Previously, Smudge Sticks could be used to prematurely end a ghost's hunting phase. V0.174 changed this to a delayed interaction . Instead of ending the hunt, Smudge Sticks now briefly prevent the ghost from targeting a specific player, providing a small window to find a hiding spot.

Phasmophobia v0.10.2.0, released in early 2026, advances the game toward its 1.0 launch with a tiered equipment system, player model updates, and the Cursed Hollow event running through April 21, 2026. The 2026 roadmap outlines the "Horror Rework," Unity 6 engine transition, and upcoming console releases. For official updates on the 2026 roadmap, visit Kinetic Games .

It is the version where cursed items felt truly dangerous because the game was too buggy to telegraph the danger properly. It is the version where you could outrun a Revenant simply by stepping over a dropped flashlight (which acted as a physics barrier in v0.174).

of Phasmophobia represents a critical snapshot of the game during its initial viral explosion (September–December 2020). At this stage, Kinetic Games was still a small team, and the update focused on stabilizing the core loop while introducing early quality-of-life features. This version is often cited by veteran players as the last "pure" state before the major progression and AI overhauls of 2021.

Perhaps the most heated discussion surrounding the patches leading up to and including the v0.174 era was the fate of the Sunny Meadows map.

Would you like a side-by-side comparison of ghost behaviors between v0.174 and the current patch?

For those feeling nostalgic, community-driven projects like Phasmophobia Legacy allow players to revisit this specific version to experience the original graphics and simpler mechanics that defined the game's initial rise to fame.

Kinetic Games has moved forward, but remains a beloved cornerstone—the patch that proved high-risk items and smart, buggy AI could make a $13 indie game feel like a triple-A nightmare. Whether you are revisiting it via a legacy copy or just reading the patch notes for history, remember: in v0.174, the ghost could hear your microphone even when you were muted . Happy hunting.

The payout for certain photos was lowered to prevent players from easily farming large amounts of cash in single runs. Legacy and Modern Context