- 75,000 Wishlists! đ - 11 September 2026
Hey everyone,We have a massive milestone to celebrate today: Hopetown has officially reached 75,000 Wishlists here on Steam! To everyone who has hit that button, shared the game, or joined our community: thank you from the bottom of our hearts.We are right back to work on the next chunk of development, but we couldn't skip a chance to share this moment with you all.If you haven't added Hopetown to your wishlist yet, you can do so right here on our store page to follow along with our development journey!
- Telltaleâs Choices Matter Festival Special: Hopetown Art Update - 10 August 2026
Hopetown is officially participating in Telltale's Choices Matter Festival on Steam! To mark the event, weâve just released a fresh update showcasing some of the major progress our art and world-building teams have been working on. Weâve given Hopetownâs world a thorough visual refresh, refining atmospheric lighting, textures, and environmental depth to make every conversation and choice feel even more immersive. Check out our âbefore and afterâ teaser video that reflect some of these art changes..
- Hopetown Inspirations: The History of Disco Elysium Part 2 ft. Veljo Hagu - 27 March 2026
Veljo Hagu was the first Unity developer hired on Disco Elysium. He shaped the gameâs unique skill system and translated ambitious vision into groundbreaking gameplay.Before you dive into this interview, donât forget to wishlist Hopetown on Steam to follow development and help us reach more players.Hopetown Inspirations: The History of Disco Elysium as told by Veljo Hagu | Part Two: Technical Origins In this interview, Veljo reveals:How 24 skills stayed narratively impactful without becoming min-max puzzlesWhy removing combat opened space for narrative innovationThe biggest technical challenge: marrying dense narrative with reactive systemsHis advice for developers: execution matters more than perfect vision"The first time I heard Mikee Goodman's narration in the beginning dialogue, I got goosebumps. It was just that powerful."Veljo's approach to integrated systems and team momentum infâŚ
- Hopetown Inspirations: The History of Disco Elysium as told by Martin Luiga - 27 February 2026
The History of Disco Elysium is a special series in which we ask our narrative lead Martin Luiga â one of the founding members of the ZA/UM cultural movement that brought the world Disco Elysium â our most burning questions about the making of Disco and the early days of ZA/UM.Before you dive into this interview, donât forget to wishlist Hopetown on Steam to follow development and help us reach more players.Hopetown Inspirations: The History of Disco Elysium as told by Martin Luiga | Part OneHow was Disco Elysium really made? Our narrative lead Martin Luiga, one of ZA/UM's founding members, tells his story.In part one of this special series, Martin shares:The early days of ZA/UM in 2000s EstoniaMeeting Robert Kurvitz and forming the collectiveHow chaos turned into the beloved cRPG we know todayWhy personal freedom was the secret ingredient"I would say that Disco Elysium is a fruit of maâŚ
- On The Record: Gerard | Hopetown Senior Writer | Developer Interview - 6 February 2026
Welcome back to On The Record, our behind-the-scenes series exploring the minds, methods, and inspirations of our team. This month weâre exploring how words become world with Gerard, a senior writer for Hopetown. Before you dive into this interview, donât forget to wishlist Hopetown on Steam to follow development and help us reach more players. On The Record: Gerard HowardTell us a little about yourself â who you are, and what you do on Hopetown. Iâm just a lil guy from Ireland, really. But I also happen to be an avid gamer and collector of books (I can genuinely build furniture with what Iâve got). Iâm a screenwriter, author, and now one of the writers/narrative designers on Hopetown. My goal here is to make at least ONE person ugly cry with a character I wrote. How did you first get involved with Hopetown? What drew you to the world and its style of storytelling? I happened to work onâŚ
- Off the Record | The Bartenderâs Philosophy - 15 January 2026
Welcome to Off The Record, our monthly peek behind the scenes of Hopetown. A look into the strange, shifting narrative RPG weâre building with far too many red strings pinned to our walls. You can bury a lot underground. Doesnât mean it stays put. In Hopetown, the truths that people whisper after midnight are often more revealing than anything they print. This transcript was found scrawled on the back of an old bar menu from The Lowest Point â the kind of place where rumours, regrets, and spilled drinks all share the same sticky surface. The Bartenderâs Philosophy They say the trick to tending bar is knowing when to listen and when to pretend you didnât hear a damn thing. I think thatâs most of life really, just selective hearing dressed up as wisdom. Youâd be surprised what people confess once theyâve had a few. The miners talk of things that donât hold true in the light of day. ThoseâŚ
- On The Record: Anastasia | Hopetown Concept Artist | Developer Interview - 8 December 2025
âEvery corner of Hopetown should feel like it remembers something you donâtâ On The Record | Developer InterviewWelcome back to On The Record, our behind-the-scenes series exploring the minds, methods, and inspirations of the Hopetown team. This month weâre stepping into the concept stage, where mood becomes world, with Anastasia. From surreal architecture to everyday details that just feel a little off, Anastasia helps define Hopetownâs painterly tone and the uncanny nostalgia that shapes its world. Before you dive into this developer interview, donât forget to wishlist Hopetown on Steam to follow development and help us reach more players.Between Realism and DreamTell us a little about yourself â who you are, and what you do on Hopetown? I'm an artist, I enjoy many kinds of creative work, but drawing has always had a special place in my heart. Over time, I discovered concept art! AndâŚ
- On the Record with Dan & Varia - 30 October 2025
"Stories arenât just told. Theyâre lived, remembered, and reshaped." Welcome back to On the Record, our behind-the-scenes series exploring the minds, methods, and inspirations of the Hopetown team.This time, weâre joined by writers Dan and Varia, whoâve been helping shape the tangled narrative threads of Hopetown. From inspirations drawn from books, games, and real-world influences, to what it means to write for a âpsychological RPG driven by story, depth, and danger,â they share how narrative forms the backbone of the town.In our conversation, they talk about:âď¸ How they became involved in the project âď¸ The inspirations shaping Hopetownâs world and dialogue âď¸ What âa psychological RPG driven by story, depth, and dangerâ means to them âď¸ The feelings they hope players take awayAnd of course, they take on a round of quick-fire questions â from NPC archetypes to their strangest Google sâŚ
- On The Record: Astri Lohne - 25 September 2025
Welcome back to On The Record This time on On The Record, weâre stepping into the visual heart of Hopetown. Art director Astri Lohne has been a huge part of shaping the gameâs strange, beautiful world. A place balanced between the familiar and the surreal.In this interview, Astri takes us behind the scenes of Hopetownâs art direction, sharing how the environments came to life and how she approached creating characters who feel at home in this uncanny setting. She also talks about the creative choices behind the gameâs isometric style, the oddest places sheâs found inspiration, and more.Behind the CanvasTell us a little bit about yourself â who you are, and what you do on Hopetown.Iâm Astri, the art director on Hopetown! Iâve been working as a concept artist for the past 10 years, which is something Iâve been obsessed with ever since I was a teenager and I realized someone has to draw alâŚ
- On The Record: Martin Luiga - 22 September 2025
Weâre officially on the record.On The Record is our new behind-the-scenes series exploring the minds, methods, and inspirations of the Hopetown team. We're kicking things off with lead writer and worldbuilder Martin Luiga â whose work helped shape the unforgettable world of Disco Elysium. Martin joined the Hopetown team in early development, bringing his sharp eye for layered storytelling, twisting truths, and worlds that bend to the people who walk them. In our conversation, Martin shares what drew him to Hopetown, the kind of players he thinks will feel most at home here, and what he hopes they'll take away when the credits roll. You'll also hear about the parts of his Disco Elysium experience that prepared him for this project, and how he approaches the art of weaving story into systems.Martinâs work on Hopetown continues to help shape the strange, layered fabric of the town weâre buâŚ
