The game supports the use of the steam workshop to add custom items, vehicles, armor, and weapons to either enhance or change the basic experience. Players can purchase keys, cases, and other items from the Steam Market. The game has a chance to give players a cosmetic item, like clothing or effects for their character, or camouflage or skins for weapons. The game's multiplayer option has created a platform for multiple kinds of gameplay, such as survival, roleplay, creative, paintball and a battle royale like arena style arena matches where Nelson first started his development career.
Radiation damage can be obtained from getting hit by zombies or entering 'deadzones' without proper hazmat protection. Players must keep up their health, food and water, and radiation levels. The greater aim is to survive, but the players may team-up or fight each other. Survival mode is also available in multiplayer. As the player progresses through the game, they gain experience points which can then be used for upgrades. Players must find weapons and supplies to survive against the zombies. In the survival game mode, the player's character is spawned on a game map with clothes depending on their skill set. The game also has multiple difficulty settings. Unturned features several different game modes, all of which consist of the same basic concept of zombie survival.
