credits for later waves
• Buy defenses > weapons early
• Coordinate class abilities
• Wave 25+ requires perfect teamwork

Challenge Mode: Weekly rotating missions with special modifiers

Common Mutators:

• Six Skulls: All zombies are special infected
• Iron Man: No respawns
• Gun Shortage: Limited ammo
• Thrifty: No defense kits spawn
• Pinned Down: Cannot move while shooting

Rewards: Bonus currency, exclusive cosmetics, achievement progress

Requirements for success:

• Prestige 4+ class with red perks
• Tier 5 weapons minimum
• Map knowledge - Know every spawn and defense spot
• Coordinated team - Random teams rarely succeed
• Voice communication - Essential for coordination

Key differences on Extreme:

• 50% friendly fire damage
• No player outlines through walls
• Extremely limited resources
• Multiple special spawns constantly
• One mistake = team wipe

Regular updates include:

• Seasonal events (Halloween, Christmas, etc.)
• New challenge modes monthly
• Balance patches and bug fixes
• Occasional new weapons or variants

Recent major updates:

• March 2024: Prestige levels 6-9 with new red perks
• Console next-gen upgrades
• New melee weapons added regularly