Hey everyone! We know we've been quiet for a while. But not for nothing: we've been working on the biggest update MallRivals has ever seen, and all of it had one goal: the full 1.0 release, coming very soon.
Before we hit that button, we want you to see the game first. This Release Candidate is the full 1.0, just ahead of launch.
How to join:
Right-click the game in your library
Go to Properties → Betas
Select the releasecandidate branch
Then play it, push it, and tell us where it breaks. Report what you find at [DISCORD].
One small note: Your old saves will not work in this build.
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So what's inside? In short: almost everything.
🏪 Four New Store Types
Pharmacy, Home Goods, Hardware and Liquor Store have joined the mall. Each comes with its own license ladder, product range and shelving.
🚨 Crime & Police
Empty customers' pockets, pick the locks on storage doors, and turn stolen goods into cash on the black market. But watch yourself; the mall now has a real police force that patrols the floor, chases you down and throws repeat offenders in a cell.
📈 Living Economy & Demand
Pricing is no longer set-and-forget. Every product has demand that shifts from day to day, and store statistics break down exactly what's pulling customers in.
👔 Employees: Personality, Training & Managers
Every employee now comes with their own traits. Send them to training to earn skills, put a manager in charge, and keep the store running even when you're not around.
🛍️ A Living Mall
Informants who trade intel for gifts, NPCs who remember you, thief customers who blend into the crowd and empty your shelves, and bodyguards who actually throw punches.
❤️ Health, Stamina & Combat
A brand new HP, stamina and combat system from the ground up.
⭐ Perk Tree
Pick the branch that fits how you play: dozens of permanent perks across six branches: Commerce, Crime, Combat, Mobility, Social and Labor. Will you be a merchant who drives harder bargains, a pickpocket with fast hands, or a brawler who knows how to swing? The money you earn shapes your character.
🏆 More Ways to Play
Real win conditions and game modes, including the Mall Buyout race. Every session can have a finish line now: a money target, a rank target or a day limit. The winner is crowned on the victory screen.
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Underneath all of that sits months of cleanup: hundreds of bug fixes, save and multiplayer sync repairs, and a major performance push to keep the mall running smooth even when it's packed.
This is the last stop before launch. Play the candidate, report what you find, and help us make launch day "uneventful" in the best possible way. For us, the full release isn't the finish line, it's the starting line; things really speed up after 1.0.
See you there.
— The MallRivals team