Smartly Dressed Games, the developer behind the popular free-to-play zombie survival simulation Unturned, has made the game's source code available for non-commercial use. The studio announced the release via a Steam post, stating that this move is intended to further support the creative endeavors of its community.
"Unturned's greatest strength is our passionate community," the developers wrote. "Releasing the source files allows you and other players to further expand upon the game as you see fit, building a lasting legacy for the game regardless of the changes we make or how many years pass." The source code and associated project files can be accessed through GitHub.
While the code is freely available, Smartly Dressed Games has outlined specific conditions for its use. All projects utilizing the source code must be strictly non-commercial, and players must be able to access all features and content of any modifications for free. Additionally, certain elements of the code, such as anti-cheat systems and third-party pathfinding programs, have been omitted due to licensing restrictions. The developers noted that this release does not mean Unturned is now officially open source, as the non-commercial license does not align with the Open Source Initiative's definition. However, the studio expressed a desire to potentially re-license the U3 SDK under the MIT License in the future, once another game is completed and rights can be re-acquired.
Unturned, which was initially developed by Nelson Sexton as a teenager, first entered Steam Early Access in 2014. It achieved its 1.0 release three years later and remains active, drawing thousands of daily players. In April, Smartly Dressed Games launched a significant update that dramatically expanded the game's California map, adding over 100 quests and enhancing its endgame content.