Since June 18, Habbo Hotel has reopened its doors. The social platform was all the rage in the 2000s by becoming a virtual meeting space. The service is practically back to its original state.
Old hits never die. Regardless of the advent of Tiktok, Snapchat, Fortnite and other spaces with socializing tendencies, it is in the old pots that we make the best recipes. In any case, this is what Sulake, a Finnish developer who is trying a poker game by reviving a star from the 2000s, is hoping for.
The youngest have probably never heard ofHabbo Hotel. In the 2000s, he rode the wave of virtual meeting spaces Second Life, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, and others Club Penguin. These are new platforms in the form of services which allow Internet users – often adults – to build their world, to meet other people to make friends, exchange, play, etc. Did you say metaverse? It’s a bit like that. Weddings will be celebrated there, very real meetings materialized.
A version faithful to that of 2005
It is this nostalgia that comes to revive Haboo Hotel: Origins. Since June 18, the hotel has reopened its doors in a replica which aims to be extremely faithful to the 2005 version. The game had not really disappeared, but its floors had been deserted for years, even if the confinement and the Covid-19 had brought renewed interest among isolated Internet users.
Pixelated graphics, somewhat stiff avatars, colorful universes, everything has remained in its original form. More than a hundred campaigns from the first years will be integrated. “We have meticulously ensured that the ‘vibe’ of the hotel imitates the situation of more than 18 years ago,” explain its creators on the new site. The developments that followed (online store, accessories, customization additions, etc.) are not on the menu. New features in the spirit of the game will also possibly be added.
It took almost six months and getting hold of an “old, decrepit server” with lost files to bring the project back to life in its original form. Sulake recognizes, however, that some modernization effects were necessary to also adapt to technological developments. The initial game was in flash. Habbo Hotel: Origins will be made under the Unity engine.
A future in the hands of players
But the heart of the service remains the same. Welcome to this virtual hotel where you can meet up with friends or meet new ones while chatting in the lounges or exploring the park for multiple activities. Everyone can create their personal space (their room), decorate it, liven it up and invite whoever they want.
Users will also be able to participate in surveys. Because its (re)creators want to bring an even more democratic dimension. They have already anticipated that the community will be particularly listened to in order to develop the platform and, above all, keep it alive.
“We want your input, your voice, and your opinion on the direction of what happens next,” the developers write. “Habbo Hotel: Origins will not follow the same path as Habboit’s up to you to decide where we go from here.”
Among the changes promised to be more in keeping with the times: user confidentiality and moderation. The initial game relied on its community to moderate the game with the iconic Hobba. Their return will be put to a vote, announces Sulake.
If the Habbo game still exists, Habbo Hotel: Origins hopes to attract new players with an easier-to-access version. For the moment, the new service is only available in English, Portuguese and Spanish (on Windows PC and Mac).
