In Project Zomboid, zombies do not respawn once they are killed, except in specific circumstances. Here’s a breakdown of how it works:

1. Static Zombie Population

• No Respawning by Default: Once you kill a zombie in Project Zomboid, it stays dead permanently, meaning the zombie population is finite. This is a key aspect of the game’s realism and survival challenge.

2. World Reset or Server Restart

• New Waves After World Reset: If you’re playing in a persistent world, zombies will only reappear after a reset or a server restart. If you’re playing on a server that has a “new wave” or some form of respawn event set by the server owner, zombies can appear in new locations, but this is manually controlled.

3. Zombie Respawn Settings

• Configurable in Game Settings: Some game modes and servers allow you to adjust the zombie respawn rate. If the settings are configured to allow zombies to “respawn,” the number of zombies in the world can gradually increase over time as the game progresses. This can make the world feel more dynamic, even in the later stages of the game.
  • In Sandbox Mode, players can modify these settings, including whether zombies respawn or not, and how often.

4. Zombie Movement

• Zombie Migration: While zombies do not respawn in the traditional sense, they can wander and migrate across the map. For instance, new zombies might appear as part of the zombie migration system where groups of zombies move toward populated areas, making the world feel more dangerous as you explore.

5. Other Considerations

• New Spawn Points for NPCs: Some mods and future updates may introduce NPCs or changes to the dynamic world, but as of now, the main source of new zombies is based on player actions or server settings, rather than respawning by default.

In short, zombies do not respawn in Project Zomboid unless the game settings or server configurations have been adjusted to allow it. The challenge, therefore, lies in managing resources and staying safe in a world where the population can dwindle over time, but danger can always appear from other directions.