Easter eggs

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Spiffo enjoying the bloodshed in Terraria.

During your time exploring Knox Country, various Easter eggs can be found throughout the area, referencing other games, media, developers etc. Many of these references are in the form of business names, graffiti, items, etc.

Pop-culture

Goodman Legal Services in Louisville is a reference to Saul Goodman, a character in TV Series Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul

Marple & Christie Legal Services in Rosewood is a reference to Agatha Christie's Marple

• Romero Center for the Performing Arts is a theater in Louisville. The theater's name is a reference to film director George A. Romero. Romero invented the modern zombie with his debut film Night of the Living Dead.
• Brooks Public Library of Louisville could be a reference to the author Max Brooks. Brooks' most famous novels are The Zombie Survival Guide and World War Z.
• The Crossroads Mall in Valley Station is a reference to the mall of the same name in the film Dawn of the Dead (2004).
• Goodman Legal Services is a law firm in Louisville, the name is a reference to Saul Goodman, a lawyer in the TV series Breaking Bad and the spin-off series Better Call Saul.
• A-1 Laundry is a chain of laundromats that are located in Louisville. The name is a reference to A1A Car Wash, a fictional car wash in Breaking Bad.
• Marple & Christie Legal Services in a law firm in Rosewood, the name is a reference to a British TV show Agatha Christie's Marple.
• It can be possible to encounter a zombie wearing a Hockey Mask and with a Machete on their back. This is a reference to the immortal slasher Jason Voorhees from the Friday the 13th film franchise.
• In a cemetery in Louisville, there is a pallet of gold, hidden in a mausoleum. The pallet is called "The Ecstacy of Gold" (typo in-game) The pallet's name comes from two songs. The first is a reference to a song of the same name used in the 1966 western film, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. The song is used in a scene where one of the main characters is desperately searching for a hidden cache of gold coins in a graveyard. The second song is by Metallica, called The Ecstacy of Gold, also misspelled with two c's.
• Back To The Nurture Chiropractic Services is a chain of chiropractic offices with locations in Louisville and Riverside. The business name is likely a reference to the Back to the Future film trilogy.
• Bateman Office Building in downtown Louisville is a reference to Patrick Bateman, villain protagonist of the American Psycho novel and film adaptation.
• The Shaken and Stirred bar is a reference to a similar catchphrase from the James Bond franchise.
• LSU Attenborough Sciences Building is referencing British broadcaster and biologist Sir David Attenborough.
• A CD called 'Raps for Christ' is likely a reference to a Christian hip hop song and internet meme known as Rappin' for Jesus.
• The Guerilla Radio magazine could be referencing a song of the same name by American rock band Rage Against the Machine.
• The 28th day is the default day in which the zombie population reaches its peak. This could be referencing the film, 28 Days Later and sequel 28 Weeks Later.
• On the channel Life and Living TV, there is a program called Exposure Survival. The show's host is named Dean. This is a reference to the game designer Dean Hall. Hall's most famous work being the zombie survival game, DayZ.
• In the woods outside of Muldraugh and Rosewood, a message made out of dirt paths can be found. The message is a love heart with the name Brian. This is a reference to Brian Hicks, creative director of DayZ.
• The name of the ice cream parlor chain Churn R Us, is a reference to Chernarus, a fictional Eastern European country in Arma 2 and DayZ.
• The challenge mode 'A Really CD DA' is a reference to the survival game, Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead.
• "Mother's Boy" VHS and the Waites Motel are the reference to the Psycho franchise.
• One of the lunchbox variants is likely the reference to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
• The Picard hairstyle is likely a reference to Jean-Luc Picard from the science fiction franchise Star Trek.

Film parodies

• The VHS film "Ace Pilot" is a parody of the action film, Top Gun.
• "CyberKiller 2" is a parody of the science fiction action film, Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
• "Pleistocene Land" is a parody of the science fiction film Jurassic Park.
• "Slow Descent" is likely a parody of the science fiction film Stalker.
• "Train Bomb" is likely a parody of the action film Speed.
• "Man On the Run" is a parody of the action-thriller film The Fugitive.
• "Breaking Point" is likely a parody of the thriller film Falling Down.
• "Dead Wrong" is a parody of the action-thriller film Dirty Harry.
• "Dime Diamonds" is a parody of the neo-noir crime film Reservoir Dogs.
• "All Over Again" is a parody of the comedy film Groundhog Day.
• "Home Invaders 2" is a parody of the comedy film Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.
• "Ghoul Stoppers" is a parody of the comedy film Ghostbusters.
• "Fred and Ali's Radical Journey" is a parody of the science-fiction comedy film Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure.
• "Tired in Toronto" is a parody of the romantic-comedy film Sleepless in Seattle.
• "Tangier" is a parody of the romantic-drama film Casablanca.
• "The Crying of the Foxes" is a parody of the horror novel The Silence of the Lambs and its film adaptation.
• "The Thompsons" is a parody of the show The Simpsons.

The Indie Stone

Some of the graffiti in Knox Country references various developers.

• A construction site in Muldraugh is owned by T.I.S. Construction, referencing The Indie Stone, the developer studio behind Project Zomboid.
• Spiffo, the game's adorable mascot was a character from PAWS, an unreleased fighting game that Indie Stone were previously working on.
• The pill bottles for antidepressants and beta blockers have the name "Binky" on it, referring to CaptainBinky, an alias used by artist and T.I.S co-founder Andy Hodgetts.
• In several areas of Knox Country, you can find "NasKo" spray-painted on a wall, this is a reference to the Community Manager, NasKo.
• Some areas also have "RingoD" spray-painted on the wall. The graffiti is referencing former modder, turned developer, Paul Ring.
• Enigma Books is a chain of book stores with locations in West Point and Riverside, referencing the Support & Operations Manager, EnigmaGrey.
• The hardware store chain Zac's Hardware in Louisville, refers to developer Zac Congo.
• A cafe in Louisville, Cafe d'Eris is a reference to Eris, a former modder, turned developer.
• The Blue Fox, a restauraunt in Louisville, references developer Fox Chaotica.
• One of the lunchbox variants has the face of Will Porter surrounded by love hearts. Porter is one of the game's writers.
• A.A.Ron Hunting Supply is also a reference to Will's son. The business name is also likely a reference to the comedy duo Key & Peele's substitute teacher sketch.
• T-shirts can spawn in some rare variants, having references to various The Indie Stone developers
  • A t-shirt with The Indie Stone logo can spawn.
  • A rare variant of the t-shirt has the face of one of the developers, Romain Dron.
  • Another variant can spawn with the bird logo which might be a reference to Aiteron, a modder then hired by The Indie Stone.
  • Another variant can spawn with the wolf logo which might be a reference to Rathlord, former The Indie Stone tech support & server runner.
• R. Johnson Office Building in Louisville, references Robert Johnson/RJ, an alias used by Dron.
  • RJ is also referenced on jars of Remoulade.
• Romuald Dron Memorial Park was dedicated to the brother of RJ, who has sadly passed away. The park is located in Louisville.
• A nightclub in Louisville, Beever's references Zach Beever, one of the composers behind much of the soundtrack.
• Aitor Wire Company, a factory in Louisville, references developer Aitor Garca de la Cruz.
• A clothing store in Louisville, Yuri Design, is named after developer Yuri Yakovlev. Yuri's name can also be found as graffiti.
• The "Tanglewood" graffiti refers to Tanglewood Games, a studio assisting with development.
• The "TEA BOYS" graffiti is a reference to The Eccentric Ape, another studio assisting with development.
• Andrei and Son Hand-Crafted Wallets is a factory in Louisville, named after developer Andrei Topilin. Andrei's name is also found as graffiti.
• The clothing store Sasha Sashay in Louisivlle, is a reference to the Lead QA Tester, Pandorea.
  • The brand name on Boxing Shorts also references Pandorea.
• The graffiti "Yana Yana" is referring to QA Tester, Yana
• Some areas have "Kirrus" spray-painted on the walls. This graffiti is referencing Kirrus, the system administrator.
  • Kirrus is also referenced in a radio advertisement for a computer manufactured by a technology company named after him.
• The TV channel TURBO is a reference to TurboTuTone, a developer and former mod author for the game. Turbo's name can also be found in the form of graffiti.
  • Turbo is also referenced in a radio advert for a board game called "Turbo To Town"
• The "Xeonyx" graffiti is referring to Xeonyx, a developer and former mod author. Best known for their map mod, Slocan Lake.
• The "EZ Pickins" graffiti is referencing Tim Baker, also known as Easy Pickins.
  • Tim's Bakery in Louisville could also be referencing Pickins.
• There are several references to The Forgotten Element, a point and click game that developers Chris Simpson and Andy Hodgetts had worked on prior to Project Zomboid.
  • The Forgotten Element film that had just released to theaters prior to the outbreak.
  • The cover-girl on the magazine sprite is a reference to Mia, the main protagonist of Forgotten Element.
  • The Seahorse Coffee chain is likely a reference to Seahorse Island, the setting for the game.

Community

Various members of the community are referenced in the game, such as Twiggy's in West Point, a bar named after former YouTuber and streamer "sirtwiggy"

• Twiggy's is a bar located in West Point, the bar is named after sirtwiggy, former Project Zomboid YouTuber and streamer. Twiggy is also one of the callers on KnoxTalk Radio.
• KPK Consulting Business Investments in Louisville, references KPKPlays, a friend of TIS.
• Hair O Genesis is a chain of barber shops that have several locations in Knox Country, the chain is named after Ontogenesis, a friend of TIS.
• A car dealership Nolan's Used Cars, located in Dixie Mobile Park, references nolanritchie, a modder behind several popular mods, one of which being the Driving Cars Mod.
• In the woods outside of Muldraugh, you can find Ben's Cabin, the name is referencing a forum user known as haze1434 and it being their base right before the birth of his child. Haze had to leave to go to the hospital because his wife was about to give birth. Their child was named Ben and the cabin was named after them as a way of commemorating this event.
• The in-game show Moderators, is a reference to an actual event, when someone on the moderation team tried to ban a user from The Indie Stone Forums, but accidentally made them an admin instead. Whoops!
• The advertisement for Incontileve, a fictional brand of bladder control medication, has Dr Cox as the spokesperson for the ad. The doctor's name is a reference to the mod author, Dr_Cox1911.

Miscellaneous

• Sometimes you can find houses with containers filled with toilet paper. This is a reference to global supply shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic, with toilet paper being one of the main items suffering shortages due to panic buying.
• A window shop in Louisville named Window is a reference to Microsoft Windows, a series of operating systems developed by Microsoft.
• One of the variants of walkie talkie is called 'Toys-R-Mine Walkie Talkie' The manufacturer's name is a reference to the toy retailer Toys "R" Us.
• The clothing store chain Hugo Plush is likely referencing the luxury retailer Hugo Boss.
• The Art Gallery of Louisville contains various recreations of real life artwork.
  • A recreation of the 1893 piece The Scream by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch.
  • The 1862 piece Stańczyk by Polish artist Jan Matejko.
  • Several paintings by Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh, such as Sunflowers, one of his self-portraits and his most iconic painting, The Starry Night.
  • Girl with a Pearl Earring by Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer.
  • Wanderer above the Sea of Fog by German artist Caspar David Friedrich.
  • The Son of Man by Belgian artist René Magritte.
  • "Lily's Waterpond Painting" is referencing a 1916 art-piece in a massive series of paintings titled Water Lilies by French artist Claude Monet.
  • "Chromatic Accident" could be referencing American artist Jackson Pollock, famous for his abstract expressionist art pieces.
  • A couple of abstract paintings potentially serving as a homage to Latvian-born American artist Mark Rothko.
  • Satan Devouring His Son by Spanish artist Francisco Goya.
  • Rokeby Venus by Spanish artist Diego Velázquez.
  • Washington Crossing the Delaware by German-born American artist Emanuel Leutze.
  • The "Riverside Painting" could be referencing the The Oxbow by English-born American artist Thomas Cole.
  • The "Sir Brakefire Painting" could be referencing Portrait of a Bearded Man in Black Beret (1654) by Dutch artist Rembrandt.
  • Venus and Adonis by Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens.
  • Michelangelo's Statue of David.
  • The "Female Statue" could be inspired by various statues depicting the biblical figure Rebecca.
  • The Spiffo's burgers are drawn in the style of Andy Warol's Shot Marilyns.
  • A toilet referencing Fountain by French artist Marcel Duchamp, an infamous art-piece where the sculpture was just a porcelain urinal.
  • A bed referencing another controversial art piece, My Bed by English artist Tracey Emin.
• There's another art gallery next-door that has the "Layout 1", "Configuration 2", "Configuration No. 10" paintings, referencing Dutch artist Piet Mondrian.
• LSU Rogers Humanities Building could be referencing American psychologist Carl Rogers.

Project Zomboid references in other media

Project Zomboid mentioned in Minecraft.

• Sandbox game, Minecraft references Zomboid in the main menu. Occasionally there's a splash text saying "Also try Project Zomboid!"
• Survival game, NEO Scavenger also occasionally references Zomboid in it's main menu.
• Project Zomboid's mascot Spiffo, can be found in the form of a rare plush item in 2D sandbox game, Terraria. The plush acts as a pet summon item, allowing you to summon Spiffo to join you on your adventures.

Gallery

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  Romero Center for the Performing Arts is a theater in Louisville, referencing film director George A. Romero

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  The Crossroads Mall in Valley Station, referencing the film Dawn of the Dead (2004)

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  Bateman Office Building in Louisville, referencing the fictional character Patrick Bateman

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  Window is a store in Louisville. The name and logo referencing Microsoft Windows

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  The Ecstasy of Gold treasure can be accessed by using a sledgehammer to destroy a mausoleum wall in front of it

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  Advertisement sign outside of Nolan's Used Cars, the dealership is named after mod author, nolanritchie

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  The pink lunchbox featuring one of the writers, Will Porter

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  Remoulade model with the "RJ" on it, referencing Romain "RJ" Dron

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  Chainsaw model with "PORTER" on it, referencing Will Porter

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  The Shaken and Stirred bar in Louisville is a reference to a famous catchphrase used in the Bond films