Hotel Galactic Studio Aims to Build a Cozy Community with Steam Early Access Title

LISBON, Portugal – A small studio is hoping to redefine the management simulation experience with a focus on the human element. Ancient Forge, the developer behind the recently launched Steam Early Access title Hotel Galactic, is building a game where staff aren’t just resources, but a long-term investment.

The game, showcased at the DevGAMM conference in Portugal, centers around building and managing a galactic hotel. But what sets Hotel Galactic apart is its emphasis on the lifecycle of its employees – from hiring and training to eventual retirement and mentorship.

“We want to look at the employees as our family,” says Ida Szczecinska, producer at Ancient Forge. “It’s a joke with us, that we hire employees and then we just tell them what to do – clean, bring this, that. But the whole impression is that they stay with you, they learn skills, and they actually grow old with you.”

Szczecinska explains that as employees age, players can offer them pensions, but a more rewarding path is to utilize their experience through a mentorship program. “You can hire a new employee with no skills and send them on a mentorship adventure, literally, where they gain skills alongside the older employee, to keep the hotel at a good performance level. So this is the whole cycle for employees; it’s quite long. You have to keep them, train them, and then pass on the knowledge to the next generation of hotel staff.”

This approach reflects a growing trend in gaming towards more nuanced and emotionally engaging simulations. According to a 2023 report by Newzoo, the simulation game market is projected to reach $24.4 billion in revenue, driven by player demand for immersive and relatable experiences. Hotel Galactic taps into this demand by prioritizing the human stories within the gameplay.

Early Access and Future Plans

Ancient Forge launched Hotel Galactic into Early Access this summer and is now actively collecting player feedback. “Right now, we’re gathering feedback, checking how players are seeing the game, and we already know where we can improve,” Szczecinska stated. “We’re taking it very seriously.”

The studio is currently focused on a major overhaul aimed at improving game smoothness, bug fixing, and expanding content. They anticipate releasing these improvements in December. “December is our goal to show players the improvements we’ve made from Early Access, and the next step is to start thinking about full release next year,” Szczecinska added.

Beyond the initial release, Ancient Forge is open to exploring porting Hotel Galactic to other platforms. Currently available on Steam and Steam Deck, the studio is actively considering expanding its reach. “We are open to communication, also about porting,” Szczecinska confirmed.

Hotel Galactic is currently available in Early Access on Steam.