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Factory Life News

Devlog #7 — You are not alone! 🤝👨‍🏭👷🏽‍♂️

[h2]Hello, Manufacturers![/h2]
This marks the last month of the year, and we’re officially starting to bring the whole project together. While a lot of things are slowly locking into place, this month was dedicated to something new — workers who will assist the player in assembling electronic equipment.
Let’s take a closer look at how they fit into the gameplay!

[h3]Upgrading the Garage – Workspace 🛠️[/h3]
The garage is starting to feel a bit cramped, so we’ve added the option to do some light rearranging. You can now purchase workshop upgrades that unlock new workstations, making room for future workers to assemble electronic equipment more efficiently.

[h3]Upgrading the Garage – Storage 📦[/h3]
The new upgrades also include storage rooms, where you can stash excess components or finished products instead of keeping everything in boxes scattered around the workshop.

[h3]Meet the Workers 👷 [/h3]
Each worker is unique, even if they all look a bit similar 😅. They each have their own name, surname, and traits (we’re still fine-tuning these, so they’re not super obvious yet), as well as skills.
Skills affect how fast a worker can handle different types of equipment. With each assembled item, they gain experience, so over time they’ll get better and more efficient.
For now, you can only hire workers to help with assembly, but inspectors and packers are planned for the future.

[h3]Hiring Workers 📝[/h3]
Hiring and managing workers is done through a computer application. To assign a worker to a specific workstation, simply place them in the correct slot using the workstation modification window.

[h3]Putting Workers to Work ⚙️[/h3]
Workers will now report issues if they can’t perform their tasks. Instead of just standing idle, a message will appear above their heads indicating what they need. While working, they’ll also display a progress bar to show how far along they are in completing a task.

Once the progress bar fills up, the assembled product first lands on the assembly mat and is then moved into the holdable crate.

[h3]New Products on the Way 🧩[/h3]
We’ve also added the final batch of new product models 😔. These will be available to assemble in a later phase of the game, but it’s worth putting in the work now to get ready for building such amazing items 😃. We’re aiming for the equipment to become more complex and challenging over time, while keeping it fun and satisfying to assemble.

[h3]See You Next Year! 🎉[/h3]
That’s it for this month’s update! What feature are you most excited to try with the new workers and equipment? Wishing you all the best in the new year, and get ready — something big is coming early next year!

Devlog #6 — (Dis)Assembly Upgrades ⬆️

[h2]Hello, Manufacturers! 👨‍🏭🏭[/h2]
This month was all about another iteration of bringing our growing set of mechanics together into a more unified gameplay loop. We focused on polishing the experience with new quality-of-life improvements, while also expanding existing mechanics with fresh features to make everything feel smoother and more intuitive.
There’s a lot of exciting stuff to cover, so stick around and see what’s new! 👀
[h3]📦 QOL - Holding readability[/h3]
The biggest QoL improvement this month comes from updating how carryable containers work. The player avatar now holds them differently, making their contents much easier to see while moving around. On top of that, the UI now displays the current contents of each box, which is especially helpful when a container holds multiple items.

[h3]🏷️ Components addons - Contracts Stickers[/h3]
Contracts now come with their own unique IDs. When assembling equipment, you’ll need to pick the correct sticker with the matching ID to mark which contract the item should be delivered to. This helps keep things organized and ensures everything ends up where it should. And if you ever need to take it off, the sticker can be removed during the disassembly phase.

[h3]🔧 Disassembly[/h3]
The biggest new addition is the disassembly system! Players can now take apart assembled equipment to, for example, swap out a contract sticker or remove a defective component (more on that in a moment). The disassembly mode is available directly on the assembly table — just press a single button to switch between modes!

[h3]⚠️ Defects Update[/h3]
The defect system for certain inspected products has been updated. Instead of the entire item being marked as defective, a specific component is now the source of the problem. Once detected, the faulty component clearly shows it — for example, by darkening in color to look burned out.

Damaged components can now be removed during disassembly, returning 50% of their original cost, while the remaining components can be reused for assembling the item again.

[h3]New Products 🆕[/h3]
This month we also started introducing new types of equipment that fit the garage setting much better and don’t break immersion. After all, to make it in this market, you’ve got to start small… 😔

That’s everything for this month’s update! As always, we’d love to hear what you think — whether it’s about the new systems, the improved workflow, or the direction the game is heading. Let us know your thoughts, ideas, or anything you’d like to see next. Your feedback really helps shape the game!

Devlog #5 — The Turnaround

[h2]Hello, Manufacturers!👨‍🔧👩‍🔧[/h2]
This month was all about small quality-of-life tweaks, making the gameplay smoother and more intuitive, and sneaking in a bit more immersion to pull you deeper into the experience. Most of the work went into polishing and simplifying things — but there’s also a pretty exciting change to the gameplay scene itself. Make sure to read till the end 👀
[h3]🧾 Daily Summary[/h3]
What kind of game with economic mechanics doesn’t have a daily summary, right? At the end of each day, you’ll now get a full breakdown of your financial operations: all your income, expenses, and, well... the final result - You’ll see exactly how much you earned, or how much you lost 😨

[h3]🧰 Container Placement Animations[/h3]
Placing items into containers now comes with a bit of animation! It’s a small touch, but it really helps smooth things out — the old version felt a bit… odd. A minor improvement, but definitely a satisfying one.

[h3]📦 Separate Inspection and Packing Stations[/h3]
The inspection table has been split into two: one for inspection and one for packing. This makes the process much clearer and easier to follow — products now go into crates instead of boxes.
Packing happens at a separate station, which not only simplifies things when an item doesn’t need inspection, but also leaves room for future mechanics and improvements.

[h3]🔍 See What’s Inside[/h3]
You can now see the contents of containers more easily! It’s much simpler to keep track of how many items are stored where, especially those tucked away inside boxes, which used to make organization a bit tricky. No more guessing what’s inside!

[h3]🏮Garage Makeover
[/h3]
The garage has received a complete makeover to better fit the game’s world and instantly convey its purpose. The new design aims to capture the atmosphere of 1980s Chinese slums, giving the space a more authentic and immersive feel.
Along with the visual overhaul, objects and lighting have been reworked, and some mechanics got a bit of a personality shift to match the new vibe. But there is still plenty to do, so stay tuned.

So, what do you think about the new garage? Does it give off the right vibe? We’d love to hear your thoughts, what would you add or change to make it feel even more alive? Drop your ideas in the comments!
As for next month... let’s just say it’s going to be mostly about assembling products, but I can’t tell You more 🤫


Factory Life Team

Devlog #4 — The Shape of Competition 🏆🥇

[h2]Hello, Manufacturers!👨‍🔧👩‍🔧[/h2]

This past month has been even more intense than the last 😅. We’ve been pushing the simulation elements further to immerse you deeper into the relentless "rat race" 🐀🏁 of the electronics supply chain. Our goal is to capture not just the mechanics of running a factory, but also the constant pressure that comes with being a supplier in a fiercely competitive market. Every decision you make should feel like a step forward - or a risk that could set you back - in the world of fast-paced manufacturing 📈
[h3]From Humble Beginnings 🔧[/h3]
We’ve also started working on the narrative side of the game. The story will follow your journey as the head of a Chinese electronics workshop, beginning in the early 1990s. You’ll start out in a grimy garage hidden in the slums, from there, you’ll grow into a small workshop hiring your first employees, slowly expanding your reach and reputation. Later, your hard work will lead you to run a modern, high-tech factory — one capable of supplying electronic parts to the industry’s biggest players.
Our goal is to make this progression feel both rewarding and authentic, highlighting the tough climb from nothing to becoming a key supplier in the global electronics race.
[h3]Contractors 👨‍💼👩‍💼[/h3]
We’ve made contractors more advanced. Each contractor now has their own level and statistics, which influence the types of orders they assign to you. Completing orders for a contractor helps increase their level, unlocking more challenging and rewarding contracts over time. This system adds an extra layer of strategy, encouraging you to build relationships and prioritize which contractors to focus on.

[h3]Every Second Counts ⏱️[/h3]
Contracts are now much more time-sensitive — instead of in-game days, you may have only… some minutes to complete them. This intensifies the challenge, pushing you to optimize every step of your workflow. Success requires focus, quick decision-making, and hard work, but it also makes achieving your dreams of running a top-tier electronics factory all the more satisfying.

[h3]The Rat Race Heats Up 🐀🏁[/h3]
What’s a race without competitors? We’ve introduced market rivals who are also striving to become the best. As a player, you can now compete with them in daily rankings for small cash prizes, as well as in periodic competitions where the stakes are much higher and the rewards are significant 🏆. This adds another layer of challenge and excitement, giving you a real sense of rivalry and achievement.

[h3]QoL Improvements 📈
[/h3]
This month, we’ve also focused on a number of quality-of-life improvements to make the game as polished and enjoyable as possible. For example, components now visually fit the capacity of storage slots, and you can see at a glance how many spaces are occupied and how many are free 🗃️. These small changes help keep gameplay smooth and intuitive, letting you focus on managing your factory rather than fighting the interface.

[h3]Assembly mechanism 🧑‍🔧⚙️[/h3]
We’ve also improved the assembly process. Some components now include additional assembly mechanics, such as screws or clamping parts. This adds variety and ensures that the workflow isn’t linear or monotonous, keeping the experience engaging and more realistic 🛠️

We’d love to hear from you: which part of running your Chinese manufacture are you most excited to tackle - the high-pressure contracts, competing with rivals, or perfecting your assembly process? Let us know! ⌨

Factory Life Team

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