State of Decay 2 Daylight Hours
Screenshot by Goblins & Ghouls

State of Decay 2: How Long is a Day? – Answered

Like any good survival game, you must carefully plan your daylight hours in State of Decay 2 to successfully loot key items, resources, and components to keep your base running. You have a limited supply of daylight, though. But how long does a day last in State of Decay 2? We’ve got the answer for you!

How Long is One Day in State of Decay 2?

A single day in State of Decay 2 lasts for 90 minutes in real-time, with the daylight hours accounting for 45 minutes and nighttime accounting for the other 45 minutes.

It often feels as if nighttime lasts much longer in the game, but both are the exact same. I recommend giving yourself a task for each night, like clearing out the zombies in the immediate vicinity using stealth. Or, if you want a bit more of a challenge, tackle a Plague Heart. It glows bright red, so it’s easily visible at night.

How to Check the Time in State of Decay 2

You cannot check the time in the normal way, such as checking a clock or watch, but you can determine the general time of day by looking at the position of the sun or moon.

To do so, look up to the sky and turn North. If the sun/moon is more to the West, it’s before noon/midnight. But if the sun is to the East, it’s past noon/midnight.

It’s not a foolproof method but should give you the basics!

Related: The Best Base Locations and Strategies in State of Decay 2

Can You Skip Night Time in State of Decay 2?

You, unfortunately, cannot skip nighttime. You can hide out in your base, crafting various items, like med packs and crossbow bolts, but you cannot skip over the nighttime. If you’re too terrified to leave the comfort and security of your base, I recommend opening up YouTube or a Stream on another screen and then turning your attention there.

That said, be wary of a zombie assault on your base in the meantime!


Goblins & Ghouls provides high-quality video game guides for exceptional titles like State of Decay 2, which has given us countless hundreds of hours of playtime. We suggest you learn all about the best base in Drucker County while you’re here!