July Update Adds Private Play to PvZ: Battle for Neighborville

July Update Adds Private Play to PvZ: Battle for Neighborville

Private Play is headed to Neighborville, along with buffs and nerfs for various characters.

The next update for Plants vs. Zombies Battle for Neighborville will go live this week, bringing several key changes to the game. One of those changes is the addition of Private Play, a feature that has been highly requested among the game’s player base. The update also includes balance adjustments for various characters.

Although the official patch notes aren’t out yet online, EA has provided a general overview for the July Update within the news section in-game. Until the full patch notes are available, you can check out a screenshot of the in-game update over on the PvZ: Garden Warfare subreddit. The news post outlines the major changes coming in the July Update, which arrives this week. You can also view the announcement in the tweet below from community member TheKing55JJ.

Private Play

One of the main features in this update is the addition of Private Play. PvZ: Battle for Neighborville does not currently have a private multiplayer mode like the previous games in the series. This means that players have no real way to practice on the multiplayer maps with friends without being in a public match.

With the arrival of Private Play, players will be able to hop into Private Play in any PvP mode or map, according to the in-game news announcement. Private Play will allow players to customize their match difficulty and crazy settings. Players can invite up to three friends to join a private match in Neighborville. The player limit has drawn criticism from some players, as many were hoping to host full 24-player private lobbies. Although Private Play does allow for up to 12 opponents on each team, the teams will be primarily populated by AI characters.

Character Changes

The July Update also brings various changes to the playable characters in Neighborville. The Chomper’s Grody Goop is getting a damage reduction, while the Imp’s rate of fire and accuracy have been buffed. The developers have also “lowered the lethality” of the Scientist’s Steam Blaster. The Acorn and Oak both receive buffs to their mobility and durability, respectively.

Players who own Neighborville can login to view the July Update details in-game. The official patch notes will most likely arrive on Tuesday, July 28. Stay tuned for more Plants vs. Zombies Battle for Neighborville updates.