Dear Travelers,
Hotel Galactic will reopen for you in just 2 weeks. On December 18th we will take you on a cosmic adventure and show you everything that has been improved since the Early Access launch in July.
Today we reached a content lock for all our changes. We are happy with the redesigned systems, the new story content and all the features that were implemented. This content was extensively playtested to make sure our team will be ready on time, without adding new things directly before the patch launch. The next 2 weeks will be spent on testing and polishing what we created, and in 2 weeks you will get a reworked version of Hotel Galactic (v. P1N6T0N_1.0).
Let me tell you more about the important things you need to know before diving into Hotel Galactic’s new version.
This step is necessary to eliminate incompatibilities between the old version of the game and the reworked one. If a game goes through massive changes during Early Access, this is something that has to happen.
Because of your feedback, our new AI code or feature’s changes such as the completely redesigned Research Tree (now with categories to make navigating between decorations, hotel upgrades or new mechanics easier), you will have to start the Hotel Galactic story over.
Fret not, we also took the time to ensure that quest logic is now more user friendly. If you complete an objective before it appears on screen, the game will recognize it. We reworked Act 1 to make it more responsive, better paced and not as overwhelming as it felt at the beginning.
Sandbox mode enhances creativity. We could not allow it to remain a random feature filled with unlocked items without proper systems behind them. We want this mode to be a final, polished addition to the game that allows you to use all the elements, mechanics and knowledge you gain from Story Mode.
That is why we decided to disable this mode for now and prepare a full rework. For us, 2026 will begin with improvements to the building system, and once that is done, Sandbox Mode will receive a large update that will deliver a well-crafted, standalone experience with a proper introduction to creative gameplay.
Some rooms you may have already seen in the game, like the Library or Color Lab, will also be temporarily disabled. We focused on polishing and redesigning the core mechanics to improve the gameplay flow and overall experience, but the previous designs for some rooms simply did not fit anymore (and in many cases they did not work, creating additional problems in the hotel).
We decided to give you what is a sure thing for us at this moment and take a closer look at new room concepts. I can already tell you that we will not be keeping rooms like the Gym when we can create a Pool zone instead.
Our redesigned game finally introduces Guest Needs and a Rating System, and these mechanics should be supported by new room types that help fulfill the growing needs of the guests. Again, more logic and quality of life improvements.
Now, you will be able to build more floors in Hotel Galactic, which meant we had to implement some balance changes. Everything related to quality of life, like our updated Vendor, now focuses on allowing you to build, craft and decorate, maybe not effortlessly, but without blockers.
New items, room styles, objects categorized in the research tree and easier access to wall and floor design will all boost your creative freedom.
With these changes arriving on December 18th you will explore a completely new quality of Hotel Galactic. And with the community activities we are preparing for you, tons of new items will decorate your rooms.
We are finally ready to start a new era for Hotel Galactic and focus on preparing new content for you. We already started work on the mining feature and its special VIP guest, as well as new rooms like the Cinema or the Bar.
I appreciate you all and the feedback we received, which helped us locate and address the most problematic issues such as the lack of optimization inside the hotel. We are shaping this game with you now and this is exactly what Early Access is for: to listen, learn and give you the game we all want to play.
Thank you,
Ancient Forge Team
~ Apricot