Introducing: Project Keystone
For the past several months, we've been quietly working on one of the biggest technical projects Origins has ever undertaken.
Internally, we've called it Project Keystone,and today, we're finally ready to tell you what it is.
Project Keystone is our complete C++ recreation of the Origins game client. Not a redesign. Not a remaster. A faithful rebuild of the client you know today, using modern technology while preserving the experience that makes Origins feel like Origins.
Why rebuild it?
Our current client is powered by Adobe Shockwave and Lingo, technology that was never expected to still be running games today.
It's served us remarkably well, but keeping it alive has become increasingly difficult. Modern operating systems continue to move away from supporting older software, and future versions of macOS are expected to remove Rosetta support entirely, making the current client increasingly difficult to run on newer MacOS versions.
We could have continued patching around those problems. Instead, we decided to bring our timetable forward a little and build something that gives Origins a stronger foundation for the future.
Faithful first
From day one, our goal has been simple: recreate the client as faithfully as possible. The interface, movement, furniture interactions, room rendering, trading, chatting, and everything you've come to expect should feel exactly as it does today.
If you've ever wondered whether we'd use this as an opportunity to reinvent the game, the answer is no. Getting the experience right has always come first.
Nothing should look or behave differently when we first launch the Keystone Client.
The difference is incredible
While authenticity has been the priority, there are some benefits that are impossible to ignore. Project Keystone is dramatically faster.
Launching the existing client and entering a room can regularly take well over a minute, maybe two, depending on your machine.
With the Keystoneclient, we're consistently reaching a room in under five seconds from launch. No shortcuts. No missing features. Just a much faster experience.
And did we mention that there's no sprite limit?
A stronger foundation
Moving away from Shockwave also means Habbo Origins is no longer tied to ageing browser technology. Project Keystone gives us native clients for Windows and macOS, with Linux looking very promising too.
Because the client is now native, we're no longer relying on compatibility layers or legacy browser technology to keep Habbo Origins running.
It also creates opportunities that simply weren't realistic before. We're not announcing anything beyond desktop today, but having a modern foundation gives us far more flexibility for the future.
Why this matters
Some of you might be wondering why we've invested so much time into rebuilding the client instead of adding new features.
The answer is simple. None of those features matter if the foundations they're built on continue to become harder, or literally impossible to maintain.
Project Keystone is an investment in the future of Habbo Origins. It allows us to preserve today's experience while giving us a stable platform to build on for years to come.
We need your eyes
Soon, we'll begin inviting members of the community to join the Project Keystone Beta.
This won't be an early access launch. It'll be a genuine beta. There will be bugs. There will be rough edges. Some things won't behave exactly as they should, and that's okay.
What we're looking for is feedback from players who know Habbo Hotel: Origins inside and out. The little details matter, and we know you'll spot things we've missed.
Over the coming weeks we'll share more about how you can take part, what to expect, and how to report issues.
This is one of the biggest investments we've made in Habbo Hotel: Origins since launch, and we're incredibly excited to finally share it with you.
We'll see you in the hotel.
- Harry
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