Gray Zone Warfare Wipe Guide: What 0.5 Wiped, What You Kept and What to Do Now

The Gray Zone Warfare wipe arrived with Update 0.5: Rogue Ops on October 22, 2026 (October 19 for Supporter Edition owners). It was the game's first soft wipe: you kept your progression, but your equipment, locker and money are gone, and the first time you log in to 0.5 you face one irreversible choice. This guide explains exactly what was wiped and what you kept, how to pick between PvE and PvEvP, and what to do first in Rogue Ops.

Everything here comes from MADFINGER Games' official Rogue Ops devlogs and the 0.5.0.1 changelog. For the full list of new weapons and locations, see our Gray Zone Warfare 0.5 patch notes article.

Gray Zone Warfare 0.5 wipe at a glance

Did Gray Zone Warfare wipe in 0.5?

Yes, but not a full one. Update 0.5 brought a seasonal soft wipe so MADFINGER could rebalance the in-game economy for Rogue Ops "while letting players retain their progression and avoid having to grind from scratch". It's the first wipe of any kind since the game launched in Early Access in April 2024. It also changes how fresh starts work: account wipes have been retired, and you create a new character instead.

What do you keep and lose in the Gray Zone Warfare wipe?

Two more things to know: some display settings are reset to their defaults when moving between updates, so check your graphics options, and a Supporter Preview bug that lowered vendor levels was fixed before launch, with vendor ranks set back to their pre-update values. If you were close to Vendor Level 4, MADFINGER kept your progress as a percentage of the new, higher requirement.

PvE or PvEvP: which should you choose?

When you first enter the Supporter Preview or the full 0.5 release, you must choose which game mode your existing character's progression transfers to. MADFINGER says this decision is irreversible, and your faction stays the same.

That matters more than before, because from 0.5 PvE and PvEvP have separate progression. Some things to weigh up:

• Where do you play most? Put your hard-earned rank and tasks where you'll actually use them.
• Who do you play with? Separate modes and factions per character make it easier to play with friends on different factions, so think about where your squad is going.
• You're not locked out of the other mode. You can make up to four characters, so you can start fresh in the mode you don't pick.

How do multiple characters work in Gray Zone Warfare?

Update 0.5 adds one of the most requested features: multiple characters. The rules are:

• Up to four characters per account at a time.
• Each character is tied to one game mode (PvE or PvEvP) and one faction.
• You can't have two characters with the same mode and faction, to prevent exploits.
• You can delete one character per week.
• Account wipes are gone: for a clean slate, make a new character in a different faction or mode.

MADFINGER says the split is meant to make playing with friends across factions easier, while "reinforcing gear fear" and supporting healthier economies in both modes.

What to do when you first log in to 0.5

The wipe has happened, so your first session sets up the rest of the season:

• Choose your mode carefully. The PvE/PvEvP transfer can't be undone, so agree it with your squad before you click.
• Check your settings. Some display settings were reset to defaults with the update.
• Rebuild your kit cheaply. Your money is gone, so use task rewards and any Twitch Drops Starter Packs you've claimed, and loot before you spend.
• Push vendor ranks. The Hideout unlocks at certain vendor ranks, and smuggling and hunting pay reputation as well as money.
• Look for the new tasks. There are new Main Tasks, Long-Term Contracts, Hideout, smuggling and hunting tasks, and Chameleon tasks hidden in magazines.

What happened to the Supporter Preview?

The Supporter Preview ran from October 19 until the full release on October 22 for Supporter Edition owners, and MADFINGER said progress made there carries over. Problems found during the preview were fixed in a hotfix on October 21 and in the release build, including server freezes, vendor downgrades, proximity voice chat and blurry visuals for some NVIDIA users. Every supporter also gets a thank-you camo weapon chosen by community vote.

The Supporter Edition still gives early access to future major updates through the Supporter Preview, and owners of the base game, Tactical or Elite Edition can upgrade by paying the price difference. All editions are 35% off until November 5, 2026.

What to do first after the 0.5 wipe

Get your Hideout running

The Hideout is the heart of the new loop. It unlocks once you reach certain vendor ranks and has three rooms, each with stations you build and upgrade:

• Utility Room: powers the two production rooms.
• Electronics Workshop: disassembles electronic devices into intel and crafting materials for tracking tags and the three-tier hacking tool.
• Laboratory: crafts medical items and stims, and produces chemicals to sell or use in other products.

Plan your crafting

Stims and Tracking Tags are no longer sold by vendors, so you have to craft them. Find materials and recipes around the world; building materials also come from vendors and task rewards. Drug huts can be raided for Laboratory resources, and wood can be found at the Sawmill.

Use the hacking tool

Hacking opens keypad and card-reader locks without a key or code, and some areas and safes can only be opened this way. Carry the right tier of tool for the lock.

Loot with a purpose

High-value loot now spawns less often, and there are more hidden stashes. Look for crafting materials as well as valuables, and remember you can't move at all when overloaded.

Be careful with smuggling contracts

Accepting a smuggling job alerts opposing factions and puts a Hunting zone on their map, and the contract is time-limited. Hunters earn experience and reputation for stopping you; in PvE, you face AI instead. Our Gray Zone Warfare 0.5 article explains how the contracts work.

Learn the new health system

Healing is now per body part. One splint treats both fractures in a leg, bandages can treat several body parts at once, and hemostats and tourniquets stop bleeding everywhere. Bleeding is slower than before, light wounds fade after 60 seconds, and higher-quality and military-grade supplies work faster.

Expect tougher AI

AI enemies now treat their own wounds, come looking for you if you hide, and some factions throw grenades. They will also try to finish off players in a coma, so stay close to your squad. AI is harder in Tier 3 and the new Tier 4 areas, and the suppression effect is back.

Find Vulture at base camp

Vulture is now a regular vendor at base camp and Combat Outposts. Major COPs are temporarily decommissioned, and minor COPs are spread more evenly across Lamang.

Pick the right ammo

SP and HP rounds now cause bigger wounds than FMJ and AP. Weapons and parts are also 40% more durable than in 0.4.

Twitch Drops: what survives a wipe

Rogue Ops Twitch Drops run from October 22 to November 6. The consumable Starter Packs and Hideout Packs can be claimed once, on one character, and are lost in a progression wipe, so use them rather than saving them. Drops apparel carries over wipes and works on all your characters.

Watch the Rogue Ops devlog

MADFINGER's first Rogue Ops devlog, covering the soft wipe, multiple characters and the health changes. The third devlog covers the Hideout, crafting and smuggling.

More Gray Zone Warfare and tactical shooters

• Gray Zone Warfare 0.5 Rogue Ops – release date, new weapons and Tier 4 areas
• Hell Let Loose Update 21 – another squad shooter's big update
• Rules of Engagement: The Grey State – an upcoming extraction shooter
• SCUM October update – a survival shooter with its own wipe news

Gray Zone Warfare wipe FAQ