With our upcoming update on the horizon, hopefully dropping later this month, I wanted to take a moment to explain the reasoning behind our decision to extend idle times and what you can expect.

We’re making a small shift from our original vision of an idle game that required more frequent check-ins. Over time, we’ve realized that, in trying to stay true to the name Idle, we were actually going against what players typically expect from the genre.

Not just that, but initially we thought having players log in every few hours would boost engagement. And while some do enjoy that style of play, we’ve come to see that it’s more demanding than we intended – especially in the long run. Constant check-ins over a long period of time can start to feel exhausting. And instead of making the game more enjoyable, it can create pressure to minimize downtime, which isn’t really what an idle game should be about.

The Problem

Over time, we’ve come to realize that our game’s name and genre naturally set certain expectations about how long players should be able to stay idle. While we’ve always believed that “idle” isn’t about how long the game idles but rather the fact that it can play on its own, we can’t ignore that many players see it differently. And let’s be honest – it can leave a sour taste when someone downloads an “Idle” game, only to find out it can only idle for two hours. Why would they stick around when we’re essentially contradicting the core expectation of the very genre our game is built upon?

I mean, sure, in hindsight, you could say this was obvious from the start… but it wasn’t. By definition, the world idle literally means spending time doing nothing – or in the context of the idle genre, the player does nothing while the game plays itself. I remember feeling frustrated when people claimed, “IdleMMO isn’t even an idle game,” despite it quite literally fitting the definition of the word.

But really, there’s no hard line between what’s “idle” and what isn’t. It’s not like six hours of idling is idle, but three hours somehow isn’t. Where do you even draw that line? Six hours? Twelve? It’s a bit of a silly debate on an arbitrary line drawn by peoples own experiences.

As time went on – and with more feedback and experience – I realized I was getting too caught up in the semantics of the word idle instead of focusing on what actually matters: player expectations. And in the end, that’s what’s truly important.

Sure, we could shake our fists at the sky and insist that idle means a game that plays itself while the player does almost nothing – but honestly, who cares who’s right or wrong? At the end of the day, debating semantics won’t change a player’s expectations when they first load up the game. If it’s not what they expected, they won’t stick around long enough to argue about it – they’ll just leave.

Our game isn’t big enough to redefine what idle means in the minds of players. If most people come in with expectations shaped by other established idle games, then maybe it’s us who need to rethink our approach.

The reality is, our current system has led to confusion and frustration because it pushes against the norms of a genre that our game is literally named after – and that’s something we need to address.

The Solution

So, moving forward, we’re adjusting our approach to better align with what players come to expect with an idle game: a more relaxed, less demanding experience that respects their time.

That said, we’re still fully committed to creating a game experience that encourages slightly more frequent check-ins than typical idle games – also offering more optional ways to engage in active gameplay. (A great example of this is our “Power Hunt” system, which turned out to be a welcome addition for players who enjoy making a bit more progress through active play)

With this in mind, we’re making a slight shift in our approach. Let me break it down:

• The idle duration for the main character will be significantly increased, making the game more “idle-friendly” overall.
• However, to maintain engagement, alt characters will require more frequent check-ins compared to the main character counterpart.
• We’re also exploring new ways to encourage optional active gameplay – similar to how Power Hunting works. It’s too early to say exactly what this will look like, but just to throw out a rough idea, we could experiment with a small “Second Wind” boost for players who refresh their actions after X hours. (Again, this is just me thinking out loud – don’t take “Second Wind” as a confirmed feature!)

Idle Times

So naturally this begs the question: what are the new idle times going to be? Well, let’s break it down.

	Membership	Free
Main Character	8 Hours (Previously 3 hours)	6 Hours (Previously 2 Hours)
Alt Character	3 Hours (Previously 2 hours)	2 Hours (Previously 80 minutes)

Disclaimer: These are our currently planned values, but they’re not final. Nothing is set in stone until the numbers are live in the game. In the past, we’ve made slight adjustments between announcement and release, and that could happen again. That said, this should give you a good idea of what we’re aiming for.

The Positives

Doesn’t Subvert Expectation

As I mentioned at the start of this post, one of the main issues was that we were unintentionally subverting the expectations of players downloading the game. This update aims to address that.

While the maximum of eight hours is still lower than what some other games offer, it provides a more reasonable balance – allowing players to make meaningful progress without feeling the need to check in as often as every three hours.

Reduces Alt Character Reliance

This change slightly nerfs the effectiveness of alt characters, primarily due to their shorter idle times compared to main characters. We say “slightly” because, while alt characters will increase in idle times compared to before the update, they will require much more frequent check-ins relative to main characters. This adjustment addresses concerns from players who worry about an over-reliance on alt characters to progress in the game.

Our goal has always been to ensure the game remains fully playable and enjoyable with just a single character. However, for players interested in managing multiple characters, the option remains available – it simply demands a bit more attention and effort compared to managing your main character.

It’s important to note that, overall, gameplay will become easier for both main and alt characters compared to the pre-update experience. However, as the context and balance will shift, it’s crucial to compare like-for-like main character versus alt character scenario rather than pre-update versus post-update scenario, since the old idle times will no longer apply.

No More Exhaustion

Something we touched on in our previous blog post about the upcoming update – is that requiring more “check-ins” ended up encouraging unhealthy habits, even though that was never the goal. That’s why, early in the game’s beta, we introduced the somewhat controversial Exhaustion System. The idea was simple: we wanted to discourage unhealthy behaviour and give players a reason to step away. In a way, it was our way of saying, “Hey, you’ve been playing for a while… maybe take a breather?”

And, to some extent, it worked. In the first few weeks, about 60% of players who played for more than 20 hours stopped just short of that mark. But in the end, it wasn’t an ideal solution. The biggest problem was that felt like we were punishing players for enjoying the game – and that’s the last thing we want.

With the increased idle times, players will need to check in less frequently. And because of this, it gives us the opportunity of removing the exhaustion feature from the game.

More Ways To Increase Idle Times

When we first committed to keeping idle times low, it really limited how much we could expand that through gameplay. As we’ve mentioned before, we had a housing feature in the works to help with that, but it was always meant as a small boost – maybe an extra hour or two at most. But now… we can aim a little higher and make housing even more rewarding when it is ready.

Not only that, but with the restrictions eased, we now have way more flexibility to experiment with ways to extend idle time. We could add rare potions that boost idle time, or even give temporary extensions to players who hit certain milestones. The possibilities are endless! (Again, I’m just thinking out loud here. These aren’t fully realised ideas)

We’ve always believed in rewarding effort, and the idea of giving dedicated players a meaningful way to extend their idle time is genuinely exciting. I guess it comes down to the idea that “the more you invest, the more you reap” – a concept that fits perfectly with this approach. That said, it’s still a bit early to lock anything in just yet.

The Negatives

Unfortunately, with the increase in idle times, we need to make a few tweaks to keep things balanced – especially when it comes to skills, as we’re mindful of the potential influx of extra items into the game. Since these changes directly affect the power of boosts, like those from the Shrine and Essence Crystals, you can expect some minor adjustments across the board.

Closing Thoughts

We get that some players enjoy a game that requires a few more check-ins than others. However, our goal is to get the right balance – staying true to the idle genre while giving players the freedom to play at their own pace without feeling tied down to constant logins. That said, for those who enjoy checking in more frequently, using alt characters will still require the occasional frequent check-in. And when you compare it to other idle games out there, the new alt character idle time (2-3 hours) is still much lower than most.

We know exactly what we want this game to be, and staying true to that vision is important. One of the key things that makes IdleMMO stand out is that it’s not just a “set it and forget it” idle experience you may come to expect with some games – we want to encourage meaningful check-ins and engagement.

That said, we’re not so stubborn that we refuse to pivot when something doesn’t work as well as we’d hoped. Ideas evolve, and this is one of them. We’re not afraid to make big changes when we believe they’ll improve both the game and the experience for players – even if that means rethinking or reversing past decisions.

This decision has been simmering for a long time… slowly evolving as we’ve gained a clearer understanding of what IdleMMO should be and how to make it more enjoyable for players. As time has passed, our vision has matured, and so has our approach. This isn’t just a sudden change… it’s the result of months of reflection, feedback, and a commitment to making the game the best it can be.

Honestly, there’s a part of me that’s proud we tried something different in an idle game, even if it didn’t pan out quite as expected. Because at the end of the day, that’s what being a developer is all about – experimenting, learning, and creating new and exciting things. We’re truly lucky to be in a position that allows us to do that.

Now, let’s just hope that a year from now, we’re not writing another blog post saying, “Oh god, we were wrong. Turns out increasing idle time in an idle game actually killed the game. Who would’ve thought?”