DayZ has a number of features meant to make the game more realistically simulate a survival scenario. One of these features is called persistence, and it’s an option that can be toggled off or on for different servers. What does persistence mean in DayZ, and why would you join servers with persistence turned off? Keep reading to find out.
DayZ | What does persistence mean?
Persistence in DayZ refers to the option of keeping in-game items and structures intact over long periods of time. Put another way, persistence means that gear, shelters, and containers won’t disappear if you leave the game or the server is reset.
ALSO: Does DayZ have cross-play?
You’ll likely have noticed a persistence setting when attempting to join a DayZ server. By default, persistence is set to on, but the option can always be turned off by the server host.
When persistence is kept on, items, storage containers, and shelters will remain where they are spawned or placed for a long period of time. These items won’t stay in place forever, though. In persistent worlds, it’s possible for dropped items to be looted by other players. And if an item or container remains untouched for long enough, it will eventually be removed.
How long these items remain intact and in-place is determined by the game’s Item Cleanup system. If a storage container or structure hasn’t been interacted with for long enough — generally 45 days — the game will remove it. This is done so that worlds don’t get overwhelmed by a bunch of junk or Ruined items. In non-persistent worlds, items will disappear in a matter of hours, and sometimes as little as 15 minutes.
When persistence is turned off, most dropped items or gear will be removed in a short amount of time. Your character will still keep all of their equipped gear, but dropped items won’t stick around for very long. For instance, dropped food items will disappear after an hour, ammunition will disappear after two or three hours, and backpacks will disappear after six hours.
In simplest terms, persistence in DayZ means that items and structures will remain intact and in-place for a long time. When persistence is turned off, the game’s Item Cleanup system will remove these items from the world after only a small amount of time has passed.
