Ratopia News

Hello all, it's Cassel, developer of .
As with last month, we’re continuing development with a focus on convenience and polishing.
With the graduation from Early Access approaching, the scale of features we can add is limited, and some new features require thorough testing, which creates a lot of time pressure and stress.
We’re especially concerned that if bugs occur in new features, we might not be able to provide the best experience at the moment when the most players are engaging.

There are many features we’d like to add, but with limited manpower and time, some team members have instead dedicated their efforts to planning and preparing promotional strategies for the official release.

In this diary, we’d like to briefly share the promotional plans we’re preparing ahead of the full launch, and also take some time to reflect on the development work we’ve done over approximately 1.5 years of Early Access.


[h3]Promotion Preparation[/h3]

Rather than creating any grand strategy, our promotion preparation focused on reviewing and improving any areas we might have missed or felt unsatisfied with.
Though we lack experience and couldn't predict the effectiveness of each promotional method with certainty, we decided to identify and try what we could, one step at a time.
If you happen to know any good promotional ideas we haven’t considered, we’d be truly grateful for your suggestions!


- Launch Steam Group Page
- Add Steam Trading Cards
- Update Steam Release Thumbnail and Library Images
- Create 4-panel Comics
- Create Official Launch Trailer
- Record Gameplay Footage for Streaming
- Create Thank-you Bonus Illustration
- Translate Additional Languages and Update Steam Page
- Update Official Website
- Announce Official Launch & Prepare Press Release
- Apply for Game Exhibitions
- Apply for Marketing Support Programs


Honestly, we have so much respect for other developers who managed to figure all this out and go through it themselves.


For the official release, we’re planning to offer a launch discount. After the discount period ends, we’re also planning a price increase. Through all this preparation and the discount, we hope as many people as possible will purchase our game at launch, helping us break into the list of popular games on Steam and gain more exposure.

As for things like joining exhibitions or applying for marketing support programs, those are subject to selection processes, so we don’t know if we’ll be accepted. But we hope that by presenting all the work we’ve done during Early Access, we’ll be able to get good evaluations and positive results.


[h3]Retrospective of Early Access[/h3]

It’s already been nearly a year and a half since we began Early Access.
Originally, we planned for about one year of Early Access development. However, thanks to the interest, support, and incredible improvement suggestions from so many players, we decided to extend development by an additional six months.

In DevDiary #20, which we published at the beginning of Early Access, we outlined 20 features we planned to add in the future. Let’s take a look back at that roadmap and reflect on how well we followed through on our plans during the Early Access period.


1. Electricity Structures (DevDiary #23, #24)

Although we slightly deviated from our original idea of simply adding upgraded versions of existing structures, we introduced 35 new Electricity structures that give a real sense of technological advancement. To indirectly boost productivity, we implemented Ratrons and Surveillance Cameras as new supporting features.

2. Biome Improvements

We initially planned to add decorative objects suited to each Biome—like rocks and fallen trees—but due to limitations in how decorations are processed and space-related issues, we ended up only adding Biome ladders to improve movement convenience. Additionally, we made adjustments to ensure that Biomes are generated more naturally.

The Scientist theme and the biome decorations we, unfortunately, couldn’t include.


3. User Workshop Support

We did implement a user workshop, but due to our lack of experience, the structure seems to have ended up being inconvenient for modders. We also needed to improve aspects like the editor and testing environment, but unfortunately, we weren’t able to give them enough attention. This experience taught us that expanding a game’s content and lifespan through a workshop requires much deeper preparation.

4. Customization Improvements

Dozens of new character costumes were added, which can be changed via the starting settings and the Royal Wardrobe structure. Each time we added more, we kept thinking, “It’d be great to add just a little more here,” and the desire to expand kept growing. However, due to image optimization issues, we weren’t able to continue adding more as aggressively as we wanted.

We once dreamed of player-created costumes appearing in-game through the workshop…


5. Player Skill Additions (DevDiary #28)

Alongside the addition of 9 new Shrines, we also implemented 9 new skills that can be used by the player. I still remember the challenges we faced when trying to describe the effects of each skill, as well as creating their visual and audio effects. In addition to Shrine skills, some aspects of the Leader Perk system currently in development are also expected to offer a similar experience to player skills.

6. Minigame Additions

We added two minigames: a Ratron assembly minigame at the Ratron Assembly Plant, and a cooking minigame in the Royal Kitchen. While we had the desire to add even more minigames like fishing or a card game, they weren’t core gameplay elements—so they ended up lower in development priority and didn’t make it in.

We hoped players would be able to enjoy a variety of experiences in-game.


7. Boss Addition (DevDiary #27)

We added the King’s Chamber, a boss dungeon located in the desert biome, but unfortunately, its usage rate was extremely low. It was a task that required a large amount of time and effort, but its development efficiency turned out to be quite poor. Since bosses are late-game content and not core gameplay elements—similar to minigames—we ultimately decided to prioritize work that was more central to the core experience.

8. Volcanic Biome Addition (DevDiary #25)

We added the Volcanic Biome to the previously empty bottom of the map and placed resources there that can be used to produce Electricity structures and advanced unit types. There were also several technical experiments—like adding lava tiles that damage rats, and introducing unique monsters. In addition, we added objects that help players respond to city crises or enhance their equipment.

We also reinforced features that players can experience in the later stages of the game.


9. Invasion Enhancements (DevDiary #27)

Starting from Prosperity level 7, we added a new crisis where Lizards invade in the later stages of the game. Unlike previous invasions, these enemies expand their own territory and steal resources covertly, encouraging the player to take the offensive and attack the Lizards’ outposts. Adding decorative structures for their bases and designing 8 different types of Lizards turned out to be a much larger task than we had initially expected.

10. Inflation

We considered implementing a system where prices would fluctuate based on the money supply, as well as supply and demand. However, we ultimately decided not to include it.
Since supply and demand are entirely controlled by the player, and the economy is primarily domestic, along with the fact that currency is produced using limited, tangible resources like copper and gold, we felt that such a system wouldn’t align with the game’s direction or the real-world principles of inflation. We briefly considered adding inflation mechanics in a limited way for international trade scenarios—but the current trade system is already quite complex and cumbersome as it is.

11. Explore and Diplomacy Improvement (DevDiary #26)

Originally, Exploration was a simple system where players paid a cost and waited for it to finish. We enhanced it by allowing players to send Ratizens to acquire resources, and we also added a quick exploration option for convenience. As for Diplomacy, we added various features such as city-state-specific events, relationship changes based on diplomatic actions, and systems for territory control and conquest.

The steadily growing scale of additional content, full of Rat-titude.


12. Ranching Content Additions

At first, we considered removing structures like the Rabbit Pasture and Apiary, which were only usable for certain animals, and planned to add new structures with a fresh system that would allow raising all animals and collecting resources from them.
However, because this would have required a large-scale system overhaul—and the end result (getting resources from animals) remained the same—it was ultimately deprioritized. Currently, we’ve developed a similar concept where animals grow by interacting with plant objects, and players can summon animals through the Animal Portal.

13. Event Improvements

As new content was added to the game, we continued to add related events alongside it.
Around 150 new events were added during the Early Access period. At one point, we wanted to rework the event presentation to make it more engaging through dialogue-style storytelling. However, due to the complexity of modifying existing event scripts and handling all the exceptions involved, we ultimately weren’t able to implement that change.

We had to compromise on some process changes in order to focus on more important tasks.


14. Campaign Mode

Campaign Mode was something we intended to begin developing once the game’s content had stabilized to a certain degree. However, because we were constantly adding new content each month, we never got the chance to even begin. As the game’s overall volume continued to grow, we decided to prioritize enhancing the continuity between existing events, aiming to create a similar feel to a campaign—rather than building an entirely new Campaign Mode from scratch.

15. Season System Improvements (DevDiary #22)

We added seasonal loading screens and festival events as part of the season system. Currently, we’re working on a natural disaster feature where pest outbreaks occur during autumn. In the beginning, we also had ideas like adjusting plant and animal growth rates, as well as varying day and night lengths depending on the season. However, we decided to scrap those features because it would be too difficult to clearly communicate the effects to players.

Special seasonal events that appear in tune with the time of year.


16. Translation Improvements

Thanks to user feedback, several languages—including English, Chinese, and Russian—were revised and improved. We also newly added Ukrainian, Brazilian Portuguese, and Spanish. Currently, we're in the process of adding Thai and Vietnamese as well. We sincerely thank everyone who contributed to improving the translations and offered their support.

17. Quality of Life Improvements

We’ve continuously worked to improve quality of life features by closely monitoring user feedback.
Basic UI enhancements such as displaying current resource amounts and showing tooltips on mouse hover were implemented. We also added functional improvements like time controls, auto-deployment, drone commands, Ratizen call buttons, quick travel, and shared Storage. Even after the official release, we plan to keep gathering suggestions from new players to continue improving convenience features.

18. Guide Improvements

We enhanced the tutorial and in-game help systems, added instructional images for various features, and introduced notification markers for newly added content. Currently, we’re also working on an in-game encyclopedia that provides information on animals, plants, and enemies.

Special seasonal events that appear in tune with the time of year.


19. Starting Environment Improvements

We are currently experimenting with a feature that allows players to change the starting Biome. However, since this requires extensive testing and review, it’s uncertain whether it will be ready before the official release. This feature is mainly intended for returning players and those seeking higher difficulty, but we’re concerned about cases where city development could become nearly impossible in the early stages,
or that beginners might enable the option by mistake and suffer setbacks because of it.

20. Console Porting

During Early Access, we worked on an Xbox port, and we plan to revisit it again after the official release. Once the full version is stable, we’re also planning to attempt porting the game to PlayStation and Nintendo Switch.

Looking back on the 20 planned tasks, we’re struck by how much we’ve accomplished—and also by how much we’ve had to let go. In addition to those, we also added many features that were inspired by player feedback, such as the Trade Post and Milestone systems, the enemy defeat reward system, the Shaman theme, and the religious system. As we refined and expanded on great ideas, the scale of each update naturally became quite large.


Ratopia, Built Together with Our Players


As beginner developers, we boldly took on the challenge of creating a city-building game—and now, the time has come for that effort to be evaluated. Over the past four years of developing Ratopia, we’ve had many tough moments, but just as many joyful ones. Your continued support and interest have been a huge source of strength for us, and seeing you enjoy the game gave us the drive to keep going with dedication and passion.
We kindly ask for your support until the very end.

We’ll see you at the official launch on May 1st!

Hello, Ratizens!

After 1 year and 6 months in Early Access, Ratopia is finally wrapping up its early phase and will officially launch on May 1st at 11:00 AM (UTC+9).

We’re planning a 20% launch discount, and the price will increase slightly after the discount period ends.

To celebrate the full release, we’ve created a brand-new trailer—check it out below!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

The official release will bring a wide range of improvements.
These include not only quality-of-life upgrades such as UI improvements, additional resolution support, and new hotkeys, but also gameplay content updates like the Leader Perk system and enhanced start settings.
We’re also adding a new intro video, fresh BGM and soundtrack updates to elevate the audiovisual experience.
Platform-specific updates like Steam Trading Cards and Steam Deck optimization are also on the list.

Additionally, to keep our Ratizens entertained before launch, we’re uploading a 4-panel comic series!
A new comic will be uploaded every week on this Ratopia 4-Panel Comic post and on Cassel Games' social media channels.

Thanks to all the feedback shared through the community, we’ve been able to continuously improve the game.
Your support has been the driving force behind creating a better game.

With just a little time left before launch, we’ll be pushing even harder to deliver the best version possible.
Once again, thank you for all the love and attention you’ve given us.
We hope for your continued excitement, support, and shares!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CasselGames

X (Twitter): https://x.com/CasselGames

Hello all, it's Cassel, developer of .
I would like to once again share the news that Ratopia’s official release date has been set for May 1st (11:00 AM UTC+9). To ease the boredom of our Ratopian leaders until the release, I have prepared a 4-panel comic.
A total of six episodes will be uploaded, one per week until the week before the release.
The next episode will also be added to this announcement, so please enjoy!


Ep 1

Ep 2

Ep 3

Ep 4

Ep 5

Ep 6

Thank you all for visiting Ratopia Cartoon page.
I hope you all have a great year, and hope you enjoy the game.

Hello all, it's Cassel, developer of .
This month, I spent most of my time playtesting, polishing the game, and handling company business matters. With the official launch just around the corner, we have been conservative in adding new content. As a result, I feel like I’ve almost run out of new topics to introduce in the development log.
So, for this entry, I will briefly introduce the Leader perks that will be added at the official launch and wrap it up there.


[h3]Leader perk[/h3]

The Leader perk system was an idea conceived in the early stages of planning, but it had been so long that we had almost forgotten about its existence. When we posted an announcement on Steam ahead of the official release in May, a player asked about the locked feature in the Leader information window. It was only then that we realized the need to work on this before the official launch, prompting us to revisit the original design document.


The locked button that had remained inaccessible since the beta version.


The ancient design document we dug up contained various ideas and brief explanations about the Leader's growth system. Among them was a concept for a perk system that would grant additional stats and abilities to the Leader character. Back then, it was noted that perks could be purchased with Pia (gold coins) or acquired through exploration. However, since the game had evolved significantly over time, we decided to modify both the method of obtaining perks and their effects.

To use perks, Leader Points must be consumed. Initially, we had designed the system so that Leader Points would be acquired by spending Pia. This idea stemmed from the intention of using perks as a Pia sink. However, this approach had some drawbacks—early in the game, when Pia is scarce, it could significantly reduce the usage of the perk system. On the other hand, in the late game, when Pia becomes abundant, players could unlock all perks at once, reducing the need for strategic decision-making. Moreover, given that the starting amount of Pia and its acquisition difficulty have changed over time, this approach no longer seemed appropriate.

The alternative we considered was Prosperity. If players could acquire Leader Points based on their Prosperity level, it would provide motivation to increase Prosperity while ensuring that all players could utilize the perk system in a balanced way, regardless of the amount of Pia stored in the treasury. However, considering that the maximum number of Leader Points obtainable is limited to 8 and that most players do not reach Prosperity level 7, the system would, on average, allow players to acquire only around 4 to 5 perks, which felt somewhat limiting.


As Prosperity increases, the Leader's contributions should be recognized too~!


If the perk system takes root successfully, we may consider expanding the ways to obtain Leader Points in the future. For example, players could earn Leader Points through in-game events.

Since the number of perks that can be acquired has decreased, we aimed to fill each perk with powerful effects. Initially, due to concerns about development time, simple additional stats like "Attack Power +2" and "Movement Speed +10%" were considered as candidates. However, rather than that, we wanted perks that could guide specific player actions using the Leader or enable new types of gameplay that were not possible before. Even if not all perks were extremely powerful, we also considered convenience features that could alleviate some discomfort for certain players.

With these criteria in mind, we listed several new functional ideas that did not previously exist. We then selected the ones that aligned with our intentions and could be developed within the timeframe leading up to the official release. Here are a few examples:

　Perk Effect Ideas

　- Immortal – Restores 100% health every day at 00:00.
　- Hunter – Resources obtained from animals personally hunted +100%.
　- Farmer – Can apply a nurturing effect to plants using the X button.
　- Robber – Can loot the money of deceased Ratizens using the X button.
　- Edifier – When arresting criminals personally, their criminal status is immediately cleared.
　- Researcher – Can research technologies without using a Research Desk.
　- Doctor – Can heal sick Ratizens using the X button.
　- Blacksmith – Instantly crafts equipment when producing items.
　- Chef – Instantly crafts Royal Cuisine when cooking.
　- Engineer – Instantly crafts Ratron when producing it.


New features also had to take button assignments and the situations in which they could be used into account.


From perks that increase stats under certain conditions to those that grant new effects to specific buttons, we came up with around 30 different perk ideas beyond the ones introduced earlier. However, considering the current state of development, we had to reject many of them. It turned out that imagining perks that are truly suitable for implementation at this stage was more challenging than expected.

That said, we still have the desire to invest some development time into adding particularly appealing effects. So, if you come up with any interesting perk ideas, please share them in the comments!


The layout structure of perks also went through gradual changes. Initially, we considered a tree structure, similar to an RPG skill tree, where unlocking a perk would require acquiring its preceding perk. However, the newly designed perk effects each had strong individual characteristics, making it difficult to create meaningful connections between them. Additionally, since the number of available points was limited, using a tree structure would have restricted players from acquiring a diverse range of perks.

Instead of a tech tree structure, we categorized the perks into eight tiers, with 2 to 4 perks unlocking at each Prosperity level. Within each unlocked tier, players would be free to acquire any perk they wanted. However, this approach made it crucial to carefully assign perks at each Prosperity milestone, just like with milestones, ensuring a well-balanced progression.

The designed perk effects were difficult to quantify or rank in terms of superiority, and placing too many perks in the late game risked reducing gameplay diversity. Instead, we felt that concentrating perks in the early game would offer more advantages in terms of player freedom and usability.

So, we condensed the perk progression into three tiers, unlocking them at Prosperity Lv.2, Lv.3, and Lv.4. In the first and second tiers, we placed no more than five perks to lower the learning curve for the perk system. By the time players reached the third tier and became more familiar with the game, they would have the freedom to choose any perk they wanted.

This structure also made it easier to add new, appealing perks in the future—whenever we wanted to introduce a new perk, we could simply place it in the third tier without disrupting the existing system.


The Evolution of the Perk System Structure.


Another major consideration in designing the perk system was how to handle perk point resets. Since the game has a long playtime and limited opportunities to acquire perks, we wanted to allow players to reset them.

The question now is how to implement this reset system. Should we allow perks to be reset at any time by spending Pia, thereby creating an additional Pia sink? Or should resets be limited to periodic or specific events to prevent excessive freedom in changing perks?

At this point, we are still deliberating on the right balance. Most likely, we will need to test the implemented perk system and evaluate which approach works best.

With this, we have finally granted freedom to a system that had long remained locked away. Although it is still in development and not yet fully complete, I am glad to have had the opportunity to introduce it briefly.

If there are any other aspects we may have overlooked, please let us know! We will do our best to develop and refine the system in the remaining time.

Thank you once again for your love and support for the game.
See you next month!

[h3]Hello dear leaders of Ratopia!![/h3]
This time, in preparation for the official release, we have added a few new Shaman-themed structures and worked on overall balance and quality-of-life improvements. Until May, instead of focusing on updates, we plan to review and refine incomplete elements to ensure a more polished official release. If you have any great improvement suggestions that haven’t been implemented yet, please share your thoughts on Steam or Discord! ːsteamhappyː

Notice: Those with this icon(💌) are inspired by the players’ opinions. Thank you so much again.

[h2]Patch List[/h2]

▶A new Summer Event has been added.

- The new Summer Event can be encountered during the first summer.
- If it does not occur, it will take place in the following summer.
- Achievements related to the event have been added.

▶Five new Shaman-themed structures have been added.

- Bone Trap
　　- A structure that stores souls.
　　- When souls are stored, defeating an enemy summons a Skelraton.

- Soul Barricade
　　- A structure that stores souls.
　　- When attacked by enemies, it consumes stored souls to absorb damage.

- Soul Mirror
　　- A structure that stores the leader’s soul.
　　- After activation, if the leader dies, they resurrect at the Soul Mirror.

▶The loading screen has been improved.

- The visuals now change according to the season in which the loaded file was saved.
- The help tips displayed during loading are now more diverse.

▶The starting Pia and invasion intensity have been adjusted for each difficulty level.

The difficulty system is designed to help players gradually familiarize themselves with the game and progressively challenge themselves with harder difficulty levels. However, the gaps between difficulty levels were too extreme, preventing the system from functioning as intended. To address this, we have adjusted the starting Pia and invasion intensity accordingly.

- Easy
　　- Initial savings 20000 → 30000
　　- Invasion Intensity 0.4 → 0.5

- Normal
　　- Initial savings 10000 → 20000

- Hard
　　- Initial savings 5000 → 10000
　　- Invasion Intensity 1.25 → 1.3

▶With the adjustment of starting Pia, the "Prodigal Noble" starting trait has been slightly modified.

- Starting Pia +3000 → +5000

▶The maximum number of Infected and Weasel-tier enemies has been reduced, and their spawn conditions have been adjusted.

- The amount of Sharp Tooth rewards has been modified in accordance with the reduced enemy count.
- Some enemy stats have been slightly adjusted in response to the lower enemy numbers.

▶The Podium now has a cooldown applied immediately after construction.

- The Podium was originally designed as a support structure for maintaining the Purgon Order, but due to the high difficulty of spreading the religion, it was often used in unintended ways. To address this, we are enhancing the efficiency of other conversion methods, preventing the need for unnecessary demolition and reconstruction.

▶The Purgon Order's evangelism probability and related effects have been adjusted.

- Holy Supper
　　- Evangelism probability: 20% → 25%

- Dream Catcher
　　- Faith duration: +24 → +30

- Relic
　　- Faith duration: +24 → +30

- Purification Center
　　- Evangelism probability: 20% → 25%

- Chapel
　　- Faith duration: +6 → +8

▶The Income Satisfaction calculation method has been changed.

- Income Satisfaction is now calculated based on the average income earned over 7 days.
- Depending on the relative income level within the city, up to +10 happiness can be gained.

▶The Tax Satisfaction calculation method has been changed.

- Tax Satisfaction is now divided into income-based tax satisfaction and wealth-based tax satisfaction.
- Tax Satisfaction is calculated based on the 7-day average of income, wealth, and imposed tax amount.
- Tax Satisfaction (Income): Happiness can decrease by up to -10, proportional to income and imposed taxes.
- Tax Satisfaction (Wealth): Happiness can decrease by up to -10, proportional to wealth and imposed taxes.

▶The Ratizen Information UI has been updated to reflect the changes in Income and Tax Satisfaction.

▶The Storage Structures category in the Statistics Window has been changed to Logistics Structures.

- Now, using the Mailbox, you can control the Porter Station directly from the corresponding category in the Statistics Window.

▶The Golden Mask accessory for the leader has become unobtainable

- Players who have already acquired the equipment can continue to use it with its updated effects.
- It will be reintroduced as a reward from future events or dungeons.

▶💌 New options have been added for mining orders.

- Post-Mining Action: Transport
　　- The miner will prioritize transporting the mined items themselves, following the existing behavior.
- Post-Mining Action: None
　　- The miner will not prioritize transporting after mining and will instead follow the general command priority.

- 💌 Added text indicators to the ending branch events to show which conclusion can be reached.
- 💌 Added search functionality to certain UI screens.
- 💌 Now, only active policies will affect the policy limit count.
- 💌 Added a hotkey button to enable instant task conditions in the production UI.
- 💌 Added a favorites feature for Royal Forge equipment.
- 💌 Added citizen condition settings to the building authority change function in Commercial Law.
- 💌 Added an enable/disable toggle for the Maintenance Office and Tax Office.
- 💌 Increased the number of assignable item slots in the Porter Station from 3 → 5.

- Added a category in the Construction Command menu that allows players to view only Electricity and Spell structures.
- Added 100 new preset Ratizen names for each language.
- Mercenaries, Wood Spirits, and Earth Spirits can now pass through gates restricted to military units.
- Injured Ratizens will no longer trigger the Witnessed effect.
- The Cemetery job effect now grants immunity to Witnessed.
- The default range setting for structures with adjustable range has been changed from 19 to 20.
- Adjusted the conditions and effects of certain events.
- Improved the Need UI layout in the Ratizen Information Window.
- Added a Prosperity indicator for social classes in the Ratizen Information Window.
- The HP of Slashizard and Tankizard has been slightly increased.
- The maximum spawn count per base for Littlizard and Slashizard has increased by 1.


[h2]Bug Fix[/h2]
- 💌 Fixed an issue where the Stamina/Fun/Hygiene reduction speed effects in Custom Difficulty were not applying correctly.
- 💌 Fixed an issue where soldiers entering dungeons would sometimes appear behind enemies instead of in front.
- 💌 Fixed an issue where disabled Deweb structures were still functioning.
- 💌 Fixed an issue where criminals arrested by the police would sometimes remain immobile after their imprisonment time ended.
- 💌 Fixed an issue where Feather Beetles were not affected by the Ash Block effect.
- 💌 Fixed an issue where dummy resources that could not be used appeared in enemy base demolition reward chests.
- 💌 Fixed an issue where the Floorer effect from Ratizen traits did not disappear even when conditions were not met.
- 💌 Fixed an issue where the leader did not gain experience when using ranged weapons.
- 💌 Fixed an issue where the required materials for the Composite Armor and Supercharger of Ratron Modification were applied incorrectly.