Youtubers Life 3 News

We continue another week presenting the new features of the upcoming Youtubers Life 3 update. It’s a huge update—probably the biggest transformation we’ve ever made in the series. There are new features in almost every area: environments, missions, characters, mechanics, redesigned screens to make everything clearer… We can’t wait for you to try it and see what you think of all these changes. ✨

When we began developing Youtubers Life 3, we didn’t want to release a repetition of Youtubers Life 2. For us, it would have felt like trying to sell a full game that was essentially a DLC for an already solid and complete title. We wanted to explore a different experience within the same universe, and that led us to introduce online elements and a shared world between real players. 🌐

This shaped the design from the beginning: for example, all players had to share the same calendar and schedules, which led us to use real-time.

In this new version, we have rethought these foundations. We removed real time to make the experience more dynamic, rebalanced entire systems, and didn’t hesitate to change whatever was needed to improve the game’s pacing. ⚙️

We have spent six months working intensely to steer YL3 toward the direction we always intended, and we are still working hard to finish the update as soon as possible. And this won’t be the last major feature: we have new locations, more characters, more missions and special events prepared for later this year. Here’s a preview of some of this content:



And here’s a look at one of the special events coming later, featuring missions, minigames, and exclusive items: 🎉



But we’ll reveal all that slowly and in due time. Today we focus on this week’s main topic:

[h3]👥 Story NPCs[/h3]
Many characters from Youtubers Life 2 return, completely redesigned to match YL3’s style. More than 50 characters were manually adapted: 🎨



Their role in the game has changed as well. This time they no longer have long stories or complex arcs like in YL2; the approach is different. They act as guides and gateways to new mechanics through short missions that help structure progression. If you like them, we may expand their stories later. 😉



There are two main types of story NPCs:

NPCs who “live” in a location
They appear on the map and each one offers a couple of medium-difficulty missions that unlock features linked to them, such as Tobs’ food deals or Clara’s relaxation room.



Classic content creators from YL2
They now gather in Robin’s bar. There you’ll be able to face them in streaming duels 🎥🔥, each with their own level and challenges. These encounters are designed to test you and help you grow as a creator.



[h3]🕵️ New Story[/h3]
The tutorial and main story have been completely redesigned. The starting point remains the same: a young person dreaming of becoming a YouTuber, without resources, working for Mr. Rikko. This time, the visit to his house will be brief: within minutes you’ll already be in your room, with a clear direction and fully at your own pace.

The game begins primarily offline, and after progressing a bit you’ll gain access to your first shared online event. From there, the story advances with a touch of detective adventure 🕵️‍♂️, a more developed second act, and a more cohesive narrative climax.

The tutorial philosophy has also changed. In the previous version, the game guided you for quite a while, explaining mechanics before you needed them. Now you’ll learn only the essentials at Rikko’s house—how to record offline videos—and afterwards you’re free to progress however you prefer.
Mechanics will be unlocked gradually in the most natural way possible. We want each new system to feel like a small achievement. 🏆

[h3]🎬 Conclusions[/h3]
We know some players expected an open world similar to Youtubers Life 2, but from the beginning we chose a different approach. We never presented Youtubers Life 3 as an open-world game and always communicated that it would be a different experience.

This update aims to reinforce that identity while expanding the content far beyond what the original Early Access version offered.

With everything it includes, we sincerely believe this new version offers as many—or even more—hours of fun than YL2, along with clearer pacing, more options, and more varied progression. For many, it will feel almost like trying a brand-new game. ✨

We hope you give it a chance with an open mind: we’re convinced that this time, it will surprise you in the best way. 💙

One of the aspects we calibrated worst in the Early Access version was assuming that spontaneous player participation would make the events fun. We thought the content would emerge on its own from the experiences and interactions of attendees, as happens in social multiplayer games like Habbo Hotel. We imagined a more relaxed gameplay pattern: logging in every day (or every few days), entering the active online room, doing a couple of interactions, chatting, taking photos, competing in a streaming match, going back home, and continuing to progress with offline activities and on the global ranking.

The problem was that most Youtubers Life 3 players were coming from the previous entries and were not looking for this kind of experience. They expected something more traditional: long sessions, fast progression, advancing in a few days and even finishing the story in a matter of hours, without anything controlling their pace of play. We even saw cases of people finishing the game without paying employee salaries a single time (payments were made on real-world Sundays). If you finished the game in less than a week, you never had to pay.

With these results on the table, we decided that having a single event per day was a mistake. The game needed more variety, and it needed it fast.


The first step was removing the calendar, which only showed the daily event, and turning it into a city map where you can see all activities available at any moment of the day:



We know many of you asked for the return of Youtubers Life 2’s open world, but with the nature of YL3 it was impossible to replicate without practically rebuilding the entire game from scratch. Even so, the solution we’ve adopted conveys similar sensations: freedom to move between locations, the appearance of random situations, and exploration of relatively large areas. At the beginning, no buildings will be unlocked, and you’ll discover them as you progress through the story.

All these locations are still online, so you’ll be able to meet other players, but now they include many activities to do solo: missions, situations where you can record videos, obtaining news (as explained in previous articles), and more.


In the map image, you can already spot some new locations:

[h3]🏪Supermarket[/h3]
A new setting where you can buy food, find deals, and complete various actions related to food brands. We have completely redesigned how food works by adding a new parameter: health. Each food item has different effects that you’ll discover throughout the game. Here you’ll meet Tobs, the friendly supermarket clerk.



[h3]💇‍♀️Hair Salon[/h3]
The Youtubers Life 2 hair salon returns with the iconic Lafayette in charge. It works similarly: you can no longer change your hairstyle at home—you’ll have to come here. And for the sake of realism, hairstyles are no longer “owned”: every change costs money again, although not much. Also, the hair salon hides a secret room you’ll have to unlock.



[h3]💪Gym[/h3]
A new location where Clara is waiting to get you in shape. In addition to the training area, there is an exclusive room to relax and recover energy and health.



[h3]🎮Playcon Retro[/h3]
The Playcon building now hosts two types of fairs: video game brand showcases (games, consoles…) and Playcon Retro, with a medieval theme. This is the only place where you’ll find “retro” games: titles no longer sold in the regular store. You can also resell your old games and, if you’re a good collector, even make a profit.



[h3]🕹️Playcon for Brands[/h3]
We won’t go into detail about the rest of the places —we want you to discover them while playing— but it’s worth highlighting that the Playcon for brands has become a huge location divided into three zones, each with its own access requirements and many possible activities and situations.



[h3]Restrictions[/h3]
Access to certain events may have several restrictions, something that already existed but is now much clearer. From now on, to enter some parties you’ll have to meet three conditions:

• Pay the entrance fee
  
• Have a certain rank as a YouTuber
  
• Wear the appropriate clothes according to the dress code (as shown in the image, your clothing must have the indicated tags)
  

[h3]Event Generation[/h3]
The most important change regarding event functionality is their availability. From now on, there will always be several events active simultaneously, one per location (although occasionally one may be closed). In addition, events no longer last a full day; they have varied durations, usually less than an hour.

This may seem a bit overwhelming at first, but the game introduces these locations gradually through the story, giving you time to explore them and understand everything they offer. Within a few hours, you’ll be moving around the city as if it were your own.


Overall, we believe that this time we’ve found what many of you were expecting from the game. The feelings during playtest sessions have been very positive: the game feels closer to the previous entries, yet retains its own identity, something that makes it special.

This week we bring you an in-depth look at the new sponsorship system through brands and contracts. After seeing how little the previous system was used during Early Access, we decided to rebuild it from scratch. It is now a mechanic mainly designed for the mid-late game, when you’re already a well-known YouTuber and must manage your relationships with different brands to keep growing.


We have reorganized all the brands in the game, and now each one is clearly associated with a type of product: video games, technology, food, drinks, etc. We’ve also added rivalry and affinity relationships between them—something to keep in mind when interacting with any brand. For example, Honey and NicoSoft have the highest possible rivalry: if you have an active contract with Honey and decide to attend a NicoSoft event, your reputation with Honey will drop.

The most important brands are the four dedicated to video games. Each has its own attributes that influence its behavior in the game. For example, Mantendo stands out for the quality of its games, but isn’t exactly an expert at dealing with other brands.




As YouTubers, besides having affinity with certain brands (as shown in a previous devlog), when you sign a contract you must maintain your reputation with them. This relationship rises or falls depending on your actions: recording videos related to the brand or its rivals, attending events, completing promotions… Your relationship level affects how well the brand values you and the benefits you’ll unlock later when we get into the contract section.




Although we’ll talk about them in more detail in a future article, we can already say that we’ve added a wide variety of events organized by the brands. Among them is the Playcon, a huge gaming event full of activities and content, organized by one of the major brands in the industry.

To access the contract system, you’ll need to hire a manager, who will help you handle sponsorships. As before, to hire employees you’ll need to expand your house and unlock an additional room. We have also adjusted the costs of both the first expansion and salaries.



Each contract belongs to a specific brand and comes in three levels: A, B, and C. Depending on your employee’s level, you’ll gain access to some contracts but not others. You can have up to 2 contracts of type C, 2 of type B, and 1 of type A simultaneously.


Food, drink, entertainment, and recording accessory brands. Any manager level grants access to these contracts. They offer short, quick missions that reward you with items meant to help professionalize your YouTuber career. These mostly provide economic benefits.




These higher-level contracts are made with tech brands. To sign them, you’ll need a specific manager level and must attend a tech event where the brand representative will give you tasks. As in type C contracts, you’ll find missions that generate income, but also, as you improve your relationship with the brand, you will unlock new PC components in the shop.



The most important contracts belong to video game brands. To access them, you’ll need the right manager and must attend a Playcon, where the brand representative will ask you to complete a small challenge. In addition to money-earning missions, these contracts offer especially attractive rewards if you improve your relationship with the brand.



Among the most notable rewards you’ll find exclusive features:

[h2]🎮Develop Your Own Game[/h2]
You’ll be able to create your own game within the Youtubers Life 3 universe. When you reach a certain level, the brand will allow you to develop a title under its label. You’ll need a token, which can be obtained in several ways. Each created game consumes one token.



The interface lets you define name, genre, style, price, and number of copies. A cover will be generated using AI based on your choices. Once you publish the game, it will appear in all players’ stores and become a permanent part of the Youtubers Life 3 universe.



[h2]🕹️Customize a Console[/h2]
You will also be able to customize an exclusive console with any color you want.



The result will be a unique console, not available in the shop, which you can gift to your friends. Only one can be customized per brand.



[h2]👔An Exclusive Outfit[/h2]




All in all, this is a complex and very deep system that you’ll need to discover as you play. In the coming weeks, when we talk about the new events, we’ll explain the final pieces that tie this mechanic into the gameplay loop. We hope you find it engaging and make the most of it in your life as a YouTuber.

We continue with our series of articles about the upcoming features of Youtubers Life 3. For now, we still can’t share a release date for this major update, but the entire team is working hard so you can try it as soon as possible.

[h2]Video Type: Vlog[/h2]

Today we want to dive deeper into how the new video type works: the Vlog. This format is not available from the start; instead, it must be unlocked by spending talent points. A vlog can be recorded at any time and in any place: you take out your phone and start recording. The idea is to share your experiences with your audience, and we can already tell you that there are many experiences waiting to be discovered.

To record a vlog, you first need a topic to talk about. Usually, these topics are obtained by exploring events. There are several ways to get them, but the most common is by talking to characters. You will find brand representatives sponsoring the event, mysterious characters with juicy secrets, or even CEOs in VIP lounges, depending on your level as a youtuber.



[h2]Types of Topics[/h2]

Topics come in three different qualities, depending on the importance of the information:

• Rumors: These are uncertain sources of information that subscribers usually take cautiously, as they could be fake news. They are the easiest to obtain. For example, a random attendee at the event might tell you something “they heard somewhere,” without much credibility.
  
• News: These come from official sources like brand representatives or event organizers. They have good reputation but usually don’t offer much valuable information, since they consist of public data everyone already knows.
  
• Exclusives: These are official pieces of information that only you possess. They are mainly obtained thanks to your level as a youtuber, although your karma—depending on whether it aligns with the brand’s values—also plays a role.
  

The impact of the video you publish will depend directly on the quality of the story: the more exclusive it is, the greater the audience.

[h2]Story Text[/h2]

Each story comes with a headline. When playing Youtubers Life 3, you’ll notice that each headline is unique, original, fun, and—best of all—generated in your language.

At UPLAY, we wanted to experiment with new AI-based technologies applied to video games, always with full respect for our collaborators. We don’t use AI to speed up production or replace anyone, but to create content that would be impossible to produce by hand—essentially infinite content that doesn’t need recycling.

If you look closely, the fictional games that appear in Youtubers Life 3 are practically “infinite,” each with its own cover art. It would be unfeasible to ask illustrators to generate dozens of covers per day for years. In Youtubers Life OMG we had random games, but only one cover per genre. In Youtubers Life 2 the games were not procedural: they were predesigned and always the same. Now, thanks to AI, we combine the best of both worlds.

The same applies to the small procedurally generated texts throughout the game, such as the news. Events are never recycled: they are created continuously and uniquely for each game, making the world feel more alive.

The rest of the game, however, is entirely handmade, in the most artisanal way possible. For example, some players have accused us of using AI for the card art in the streaming minigame, but that is not the case: all of them are hand-drawn illustrations by our collaborators. We would love to read your opinions on this topic in a constructive manner.



[h2]Recording Process[/h2]

Recording vlogs has some particular rules. Once you obtain a story, a button appears in the bottom menu, above the NewTube button. You can only have one story at a time, so if you acquire a new one, you lose the previous one. To start recording, simply press this button. You can do this at any time and place, whether at home or at an event.



When you press it, a window opens where you decide how you’ll comment on the story. First, you should look at its information: credibility, which indicates whether the story seems absurd or totally plausible. However, even then, it may be true or false. It could be unbelievable but real, or completely credible yet false. You won’t know if it’s real unless you investigate, which requires going home, using your PC, and spending time and energy.

With that information, you choose your reaction. Each type of story and each reaction affects your audience, your karma, and your relationship with the brand you are talking about. Choosing wisely matters.



After that, you begin recording with the usual minigame, generating a project that you can edit normally. When editing, pay attention to the bonuses applied to the video. In some cases, it may even be better to discard it to avoid issues with the brand.



And that’s everything related to vlogs in Youtubers Life 3. See you next week with another new feature.

Hey Youtubers! We're getting closer to the release of this big update we've been talking about over the past few weeks. If you haven’t checked out the previous posts, we recommend visiting our Steam news articles about Youtubers Life 3. You’ll discover the exciting new world that’s coming!

• The Karma System
• Improvements to the video recording and publishing loop
• New Video Types
• Fans or Haters? The new follower dynamics

[h2]🎧 How to access the minigame[/h2]

As mentioned in the post about the new video types, the last one is the Podcast. It’s a type of video with a completely new and independent recording minigame, similar to Streaming.

To record it, you’ll need to go to an event that has a Podcast table (there are currently two: in Galaxy Disco and Swimming Elite Club). Once there, simply interact with the Podcast table to start the match.



[h2]🎮 How to play[/h2]

This is an online minigame for 2 to 5 players, designed to capture the feeling of a real podcast: everyone wants to talk, but you must be patient and wait your turn. The worst thing you can do is talk at the same time as someone else!



When you enter, there’s a lobby where players wait for others to join:



Once everyone’s ready, the game begins!

The mechanics are very simple:

• Each player has a set of topics (emojis) to spend.
  
• The first one to run out of topics wins the match.
  
• Each round, the game suggests a topic (represented by an emoji).
  
• If it matches one of yours, you spend it. If not, you receive two new penalty emojis.
  

The twist is in the timing: if two players “speak” (use an emoji) at the same time, both are penalized with two new emojis. You’ll need wit and strategy to avoid overlapping with others.



[h2]🏆 Reward[/h2]

When the match ends, you’ll receive a recorded video as a reward, which you can later edit and publish at home. The video’s quality depends on your final position in the match.



[h2]✨ Conclusions[/h2]

This will be the only online feature included in this update. We know some of you have expressed concerns about the number of concurrent players and how hard it can be to find a match.

We’re confident that the number of players will grow after the release of version 1.0, which we’ve been working on for months. This update will make the game deeper, more engaging, and more accessible, bringing back the essence of the previous entries but with a much stronger single-player experience.

Our goal is to ensure a successful launch that brings back original players and attracts new creators to the community.

There are still more features to reveal in the coming weeks, and while there’s no release date yet, we invite you to stay tuned every Friday for our updates.

We can’t wait for you to experience everything coming in this big update!