Hello everyone, this is Kjun. Starting today, I’ll be sharing with you some of our team’s latest developments for InZOI. These are specs we are planning to add in future updates so it might be a while before you see them impemented to the actual build. If you find any of these interesting, would like to see improved or simply never want to see added to the game, please let me know.

• Finally, you can enter and exit swimming simply by moving to and away from the water.

• We added numerical dimensions and guidelines for when building walls in Build Mode.

• Here is an early look at some of the outfits we’ll be adding in December

• We are currently fixing an issue where the body would sometimes extend from outfits.

• We’re trying to decide which animation is more suitable for motorcycle accidents.

• We changed the color of the dart.

• We added effects to harvestable crops.

• We also added effects for when taking mirror selfies.

• We improved the body positioning for when sitting in chairs.

• We added a hotkey and control layout.

• We changed the inner Thoughts design and combined it with Cat’s Eye and Skill Gauge into a single widget.

• We improved the quality of Cahaya’s Beach.

• We also improved the texture quality of the turtles and placed more of them around the beach.

• We enhanced the interiors of non-enterable buildings to look more realistic.

• We improved the quality of crop weeds.

I’ve gathered the most common and repeatedly mentioned requests and summarized them here. Some already have clear solutions, while others will take more time as we continue to explore different approaches. While reading through your feedback — much of which went beyond the scope of the original video — I once again realized how much inZOI still has room to grow, and how important open communication with all of you is. Please understand that this response covers a wide range of topics. I’ve read through everything twice, but since there’s a lot of feedback, please feel free to repeat or remind me if I miss anything.

1. Core Gameplay & Simulation

Story and Drama Enhancements

Many of you suggested adding a “Story Mode” that would give the game clearer goals and meaning — providing experiences that go beyond simple, repetitive daily actions. The development team is currently reviewing this idea internally. Once it becomes more concrete, we’ll share the direction we’re heading and gather your feedback. Since many inZOI players are new to life simulation games, some also suggested that a Story Mode could give more purpose and structure to their gameplay. When this concept is more defined, we’ll share details and collect your thoughts again. You also requested the addition of realistic tragedy, the darker sides of life, and unpredictable dramatic events to give the gameplay more emotional depth and tension. I agree with this and would like to include such elements as well. If you have specific ideas, please share them in the comments — I’ll review them carefully. The recently added “Request Divorce” feature received great responses, and we plan to continue adding similar emotionally driven features. Our direction for inZOI is to evolve into a world where dramatic and meaningful events naturally occur. Some of you also asked for a “living world” — where stories between NPCs unfold on their own, such as witnessing accidents or arguments, allowing the player to feel like part of the world rather than its center. Although inZOI is still limited in this regard, I’m always happy when I read your comments and see how closely your ideas align with the development team’s vision. In the October update, a small portion of this system will be included. We’re removing static shop visitors and implementing a system where crowds can now enter nearby stores. NPCs will have 4–6 different occupations and exhibit interconnected behaviors — for example, if someone drops litter, a cleaner will come to pick it up. It’s still in an early stage, but my long-term dream is to create a world like Ready Player One. You also suggested giving players powerful in-game storytelling tools and AI-driven NPCs that allow them to create their own stories. As shown at Gamescom, this is already under development. This new system uses an LLM-based model, not the current “Smart Zoi,” enabling NPCs to form relationships and retain memories. It offers major advantages in story generation — with natural emotions, consistent logic, and contextual behavior. It’s such a promising area that I’d like to hold a separate discussion dedicated to this topic soon.

Character and NPC Autonomy

Many players pointed out that Zois lack autonomy — for example, they don’t cook when they’re hungry or use umbrellas when it rains. In the October update, we improved Zoi behavior to make them act more human-like, though there may still be some limitations. Technically, it’s possible for a Zoi to use an umbrella, but when carrying a bag or starting a conversation, they need to free their hands — this conflict hasn’t been fully resolved yet. The development team is aware of this issue and will continue refining it. You also requested improvements that support a more “observation-based” playstyle, where Zois autonomously manage their needs and actions without requiring constant player control — similar to an ant farm. In the October update, we shortened the default in-game day length (while keeping the same overall time flow) and focused on making daily life feel more natural and human. It’s not perfect yet, but our goal is to make Zois live like real people. Previously, we were overly focused on building a technically perfect simulation world, which caused several problems — optimization issues, increasing system complexity, and high maintenance costs. After much testing, we realized that maintaining this approach is unsustainable. We’ve now shifted our design: instead of relying purely on simulation logic, Zois will act appropriately based on adaptive behavioral values that fit their situation. I’ll share a detailed video about this change on Friday. Players also requested more realistic relationship dynamics, such as betrayal, jealousy, and rumors — as well as NPCs who recognize each other and behave differently depending on their relationships. To achieve this, we’re enhancing multitasking, group behavior, and the event system. These improvements will be included in the December update. For example, during dates or family trips to amusement parks, Zois will engage in more conversations and interactions with each other. Once this system is implemented, families will naturally talk more often and move together when visiting parks. That’s the development goal — it’s a difficult system to build, but I’m determined to make it happen. Does this match what you were hoping for? If so, please leave a comment and let me know.

Controls & Animation

Interaction and Animation Improvements

Many of you pointed out that most activities — such as playing instruments, meditating, hula-hooping, or watching TV — feel too short. There were numerous requests to make these animations loop continuously until the player cancels them. This should be relatively easy to implement. For example, we can easily add interactions like “Play for 1 hour” or “Play for 3 hours.” In addition, we’re developing a “Keep Playing” option that continues indefinitely until a need becomes too low or the player decides to stop. In the October update, we’ve already extended the duration of several actions such as billiards and bowling to make them more immersive. Some players also mentioned that short animations and limited facial expressions make it difficult to take satisfying screenshots, and requested longer, more expressive performances. This will be partially improved in the October update. While inZOI already supports advanced facial animation technology, we still lack sufficient data to fully utilize it. We’ll continue expanding and improving expressions over time.

Motorcycle Presentation

Regarding the motorcycle accident animation, many said the second animation was more natural and preferred the version without a loading screen for better immersion. While handling post-crash situations is technically challenging, we plan to maintain the current version for now and gradually improve it as our systems evolve. There are still technical limitations we need to overcome.

WASD / Arrow Key Options

Many requested the ability to use the WASD or arrow keys for camera movement instead of character control. This seems to be a common concern among players who find direct keyboard control awkward. Some suggested adding a specific key (for example, U) to toggle between “Character Movement” and “Camera Movement.” We’ll review this toggle option internally within the development team. However, several players also emphasized that WASD character control is a core immersion feature that makes inZOI unique, so it shouldn’t be removed — only provided as an option. We completely agree and will continue to refine WASD controls as one of inZOI’s key strengths.

Swimming Controls

You requested a point-and-click interaction that allows players to command Zois to “Swim” or “Exercise” by clicking on a swimming pool. This would be an essential accessibility feature for those who find direct control difficult. We’re currently designing a system where Zois can freely swim and rest at intervals. However, implementing conversation while swimming has proven more difficult than expected, so that part is taking extra time. If necessary, we plan to first release free swimming movement before adding conversational interactions later.

3. Building & Graphics

Building Convenience Improvements

Many of you requested clearer furniture placement guidelines and a way to immediately check lot size information obtained through the canvas system. The lack of standardized lot sizing stems from early development when those rules weren’t yet established — we’ll prepare improvements for this quickly. The wall placement guideline system has already been improved, and I’ll be showing this update in a video later this week. As for furniture placement guidelines, we’d love to hear more detailed suggestions from you so we can refine them further. We completely understand the inconvenience caused by the current behavior of snap-connected furniture, and we’re working on a fix as soon as possible. You also suggested many specific improvements such as saving wallpaper styles, furniture resizing, free placement without grid constraints, and additional building shortcuts. Shortcut keys will be developed first — those are relatively easy to implement, and I’m always happy when we get feedback that’s directly actionable. As for furniture resizing and grid-free placement, these are functions we’ve actually wanted to enable for a long time. However, doing so currently causes simulation errors, which is why the features are temporarily disabled. As developers, we’re always cautious about such risks — it’s hard to know how much players would tolerate potential bugs, so we’ve held off. If you continue to express support for these features, it’ll help us prioritize and push them forward. You also shared ideas about expanding item storage, multi-select and move options for items, larger refrigerator capacity, batch ingredient storage, and more diverse food ordering options — all of which we’ll be reviewing to improve kitchen and food-related systems.

World and Lot Expansion

Many players mentioned that there aren’t enough empty lots available for building your own houses and requested that we add more. In fact, we’ve already been planning a new city area consisting primarily of empty lots. However, one technical issue is that each house in inZOI contains roughly 1,000–2,000 pieces of data. Because of this, we intentionally spaced houses farther apart to prevent performance degradation — having multiple houses close together can significantly slow down the game. The new city’s empty lots were also designed with wide spacing for this reason. That said, we could still make them closer together if players prefer, even if it comes at some cost to optimization. Within the development team, we’ve discussed this and even voted on it — so how about we try that here, too?

4. Character Creation & Customization (CAZ)

Children and Toddler Content (Highly Requested)

Many players mentioned that there’s a lack of clothing for children and toddlers. Going forward, we’ll reduce the number of adult outfits and focus more on developing clothing for younger characters. There was also consistent feedback that babies look unrealistic — being too large and even having visible teeth. We agree with this and plan to redesign them and add customization options. (And please don’t feel bad about pointing it out — this is part of our Art Director’s work, and I’ll simply pass it along to him! We’ve known each other for years, so it’s all good.)

Expanded Customization Options

Many requested the ability to save different hairstyles and makeup settings for each outfit category. This has come up several times, and we’re now reviewing how to implement it. It’s likely to be developed around December. For example, when switching to a “party outfit,” your hair and makeup would automatically change to match. Currently, hairstyles and makeup are stored separately from outfits, but we’re developing a system to link them into a single set. If I’ve misunderstood your request, please let me know — we want to get this right. inZOI aims to make character customization one of its strongest and most enjoyable features. Players also requested more body sliders, piercings, tattoos, and other detailed customization options. These are already under active development and will continue to expand over time.

5. UI / UX Quality of Life Improvements

UI Convenience

Some noted that the “Expectations” goal section is too small and easy to overlook. This will be improved in the October update. However, I do worry that emphasizing the remaining time too much could feel stressful — so we’ll try to strike a balance. There were also requests to adjust transparency for UI elements such as lock icons, sale icons, and mouse-over borders, as well as to reduce unnecessary icons. We’ll be improving these gradually, step by step. Information Accessibility Many asked for a search function in both the world map and build mode, to make it easier to find specific places or furniture. I completely agree, especially as cities become more complex. We’re aiming to release this feature in December, similar to what’s shown in the attached design mockup. Please share more feedback if you feel anything’s missing.

Reducing Visual Clutter

ou requested the option to turn off visual effects such as the white outline that appears on mouse-over, various icons, mood effects, and lock/key indicators — as these can interfere with immersion and screenshot composition. This has been a frequent request, and we’re raising its development priority. We’re considering an option where “Hide UI” would also hide all visual overlays and indicators. Would that approach work for you?

Cheat & Management Features

Some of you asked for aging skips or age control cheats. In December, we plan to introduce systems for adjusting lifespan length and customizing the duration of each life stage, as well as features like birthday events and age skipping. We actually use many of these cheats internally during development — but exposing them to players can sometimes cause simulation issues or break progression, which is why we’ve been cautious about releasing them. Still, we understand the demand and are carefully considering safe ways to make some of these available.

6. Technical Issues & Systems

Maintaining the Open World

Many of you strongly opposed the idea of adding loading screens or dividing lots to improve performance, expressing concern that such changes would damage inZOI’s greatest strength — its seamless open world. This is honestly the most difficult topic to address today. There are two major technical challenges in maintaining an open world: CPU performance, required to sustain persistent simulation, and GPU performance, needed to render large, complex environments. Keeping the open world active makes it nearly impossible to fill the city with more stores and activities while maintaining stable performance — especially since we also want inZOI to run on lower-end systems, such as those using the M1 chip. To balance these challenges, we’re focusing on optimization — reducing city and lot sizes so inZOI can run even on very low-end hardware, and developing technology that works on devices without Nanite support. My direction is to use instanced (dungeon-like) interiors for optimization — allowing us to add more stores and content without sacrificing stability — while still maintaining an open-world experience. If we don’t use this method, we simply can’t continue expanding the open world with more interactive places. This decision wasn’t easy, but I’ll make sure the sense of immersion remains intact and continue searching for better solutions.

Bug Fixes

Some players reported serious relationship bugs — for example, married Zois suddenly becoming siblings. My apologies! We’ll verify and patch this issue as quickly as possible in an upcoming update.

Deeper Relationship Systems

Many emphasized the importance of a family tree system that allows tracking relationships across multiple generations — especially for legacy players. I completely agree, and this feature is currently in development. It has been technically challenging, which caused delays, but we’re planning additional improvements by December. You also suggested that relationships should evolve naturally through major life events — divorce, loss, affairs, etc. — and that secrets like infidelity shouldn’t be immediately revealed unless witnessed by others. I fully agree that these events should feel realistic and emotionally impactful. As mentioned before, our team understands this well and will continue to expand the diversity and realism of relationship dynamics.

Additional Suggestions

You shared a wide range of ideas, including: Mod support expansion Mac optimization In-game surveys Automatic laundry and clothing dirt systems Keyboard shortcut customization Improved lip-syncing More natural NPC behaviors Enhanced social network and narrative complexity Realistic simulation features like accidents, courts, and insurance Store management gameplay and further loading reduction This week, I focused on replying to as many posts as possible related to ongoing development topics. Every piece of feedback is valuable, and I wish I could personally respond to everyone — please understand if I couldn’t reach all of you this time. You’ve shared so many ideas that I can’t help but wonder — will you still have more to say next time? (I’m sure you will.)

In Korea, there’s a traditional holiday called Chuseok, a time to give thanks to our ancestors. We hold a ceremony called “Charye,” where families bow in gratitude for the year’s blessings and pray for good fortune in the year to come. From a modern perspective, it might seem a little old-fashioned, but for most Koreans, the true meaning lies in bringing distant family members together in one place.

Thinking about it now, this event — “The Conversation Begins: Building the Game Together” — feels a bit like our own Chuseok, bringing all of us together in one space to share thoughts and stories. I’m really happy about that.

See you again on Friday!