Running Darkness Falls or Undead Legacy on a 7 Days to Die Dedicated Server

The big 7 Days to Die overhaul mods, such as Darkness Falls and Undead Legacy, are not built for the current game. The game is on V3.4. The overhauls we could find target V2.6 or V1.4, and none was found targeting V3. So running one on a dedicated server means running the game version the mod was built for, on the server and on every player's PC, and keeping it there through every update. This article covers why overhauls lag the game, which version each one needs according to the sources we found, how to pin a server to that version, and what pinning costs you.

Why an overhaul can't just run on the latest version

Overhauls replace a great deal of the game, and V3.0 changed much of what they build on. The Fun Pimps' V3.0 notes for modders list the changes. Mods now reference only Assembly-CSharp.dll. Localization.txt was renamed Localization.csv. "XUi" was renamed to "XUi_InGame", and controls.xml to templates.xml. The XUi interface framework had what TFP called a "massive internal overhaul". A mod written against V2 expects the old names and the old framework, which is why a V2.x mod can break on V3. Updating an overhaul of that size takes its authors time.

Which version each overhaul targets

This is what we found in November 2026. Overhaul authors publish on their own sites and forum threads, versions move, and some of these come from a single host guide. Check the mod's own page before you install anything.

Undead Legacy is the one whose version comes from its author directly. The rest are what host guides report, and we list them as that.

The game versions you can actually install

Steam keeps older versions of the dedicated server (app 294420) as branches. As of 4 November 2026 the stable branches include v3.4.0, v3.3.0, v3.2.0, v2.6, v1.4 and alpha21.2, back through the older alphas. There is no v3.0, v3.1, v2.0–v2.5 or v1.0–v1.3 branch: for the older lines Steam keeps only the final build. So "V2.6" means the final V2 build, and "V1.4" the final V1 build. Those are the builds the overhauls above target.

Experimental builds are a different matter. The latest_experimental branch is password-protected outside public experimental windows, so don't plan a server around it being available.

Pinning a server to a version

On a self-hosted server, install the branch with SteamCMD:

steamcmd +force_install_dir /opt/7dtd +login anonymous +app_update 294420 -beta v2.6 validate +quit

Keep the same -beta on every later update. To go back to the latest version, pass -beta public, the name of the default branch.

Every PC player has to match. The client is on the same branch system (app 251570 has the same named branches), and a client and server on different versions can't connect. When V3.1.0 shipped, The Fun Pimps told players: "If you're playing on a dedicated server and can't connect yet, you will need to select the correct branch". Each player sets the same branch for 7 Days to Die in Steam, then installs the overhaul as its own instructions say.

Installing the overhaul on the server

Mods go in a Mods folder in the server's install directory, one folder per mod. A 2022 moderator post quoting TFP's changelog says the game also loads mods from <UserDataFolder>/Mods: "either the old location or the new location will function." Follow the overhaul's own install notes for which files go where, and whether each player also needs them installed.

Many mods include compiled code (DLL or Harmony mods). The 7D2D modding wiki notes that those need EasyAntiCheat turned off, while XML-only modlets do not. Mod author OCB, whose mods are nearly all Harmony mods, says the same: "EAC must be disabled". So if an overhaul ships compiled code, its server needs EACEnabled set to false; the overhaul's install notes will say.

What pinning costs: consoles

Pinning has a price, and it is console players. PS5 and Xbox Series players are always on the current release, so they can't join a server pinned to an older version. Crossplay also needs EasyAntiCheat on and no mods. An overhaul server is PC-only on all three counts. If part of your group plays on console, they need a separate vanilla server on the latest version. See 7 Days to Die crossplay servers for PS5 and Xbox.

Settings files are version-specific

V3.0 moved thirty gameplay settings into a single SandboxCode property (SandboxCode explained). Older versions don't know it. We tested this on 4 November 2026: a V2.6 server refused to start on a V3 settings file, stopping at "Unknown config option" for SandboxCode. So a server moving between V3 and V2.6 or V1.4 needs a settings file for each. The old versions use the old properties (GameDifficulty, BloodMoonFrequency and so on), and V3 uses the Sandbox Code.

Worlds: keep each version's saves apart

A world started on one version belongs to that version. Moving one to a newer version is something The Fun Pimps describe for their own updates: they "recommend a new game" but say saves "should be compatible". Moving a world the other way, so that an older version opens a world a newer version saved, is something we have found no source for at all. Treat it as unsafe. Keep each version's saves separate, and copy a world between versions only deliberately, with a backup.

Or let us run it

7 Days to Die server hosting at Connect has a Game version card on the Server Settings tab: Latest stable (V3.x), V3.3.0, V2.6, V1.4 and Alpha 21.2. Stop the server, choose one, and start it again. The server downloads that version as it starts, which takes a few minutes. Each version keeps its own settings file and its own save folder. Pinning to V2.6 starts V2.6 with its own world, and choosing Latest again finds your V3 world exactly as you left it. An older version never opens a newer version's world by accident. Moving a world between versions is a manual copy with the file manager or SFTP, both included on every plan. For overhaul headroom, the Fortress plan has 16 GB. The steps are in Game versions and Mods.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Darkness Falls work on 7 Days to Die V3?

We found no Darkness Falls build for V3. Host guides list Darkness Falls V6 for game version V1.4, but they disagree, so check the mod's own page.

Which game version does Undead Legacy need?

Its author's download page lists experimental build 2.7.40 (28 September 2026) for game version V2.6. There is no V3 build.

Can console players join an overhaul server?

No. Console players are always on the latest version, crossplay needs EasyAntiCheat on, and mods rule crossplay out. Overhaul servers are PC-only.

Do players need to change anything on their side?

Yes. Every PC player sets the same branch for the game in Steam as the server is running, and installs the overhaul as its instructions say.

Can I switch a server between versions and keep my world?

Keep each version's world separate. A newer version can usually continue an older save. An older version opening a newer save is not something any source says works. Copy worlds between versions deliberately, with a backup.

Why won't my V2.6 server start after I switched from V3?

A V3 settings file contains SandboxCode, which V2.6 does not know. In our test, V2.6 stopped with "Unknown config option". Give V2.6 a settings file of its own.