A while ago, a zombie mod called DayZ was released for Arma 2: Combined Operations (Arma 2 + the Operation Arrowhead expansion). The mod, which still is in its alpha phase, lets you play in an open, zombie-infested world, where your only goal is to survive. The game takes place online in servers supporting over 50 players alongside hundreds of AI-controlled zombie units. Making both cooperation and intra-human fighting possible.

The mod is so wildly popular (nearly fifty thousand individual users have been counted so far) that the Arma 2: Combined Operations pack has been the top-selling game on Steam for several days now, which is extraordinary for a 2-year old game that isn't on sale. Sales have reportedly gone up 500% since the release of the mod.


(image taken from DayZmod.com)

The Prague-based developer of the game, Bohemia Interactive, has noticed the sudden rise in popularity, and will lend a helping hand to the modder (who, by the way, actually works for Bohemia) by taking some of the mod's issues into consideration with the next Arma 2 patch (1.61). They've also noted that the mod's concept is strong enough to stand on its own in the future, so maybe we'll end up seeing a separate release somewhere down the line.

I think it's great that there are still developers out there who do not only acknowledge, but actively assist the modding community, whereas other developers, such as DICE, have claimed that 'mods are dying'. I just thought I'd post this to show that, amidst the turmoil of DRM, DLC, online passes and other excesses of the increasingly unethical video game industry, there are developers like Bohemia who actually care about the community.

Some links:
Official website of DayZ (also the source of the picture)
Armaholic article on DayZ and the latest Arma patch
Interview with DayZ mod creator Dean "Rocket" Hall on RockPaperShotgun
Interview with Bohemia CEO Marek ?pan?l about DayZ on Kotaku