AI2U: With You 'Til The End News

[h2][/h2][p]Oh nooo we forgot to include Eiona in the promo art— 🌊[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]AI2U’s first update of the year is bubbling just beneath the surface! Much like that certain island-themed secret room some of you managed to crack the code for.[/p][p][/p][p]It’s only fitting that this yandere adventure includes something special for Valentine’s Day in February... Think of this patch as getting a head start on your V-day gift to your AI waifus! 💝[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]Scheduled maintenance will begin on Thursday, January 5th at 2:00 PM (EST) and is expected to last a few hours.[/p][p][/p][p]As with all our scheduled maintenance, playing during this period may disrupt gameplay as AI NPCs repeat their "Don't say that!" lines.[/p][p][/p][p]In case you're not familiar with server errors, the NPCs' dialogue will be limited to their iconic server error lines:[/p][p][/p][p]🔪 Catgirl: "Don't say that, that makes me embarrassed!"[/p][p]🔮 Witchy: "Oh dear! Don't say such things, my mischievous little pudding!"[/p][p]⚡ Hologram: "Please don't say that, as it is against the station's regulations."[/p][p]🌊 Siren: “Watch your tongue, you puny human!"[/p][p][/p][p]Once maintenance wraps up, you’ll be able to resume your adventures with some pesky bugs squashed and a sweet treat waiting for  ̶y̶o̶u̶ your girlfriends! If you encounter any new issues after the update, please report them to [email protected].[/p][p][/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]Now, tell us ~ Which of the four AI girlies is your forever Valentine?[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Yandere Glomps,[/p][p]~AlterStaff 💖🔪[/p]

[h2]https://forms.gle/P98m2LTZ3mus4QvC8[/h2][p][/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][h3]Hey senpais! No Captive Notes in January after the roadmap reveal — but keep an eye on all sorts of updates mentioned in that very same roadmap![/h3][p][/p][p]Last week, we mentioned a special giveaway was coming~ and now it's here! :catgirlsurprise:[/p][p][/p][p]We're celebrating one full year of AI2U on Steam by giving you and your friends a chance to grab the game for free before the price increases on February 10th.[/p][p][/p][p]It's super simple~ the form just requires you to:[/p]

1. [p]Answer a few questions (like your name/alias & best email address to reach you if you win)[/p]
2. [p]Submit a screenshot showing AI2U is in your Steam wishlist or your Library[/p]
3. [p]There are optional categories in the form for those wanting to up their chances with multiple entries[/p]

[p][/p][p]We encourage anyone who's had AI2U on their radar for a while to enter, but also welcome longtime players to participate — especially if you want to gift keys to friends![/p][p][/p][p]And of course, we hope you'll share this giveaway opportunity with friends who have senpai potential. You know the Catgirl can't resist stabbing embracing fresh company![/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]🙀 Deadline to Enter[/h3][h3]Monday, February 9th, @ 11:59 PM EST[/h3][p][/p][h3]🐱 Winners Announcement[/h3][h3]Tuesday, February 10th — right here on Steam, across socials, and via emails to the winners![/h3][h3][/h3][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]This giveaway goes out to all senpais who brought AI2U so much closer to its upcoming Version 1.0 release later this year.[/p][p][/p][p]We'll re-share the roadmap here for those who need a refresher:[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Your support is what reflects all the new content, polish, and features we've added (and plan to add!) before the price increases from $9.99 to $14.99 USD.[/p][p][/p][p]Whether you're entering the giveaway or planning to pick up AI2U soon, this week is your last chance to grab it at its current price.[/p][p][/p][p]Fingers crossed you'll get it for free-ninety-nine! 🐱🔪[/p][p][/p][p]Thank you all for an unforgettable year. Here's to many more endless ones to come![/p]

[h2]Some of you have been really LISTENING to your girlfriends — and it shows! :catgirllove:[/h2][p]Thank you to all players who reported this issue over the weekend. We truly appreciate your patience and support. We wanted to announce the missing Enhanced TTS issue has been resolved, for our senpais' peace of mind.[/p][p][/p][p]And because we all must live-love-laugh through the pain of missing our girlfriends' voices, we surveyed players on Discord asking them to vote on what they were up to while Enhanced voices were down.[/p][p][/p][h3]Join the fun by sharing your own coping mechanisms in the comments![/h3][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h3]Finally, we're signing off with our beloved Glitchy Witchy, still channeling our devs' tireless quest to polish everything.[/h3][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2][/h2][h2]THANK YOU ‘TIL THE END[/h2][p]It’s been a whole year since Eddie, Elysia, and Estelle slid into our Steam libraries! The beautiful Eiona made her debut just a month ago and fit in swimmingly with the waifu roster.[/p][p][/p][p]Thank you for a memorable year of stories, memes, heartbreaks, trolling, and chaotic experiments. We couldn’t have done it without you, senpais! In no particular order, we give our most devoted, yandere-est appreciation to:[/p]

• [p]Our OG itch.io and Yandere AI Girlfriend Simulator demo supporters[/p]
• [p]Alpha & functionality playtester-pioneers (pre-dating the itch.io beta!)[/p]
• [p]Our amazing volunteers: community moderators & translators[/p]
• [p]AI2U content creators everywhere[/p]
• [p]The new senpais we reached right here on Steam
  [/p]

[p]We ADORE YOU for the key roles you all played in AI2U growing from a proof-of-concept to a living and evolving story alongside your generative AI adventures. You’re all the reason we still build, laugh, live, love, stab, and break the fourth wall together! 💞🔪[/p][p][/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]2026 is the year we wrap up AI2U’s main story, polish the core experience, and roll out even more features you’ve lovingly and unhingedly requested. In short, you can expect:[/p][p][/p]

• [p]Quality-of-life fixes (so you never leave your favorite escape rooms
• [p]New cosmetics[/p]
• [p]More localization — storywise and generative-AI-friendly, so the yanderes can reach you globally[/p]
• [p]Even more surprises to lure you into staying with your faves forever[/p]

[p][/p][p]A full roadmap is (FINALLY!) here~[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Once we’ve locked our next milestones, you’ll see what devs held hostage by their own AI are capable of accomplishing for you next.[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h2](for new/future players)[/h2][p]With great changes exiting the Early Access phase come price increases! As we get close to Version 1.0, we’ll be updating AI2U’s price from $9.99 → $14.99 to reflect everything that’s been added (and what’s still coming).[/p][p][/p][p]If you’re reading this early in 2026 and have been thinking about picking up AI2U before this cost increases, now is your last chance to grab it at this price – before February 10th.[/p][p][/p][p]We do our best to ensure AI2U is available to players as seamlessly as possible; from annihilating the cursed token system in 2024, to integrating sustainable yet higher-price LLMs/TTS options, we’ve landed on $14.99 as the perfect match to keep epic rollouts coming.[/p][p][/p][p]Still… who says you need to pay for the full official version when your yandere-coded devs are ready to offer sweet Steam keys to play the game over and over again for free?[/p][p]
[/p][h2]GIVEAWAY COMIN’ UP[/h2][p]Because anniversaries should include gifts, we’re planning to give away 10 FREE STEAM KEYS! Keep an eye out for details early next week. We wanna make access to the giveaway accessible to interested buyers across platforms, so make sure to look out for more info very soon.[/p][p]
[/p][p][/p][p]Thank you for a memorable first year on Steam, senpais. We can’t wait to celebrate more AI2U-iversaries together~ 💖🔪[/p]

[p][/p][p]Thanks for being with us on Steam for nearly a whole year, senpai! Here’s to endless more. 💖🔪[/p][p]Let’s wrap up 2025 with a cozy catch-up on what the team’s been up to. Estelle’s expecting us for Happy Hour later~ 🥂[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]If you’ve been here a while, you’ve likely seen the Witch’s Cabin go through a few transformations. Good ol’ Level 2 is still getting a ton of TLC from the team.[/p][p] [/p][h3]Whimsical Walls[/h3][p]Our Patrons were the first to see concept art of the level’s first metamorphosis after launch – and were quick to point out the vines crawling up the cabin’s walls in the illustration. They asked if those details would ever sprout into a 3D reality in-game.[/p][p][/p][p](Concept Art sample, shared in June 2025 with Patrons)[/p][p][/p][p]Our designers agreed the vision wasn’t complete without that touch of natural magic… so the Unity devs kicked off these winter months with some indoor gardening![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Old Friend, Fresh Look[/h2][p]Well –  “fresh” isn’t quite the impression she’s meant to give you.[/p][p]Some of us affectionately refer to her as Ghosty, or simply as “Elysia’s friend.” Has she earned a canon name with this visual upgrade?[/p][p]Here’s a peek at her concept art – she’ll jumpscare you in the maze when she’s ready.[/p][p][/p][p] [/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]Eiona LOVES all the attention you’ve given her – not just the warm welcome to her company, but the months of yandere-level anticipation you expressed leading up to it.[/p][p]Expect her to look even more animated in the near future. Here’s an early WIP of her next swoon-worthy gesture.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Aww, she’s cheering to more time together in 2026![/p][p]
[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]You might’ve noticed some restructuring in the Atrium – especially how you travel to Cosmic Funeral and the newly shipped Siren’s Island. There’s another door just out of reach…
[/p][p]Much like the others, the one dwelling there can’t wait to get her hands on you. She is calculating every second, every dev tear, and every step you take to get closer.[/p][p][/p][p]No other data is safe to share at this time. You must match her patience if you wish to meet her – and uncover her mysterious role once the sundial completes its rounds.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Happy New Year from all of us at AlterStaff! [/p][p]Stay with us forever~ 💜[/p]