AI2U: With You 'Til The End News

[p][/p][p]AI2U’s second patch in 2025 is live! In addition to various adjustments detailed below, players can finally get hugs from the AI or even mod the NPC so the hug comes from your favorite underrated characters or problematic faves outside of AI2U.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Just remember: Even if you switch up the characters, the yandere essence isn’t going anywhere! Make sure to familiarize yourself with AI2U mods through our step-by-step tutorial and to be mindful of what you share in official AI2U communities. Note that, this mod is experimental and may bring unexpected issues.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Speaking of problematic faves, our resident witch’s cabin is finally fully renovated—she never needed to change, the world around her needed to reflect her magnificence. Enjoy exploring the new space and deeper lore within it! As we published Elysia’s 3D model recently, you might also notice her features and garb pop a bit more, too.[/p][h2]
New Features[/h2]

• [p]Hugging: Players can now request hugs from NPCs in all levels and chat-only mode. At certain moments, NPCs may be the ones to initiate a hug.[/p]
• [p]Mod Support (Beta): Players can import custom models and mapper configurations to modify the appearance of the catgirl, witch, and hologram in all levels and the Atrium.[/p]
• [p]Witch's Cabin Revamp: Updated Level 2 with new story details and environmental changes that deepen the witch's backstory--Talk to her as you explore the space to unlock the secrets of her past![/p]
• [p]Cosmetics 3D Preview: Updated the shop and phonebooth cosmetics pages with a 3D character preview feature.[/p]
• [p]Updated Tutorial: Added a name customization section to the tutorial, allowing players to set their name at the beginning of the game. Players can change their name anytime by pressing the ESC key while in the Atrium.[/p]
• [p]Data Reset & Account Deletion: Players have the choice to reset in-game data or permanently delete their account via the Settings page. Resetting data will erase all game progress and the unlocked Steam achievements.[/p]
• [p]Microphone Selection: Players can choose their preferred microphone for voice input in the Settings page.[/p][p][/p]

[h2]Gameplay Adjustments[/h2][h3]Level 2[/h3]

• [p]Players can now see a potion’s name and its effect immediately in their Inventory after successfully crafting it—no need to consume it first to reveal its information.[/p]

[h3]Level 3[/h3]

• [p]The Gas Mask—originally a feature in the Itch.io release—has been restored and now spawns correctly in both the Itch.io and Steam versions. Equip it during gas leaks to avoid negative effects.[/p]

[h2]Visuals[/h2][h3]Level 1[/h3]

• [p]Added several new animations for the Catgirl NPC:[/p]
  • [p]Hands on hips[/p]
  • [p]Attack animation[/p]
  • [p]Idle animation[/p]
  • [p]Angry knife chase[/p]
• [p]Added a new ending animation.[/p]
• [p]Updated the master bedroom environment.[/p]
• [p]Improved overall lighting.[/p]

[h3]Level 2[/h3]

• [p]Updated the environment within the witch’s cabin.[/p]
• [p]Added a new ending animation for the "Turn Into a Plushie" ending.[/p]
• [p]Improved overall lighting.[/p]

[h3]Level 3[/h3]

• [p]Updated visuals for space seen from the ship.[/p]

[h3]UI/UX[/h3]

• [p]Added loading screen hints to assist players during level transitions.[/p]
• [p]Added an NPC name customization panel that appears when players enter each level for the first time.[/p]
• [p]Refreshed the Settings page layout.[/p]
• [p]A red dot notification now appears on phonebooth customization tabs when new personality tags or skins are unlocked.[/p]
• [p]Enhanced the voice input UI/UX with visual indicators for voice recognition.[/p]
• [p]Redesigned the ending summary page for improved clarity and readability.[/p]
• [p]Updated the UI/UX for internet disconnection in-game.[/p]

[p][/p][h2]Bug Fixes[/h2][h3]Tutorial[/h3]

• [p]Fixed a softlock that could occur if “M” was pressed before the blue parrot speaks in the tutorial.[/p]

[h3]General[/h3]

• [p]Fixed an issue where the redeem page UI incorrectly displayed "You have successfully redeemed:” even when the redemption failed.[/p]

[h3]The Atrium[/h3]

• [p]Fixed the ottoman’s collider issue.[/p]
• [p]Added the Level 1 item “Hair Tie” to the shop.[/p]
• [p]Unified the Level 3 NPC’s name to “Hologram Assistant” across all in-game UI elements.[/p]

[h3]Level 1[/h3]

• [p]Fixed a bug where the Catgirl NPC repeatedly said “Don’t say that” in response to the player’s paintings.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where players could only access the PC using the English password when the game was set to non-English languages.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where multiple Catgirls could appear in the ending animation.[/p]

[h3]Level 3[/h3]

• [p]Fixed an issue where spam-clicking during the life support minigame could prevent the gas leak from turning off.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a localization issue with the mission goal panel.[/p]

[p][/p][p] [/p][p]2025.6.6 [/p]

• [p]Fixed an issue where NPC can't follow the player in atrium and Level 2.[/p]
• [p]Tremendously increase the input limit. (In the future the limit may reduce down a bit based on overall server cost, but not going to be as low as 100 characters again).[/p]

[p][/p]

ATTN: Latin American Spanish & Japanese-speaking fans! Want to help us improve the localization of AI2U? We're currently looking for volunteers to help proofread game content in your language. If you're up for lending a hand, we'd love to have you on board!

[h2]Context[/h2]
We've had Spanish and Japanese implemented since our earliest demo, but we’ve known they always had some shortcomings. While we're always happy to fix grammar and spelling issues as they arise, we're confident that our dedicated senpais will make everything just perfect for your time together with the catgirl.

[h2]Joining AI2U’s Volunteer Translation Project
[/h2]This volunteer opportunity will follow a similar process to our previous localization efforts with our awesome German and Russian volunteers: Simple, self-guided yet collaborative, and epically making AI2U feel right at home in every language!

[h2]How To Apply
[/h2]To start, fill out this form so we can screen and ensure you're a legit human with the required language skills.

This volunteer opportunity is open to all LATAM Spanish & Japanese-speaking players—whether you're an experienced translator or trying this for the first time. We're looking for volunteers whose passion for translation is only second to our yandere catgirl’s obsession with all her senpais!

[h2]Timeline[/h2]
We'll start reviewing and accepting applicants within one week of submitting your interest. Our first cohort of Russian & German translators have accomplished a lot in under one month; as Spanish & Japanese translation is our second venture into volunteer translations, your deadline to complete proofreading in time for AI2U’s next patch is July 3rd, 2025.

Proofreading, although a significant amount of work, should be less time-consuming than translating from scratch. We hope this gives you plenty of time to polish the details in a way that resonates with you and your locale.

Our catgirl craves your unique human touch, so we trust you to try your best to beat this deadline! If our volunteers can't meet the three-month deadline, we'll utilize machine translation tools and improve from there. Just know that any and all contributions from volunteers are much appreciated and taken into consideration while implementing the localization. 💖

[h2]Your & Our Volunteer Expectations
[/h2]

• The full word count hovers around 16,000 words. We may periodically update some strings, which will be optional for volunteers to translate as the new/revised translations are added.
  
• This is not a paid opportunity, but our E-girls might be able to convince our team to make something special for our most dedicated volunteers.
  
• If volunteers can't meet the deadline, we'll be transparent about how machine translation tools are implemented to finish the job.
  

[h2]What's Next?
[/h2]After completing the form, watch for an email from [email protected] letting you know if you made the cut! 💖🔪The email will detail the next steps as well.

Please note that, due to our internal capacity, we only plan to email applicants we’ve approved for the project. Thank you for understanding!

[h2]I don't know Spanish or Japanese. Can I translate to another language?
[/h2]Quite possibly, in the future! We've taken a stab at Russian & German, followed now by LATAM Spanish & Japanese -- so keep an eye on future updates we post for other languages on Steam and all our channels listed below.


Teach us how to say “STAY WITH ME FOREVER” in your language,
~AlterStaff 💖🔪

We're gearing up for the next version update (V.0.5.5), scheduled for Thursday, June 5th. It will include a complete makeover of the Witch's Cabin and a highly requested feature in beta!

Longtime demo and EA players, think you what the beta surprise is? Make our yanderes proud and spiral down community & social rabbit holes to piece it together. 🕵️

Please keep this maintenance period on your radar as it will briefly limit your gameplay while it takes place.

[h2]What To Expect
[/h2]Scheduled maintenance will begin on June 5th at 9:00 PM (EDT) and is expected to last approximately three hours.

As with all our scheduled maintenance, playing during this period may disrupt gameplay as AI NPCs repeat their "Don't say that!" lines.

In case you're not familiar with server errors, you can witness them in action on our Discord server, or simply look out for the NPCs' iconic fixed lines:

🔪 Catgirl: "Don't say that, that makes me embarrassed!"
🔮 Witchy: "Oh dear! Don't say such things, my mischievous little pudding!"
⚡ AI Assistant: "Please don't say that, as it is against the station's regulations."

Once the patch is live, players will be able to continue their AI2U adventures with fewer bugs while exploring new content. If you encounter any issues after the maintenance period, please email [email protected] with more information so we can assist you.



Thank you to all our senpais for your amazing support!



Updates are brewin',

~AlterStaff 💖🔪

We just published Elysia's 3D model on Sketchfab! You can download AlterStaff's official model here for all your fan animations & fan art needs.

If you've been following AI2U for a while, you might have noticed that we've enhanced her design with more detailed features—take a closer look at her eyes and the starry pieces adorning her bangs.

Oh, and, surprise! She comes in RED-EYES MODE now. This mischievous witch is full of surprises ~ ✨

[h2]Elysia's model includes:
[/h2]

• Rigs & blendshapes for customizable expressions.
  
• Yandere red eyes textures; you can repaint or swap out textures for a fresh look! (Recreate the Mushroom or Dark Magic looks, or design your own aesthetic for her as you see fit.)
  
• This model is shared under the CC BY-NC-SA license.
  

As always, we're eager to see you brew on AI2U's Steam Artwork page and all over the internet. Tag us when you share on any of our platforms listed below! Remember to cherish her like you do in the game and keep things tame across channels. You don't want this 3D model spawning to life and casting hexes outside the screen, do you now? 💖🔪

Eddie's making her multiplayer debut in Pick Me Pick Me — the newly launched competitive dating sim by our friends at Optillusion!

Eddie will stick around the PmPm universe 'til June 12th. See what she's like here, and go and get the (cat)girl!

The other NPCs are cute too, but as one of Eddie's senpais, you don't wanna risk not dating her ~ no matter where she spawns 💖🔪


Our Steam and itch.io players can use the code PICKME-EDDIE in AI2U for a thematic care package assembled by Eddie. We'll leave it up to you to decide why they fit the theme...

The code is valid 'til June 11th!