Phasmophobia is preparing to make ghost hunting a little smoother, a little less awkward and, thanks to one carefully censored addition, potentially a lot more dangerous.
Kinetic Games has shared two detailed previews of the quality-of-life update launching across all platforms on 21 July 2026. The update will arrive alongside the long-awaited rework of 13 Willow Street, while also introducing new controls, improvements to evidence collection, animation changes and a mystery ghost that the developer is not quite ready to identify yet.
This is the first and larger half of a two-part quality-of-life overhaul. A second update is currently planned for late August, bringing further improvements after players have had time to get their hands on the July changes.
More than a routine list of bug fixes
There are plenty of fixes included in the July update. Plenty.
Kinetic has addressed issues covering equipment, ghost behaviour, character models, locations, voice recognition, multiplayer stability and VR. Rather than repeating the full catalogue here and forcing everyone to spend their afternoon reading about every troublesome flashlight and overly ambitious Ouija Board, you can find the complete breakdown on the official Phasmophobia website with Part 2 of that update here.
The broader theme is more important: Kinetic is trying to make Phasmophobia quicker, clearer and less frustrating to control.
Animations for grabbing objects, opening doors and interacting with equipment are being removed or shortened from the player’s perspective, meaning less waiting around while your ghost hunter slowly completes a movement. The Journal will open much faster, evidence detection is being improved, lighting around the player is being adjusted, and several equipment-related annoyances are being cleaned up.
None of those changes will completely reinvent Phasmophobia. They should, however, make each contract feel less like you are wrestling with the interface while something murderous crawls towards you in the dark.
Better controls and evidence collection
PC players will finally be able to switch directly between their equipment slots using the 1, 2, 3 and 4 keys, with the option to rebind them. It sounds like a small change, but fumbling through equipment while a hunt begins has probably shortened enough lives already.
Players will also be able to inspect their Watch whenever they like using a dedicated button, rather than having to awkwardly position themselves to check it.
Photography is getting some welcome attention too. EMF Level 5 readings will become their own photo opportunity, while higher-tier Photo Cameras will display a frame highlighting what they are about to capture. When several valid subjects are in view, the game should prioritise unique evidence or whatever provides the greatest reward.
That should hopefully reduce those moments where you photograph something genuinely important, only for the game to decide you were actually trying to preserve a slightly wonky picture of a door.
A new ghost is hiding in the patch notes
Kinetic Games has also confirmed that a new ghost type will arrive with the update.
Its name remains completely hidden for now, leaving players to speculate about what fresh collection of traits, tells and deeply unfair behaviour it might bring. Once released, the new ghost will have an increased chance of appearing in contracts for the first few weeks, giving players more opportunities to learn how it works.
Or, more realistically, more opportunities to confidently identify it as something else before being murdered.
13 Willow Street gets a new lease of death
The other major attraction is the reworked 13 Willow Street.
Like the recent overhaul of 6 Tanglewood Drive, the new Willow Street keeps the broad layout players already know while refreshing its rooms, visuals and environmental storytelling. The intention is to make the location feel more distinctive without losing the familiarity that made it a favourite among players.
Kinetic says those first steps inside should feel new but recognisable, which seems like the right balance. Willow Street does not need to become a completely different map. It just needs enough character and detail to make returning there feel worthwhile.
A new challenge will arrive with the map too. Players who correctly identify 50 ghosts on Willow Street and survive the contracts will earn the Sun Seeker ID Card and Badge set.
Twitch Drops and a bigger VR overhaul to come
A Twitch Drops campaign will run between 21 and 28 July. Watching two hours of participating Phasmophobia streams will unlock the Cool Cat ID Card and Badge, with an animated version available exclusively through Kinetic Games Partner channels.
VR players are getting several immediate usability and character improvements in July, but the more substantial work is being held for August. The second quality-of-life update will introduce a completely new VR character rig, with better crouching, more accurate body positioning, improved animations and further changes to the equipment belt.
It is an understandable split. There is a lot packed into these updates, and trying to force every planned improvement into one giant release would probably create an entirely new list of problems to fix afterwards.
Phasmophobia is focusing on foundations
Phasmophobia’s July update sits within a wider change of direction for the game.
Kinetic Games has acknowledged that the recent Player Character Update did not meet its own standards or player expectations. The studio’s revised roadmap now puts greater emphasis on quality-of-life changes, stability and rebuilding trust before Phasmophobia finally reaches version 1.0 in 2027.
That makes this Phasmophobia update more important than the individual keybinds and camera improvements might suggest. It is the first real test of whether that renewed focus will make the game feel better in the hands of the people still regularly heading into haunted houses with three friends and a completely unjustified level of confidence.
Our take on Phasmophobia’s July update
Phasmophobia does not desperately need more systems piled on top of it. It proved that with the last failure that was a quality-of-life update bringing in the new character customisation and a change to the player’s POV in terms of holding equipment. I won’t lie, it actually put me off playing the game. What it needs is the systems already there to feel responsive, reliable and easy to understand. Rather than ruining the experience.
That is why this quality-of-life update sounds promising. A new ghost and a refreshed map give players something exciting to investigate, while the less glamorous work on animations, controls, evidence and stability should improve every contract around them.
The reworked 13 Willow Street and first quality-of-life update launch across all platforms on 21 July. The second half of the Phasmophobia overhaul will follow in late August.
Just remember: the new ghost will be appearing more often for a while.
So, when everything you thought you knew suddenly stops making sense, at least you will have a reasonable excuse.
For even more gaming news, click right here.
