Survivors, We’ve been heads down on Colony, and today we want to share where things stand, what’s changed, and what to expect next. We originally aimed to open a larger test group in July, but we chose to extend that window so we could finish a substantial set of gameplay and UX revisions. We know the wait has been tough, and we appreciate your patience. We’re working to make sure it was worth it. What’s new in Colony: • Instability Meter: The Colony now has a visible instability bar that rises over time or when things go wrong. Keep it low to survive or hit 100% and the run ends. • AI Pings: Your AI agent now checks in with dilemmas, events, and reflections. Snappy decisions can reduce tension or backfire which can shape both your story and your stability. • Major Events: High-stakes threats [storms, plagues, sabotage] now strike the Colony. You can prep with resources or craft specific items to endure them. Failing hurts badly. • Onchain Item Extraction: You can extract up to 3 items per run [potential to change]. The first extraction is free; additional extractions cost more. If your wallet is linked, extracted gear is minted to you. • Player Progression & XP: You now earn XP passively as your agent works. Leveling up improves core capabilities and unlocks new bonuses over time. • Badge System: Complete focused actions (e.g., mining, battle wins) to earn badges. These grant permanent perks and can be slotted before each new run. • Core Resources Revamp: The economy has been simplified around five clean resources: Social, Tech, Materials, Military, Money. • NPC Hiring: Named NPCs are now hireable, offering temporary or permanent boosts like cheaper construction or faster crafting. • UX Updates: A UI / UX refresh with a focus on mobile usability and clarity across the core loop. We’ve taken this time to streamline how you and your AI work together to survive and tightened the moment-to-moment loop to reduce friction, make decisions more legible, and raise the stakes in the right places. These changes touched a lot including systems, balance, and UI. We prioritized doing it right before expanding the test group. What’s next: • More playtests: We’ll begin inviting additional players in August as we lock in the revised loop and tuning. • Open Alpha: Still targeted before the end of 2025. • We’ll share dates as we confirm them so you can plan ahead. Thank you for sticking with us. We’re excited to get you into the Colony soon and to hear what you think of the new loop once you can play. The Colony Team //