Greetings to our dedicated community. I hope your holiday season was filled with joy. I am reaching out quite late from Korea—well past my usual midnight bedtime—to share some vital updates with you.
Articulating the depth of the features we are currently engineering in a concise way has been a challenge. To prevent this post from becoming a novel, I’ve refined the descriptions for clarity. As English is not my primary language, I appreciate your patience with any phrasing that may seem unconventional.
As previously noted, we will not be releasing a video this Friday. While most of the team is enjoying a well-deserved vacation, I’ve stayed behind to finalize this vision for you—mostly because I am eager to hear your thoughts! Our goal is to ensure the inZOI team enters the new year with clarity and momentum, so sharing our 2026 strategy now is a top priority before I take a short break myself.
The 2026 Vision: Two Strategic Pillars
Our strategy for 2026 is divided into two primary focuses:
- The 2026 Roadmap: New content and system expansions.
- Fundamentals First: A dedicated initiative to polish and solidify the core gameplay experience.
As we progress through 2026, particularly in the latter half of the year, we intend to shift more resources toward “Fundamentals First.” You will notice the roadmap for new features becomes more streamlined during that period as we prioritize stability and depth over sheer volume—a direction I believe many of you will champion.
I am sharing this comprehensive list because your perspective is invaluable. If you feel our priorities are misplaced, or if there is a glaring omission, please let us know. This list was curated from your feedback across Discord and various communities. While many challenges remain, I hope this transparency demonstrates our commitment to making inZOI the best it can be.
inZOI: Fundamentals First & 2026 Roadmap
- Note: Some initiatives may overlap between new development and fundamental polishing.
- Quarterly timelines are subject to change based on technical progress and development cycles.
Core Enhancements (Fundamentals First)
- Optimized Multitasking: Adjusting umbrella handling to the left hand, allowing Zois to carry items or perform other tasks simultaneously.
- UI Refinement: Removing door lock visual effects and outlines when utilizing the ‘U’ hotkey for a cleaner aesthetic.
- Interaction Clarity: Implementing distinct icons for mission-critical interactions and prioritizing them at the top of interaction lists.
- Vehicle Dynamics: Improving collision physics with natural deceleration to minimize chaotic accidents and driving disruptions.
- Social TV Logic: Adding Zoi reactions to channel changes and providing options to prevent interference or initiate “watch together” sessions.
- Natural Group Navigation: Enhancing group movement so Zois walk side-by-side, maintain eye contact, and converse naturally while in motion.
- Keybinding Support: Enabling custom key assignments for essential hotkeys.
Kinship & Social Dynamics
- Integration of non-biological relationships into the family tree with manual relationship labeling.
- Autonomous marriage and divorce behaviors.
- New intimacy animations including forehead kisses, prolonged embraces, and reclining together on sofas.
- Contextual bed animations based on the depth of the relationship.
- Nuanced grief reactions influenced by the strength of the bond with the deceased.
- Diverse breakup scenarios, ranging from mutual friendships to bitter rivalries.
- Personality-driven reactions to infidelity, including revenge, reconciliation, or deep sorrow.
- Expanded legal systems including divorce litigation and custody disputes.
- Advanced genetics: Inheritance of body types, talents, predispositions to illness, and temperaments.
- Milestone celebrations: Baby showers, gender reveals, and grandparent visits.
- Expanded group social activities for friends, couples, and large family gatherings.
- Implementation of multiple pregnancies (twins/triplets).
- Comprehensive family photography features in the Photo Studio.
- Support for family-level Canvas uploads and downloads.
- Enhanced romantic dialogue and nuanced family narrative arcs.
Autonomous Behavior & Intelligence
- Improved interaction flow: Zois will remain stationary while players browse menu options.
- Player-input priority: New commands will instantly cancel ongoing autonomous interactions.
- Visual consistency: Items like food will no longer vanish during conversations.
- Conversation logic: Reducing interruptions from idle chitchat or intrusive NPCs.
- Dynamic pathfinding: Expanding search radii for needs to prevent repetitive animation loops.
- Seating etiquette: Introverted Zois will prioritize sitting near acquaintances over strangers.
- Smart prioritization: Hunger-sating interactions will take precedence when needs are low.
- Coordinated schedules: Family members will attempt to depart for events together.
- Logic tweaks: Disallowing smartphone usage during sleep and reducing outdoor bench-sitting during rain.
- Enhanced group chitchat: Allowing multiple Zois to participate in a single, fluid conversation.
- Ambition & Growth: Quests focused on personal evolution and achieving life-long goals.
- Life Stage Expansion: Unique traits and expanded interactions for infants, children, and teenagers.
Interface & Creative Tools
- Horizontal scrolling and arrow buttons for trait selection.
- Context-aware maps that prioritize residential zones and relevant travel info.
- Customizable HUD: Moveable UI elements and a “slim” mode to maximize screen real estate.
- In-game time tracking within the Schedule Editor to monitor weekly progress.
- Cloud/Canvas syncing for game options and UI layouts.
- Detailed funeral notifications including cause of death.
- Expanded Media Support: Play personal music and video files from your PC.
- Enhanced Photo Mode: Option to hide UI effects during capture.
Economy, Commerce & Careers
- Bundled delivery systems for Pocket Market Fresh.
- Authentic shopping experiences: Item selection, barcode scanning, and manual checkout.
- Full restaurant service flow: Ordering, payment, preparation, and pickup.
- Expanded Retail: Management and patronage of boutiques, furniture stores, and surf shops.
- Professional Variety: Introduction of taxi drivers, delivery couriers, postal workers, and street food vendors.
- Creative Careers: Publishing systems for writers and band-related roles (musicians/composers).
- Specialized Establishments: Grocery stores, cinemas, and hair salons with full interactivity.
Travel & Infrastructure
- Designated home garages and family parking zones.
- Driving assistance: Integrated minimap UI for better navigation.
- Expanded Motorpool: Addition of pickup trucks, convertibles, and bicycles.
- Public Transit: Functional airports and subways with realistic boarding procedures.
- Emergency Services: Active fire trucks and ambulances responding to world events.
Presentation & Visual Fidelity
- Skill-based animations: Zois become more graceful and productive as their proficiency rises.
- Personality-driven locomotion: Confident, shy, or intimidating walking styles.
- Expanded Dance: Inclusion of ballet, waltzes, and intimate couple dances.
- First-Person Mode for total immersion.
- Advanced Physics: Enhanced character body simulation and realistic object destruction.
World & Environment
- Contextual cleaning: Vacuums used indoors and brooms used outdoors.
- Smart Home Logic: Automatic lighting based on proximity or sleep schedules.
- Dynamic News: In-game events broadcasted via TV and messages.
- City Karma: Urban environments that shift based on collective Zoi behavior.
- Seasonal Atmosphere: Drifting cherry blossoms, icicles on eaves, and accumulating snow.
Zoi Customization (CAZ)
- Granular sliders for specific body parts and improved “muscular” or “overweight” presets.
- Accessory Freedom: Free positioning for piercings and support for multiple piercings.
- Hair & Style: Inclusion of waist-length hair, afros, and traditional cultural attire (including Hanbok).
- AI-Assisted Creation: Automatic face generation features.
- Gen 0 Content: Specialized customization for newborns and infants.
- Unique Options: Heterochromia, transparency controls for clothing, and independent left/right accessory toggles.
Systems, Progression & Law
- Personal room designations and per-Zoi object ownership.
- Batch farming actions (planting, fertilizing, harvesting).
- Healthcare: Functional hospitals and pharmacies for recovery.
- Legal Consequences: Arrest procedures, incarceration, and bail systems based on crime severity.
- Security: Functional alarms, safes, and surveillance cameras for homes.
- Education: School commute buses, graduation ceremonies, and discipline systems (curfews).
2026 Quarterly Roadmap
Q1: Professionalism & Fate
- Advanced Employment: Support for multiple jobs, interviews, and remote work.
- Specialized Careers: Police (active patrols) and Beauty (aesthetic-based gameplay).
- Social Dynamics: Rivals, reputation systems, and a “Fate Engine.”
- Life Systems: Calendar with birthdays, age adjustment, and memory/trauma tracking.
- World Expansion: European and Hanok-style architecture and furniture.
Q2: Performance & Justice
- Career Expansion: Freelance blogging, photography, and elderly-specific roles.
- Incarceration System: Functional prison properties with laundry, visitation, and yards.
- K-Pop Content: Stage performances, idol styling, concept spaces, and superstar events.
- Progression: Ranked reward systems and tiers of achievement.
Q3: Maturity & Connectivity
- Youth Employment: Part-time jobs for teenagers.
- Memoirs: Event Memory and Diary system.
- Architectural Freedom: Implementation of curved walls, windows, and pools.
Q4: Depth & Terrain
- Subterranean Building: Construction of basements.
- World Editing: Initial development of terrain modification tools.
- Detailing: Module-based wall decorations for interiors and exteriors.
While our team continues to expand, please understand that technical limitations or shifts in development may mean some items take longer than 2026 to realize. However, much of the requested graphical content is already being developed in parallel with these systems.
We are currently exploring better ways to aggregate your feedback—perhaps through in-game surveys—to help us prioritize this massive list. What I can tell you today is that we have already begun active development on items #1 through #7 of the Fundamentals list to address the most immediate frustrations.
Thank you for supporting this project through its imperfections. We are committed to building a better inZOI with you.
As 2025 draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on how precious each day is. I will share a final personal message with you this Wednesday. Until then, remember that we only ever truly live in “today.” Make the most of these final days of the year.
Sincerely,
kjun