The hardcore military simulation ArmA 2 has seen its sales spike to five times the norm, thanks to the recently-released mod called Day Z. Why such a big jump in sales? Well, it seems that as much as folks like realistic military shooters, throwing zombies into the mix--at least according to developer Bohemia Interactive's Marek Spanel--"creates an experience so addictive that I believe it can stand as a gaming experience on its own."
"There's no doubt that the thrilling Day Z mod currently drives Arma 2 Combined Operations sales on Steam," Spanel told Kotaku in a recent interview. "Sales have increased almost fivefold from how they were before Day Z's Alpha release!"
Bohemia Interactive will also be supporting Day Z in the next ArmA 2 update, something that the creator of the mod (known as Rocket) is sure to appreciate. "We're more than happy to assist DayZ in any suitable way and considering the mod's popularity we are committed to do some related work in the next Arma 2 update (1.61)," Spanel said. When asked about the extent of the support the developer would provide he noted that the zombie mod is still in a relatively early state. "DayZ was released just a few weeks ago as a tech demo/proof of concept and it's still at Alpha status so until we know where the project intends to go it's hard to commit to anything specifically," he said.
With ArmA 3 already in the works, Spanel was also asked if Day Z would also be playable using the new game's engine. Though it's certainly a strong possibility, he estimates that Day Z support in ArmA 3 could be "one year or more from now." "There are many aspects involved, for example the environment and different assets in Arma 3, new engine features etc.," he said. "It's important to understand that there is still a long way to go even after Arma 3 is out until mods are properly configured, ported and matured onto the new platform."
Those interested in the mod can get more details (and download the alpha test) from the official Day Z website. Just remember, you'll need a copy of ArmA 2 to play.