It's the Update Report for May 12, 2026! Featuring beach outfits, the Mad Hatter, and a disappearing mage (don't worry, we fixed that)!

Alice in Wonderland fans, this one's for you. Explore a new, fantastical world and rewrite Lewis Carroll's classic story however you see fit.

Step through the looking glass, fall down the rabbit hole, and join us for tea. Please, be punctual. It's time to explore our new Alice in Wonderland world: https://www.hiddendoor.co/world/wonderland-of-whimsy-logic-3a8310

In this Boss Mode interview from @gamesbeat.bsky.social, our CEO, @hilarymason.com, explains how human creativity powers Hidden Door...and what Hidden Door *is.* Game studio? Entertainment company?

Need a vacation? Stop dreaming, start planning, and you'll unlock the Beach Episode modifier card! When you mention a vacay, holiday, sabbatical or other type of getaway in your next story, you'll earn this modifier card...and the beach-ready character customization options that come with it.

It's the update report for May 5, 2026! Here are the features we've added and the bugs we've fixed in the last week.

Missed dev/ai/nyc? It's not too late to catch up with video of the event. Listen to our CEO and co-founder Hilary describe our approach to making Hidden Door happen (including this handy tip: DON'T REINVENT THE WHEEL). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5l1Pukl7Eo

Happy Friday. Let's get nasty. Our newest modifier card is Maximum Body Horror. Add it to any story, and you'll see graphic, *loving* detail in descriptions of injuries and bodily functions. It is NOT FOR THE SQUEAMISH! Play 5 stories in any horror world to prove you're ready.

ICYMI, @hilarymason.com spoke at dev/ai/nyc! You can catch up on the @automattic.com YouTube channel to see our live demo (including a sneak preview of a brand-new platform for story creators) and hear Hilary's conversation with @jesse.blog. Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5l1Pukl7Eo

Ahoy, mateys: the Pirates modifier card is unlockable now! Sail the seas with your crew, seek treasures, avoid sea monsters, and—who're we kidding?—say "YARRR" a lot. Unlock this modifier card by encountering a ship (or boat) (or submarine) (any seaworthy vessel, really) in your next story. YARRR!!!

It’s the update report for April 28, 2026! FEATURES: *We added Zombies and Poetic Asides modifiers! *The world builder has been completely reworked with a tactile, handmade feel: modifier chips, deckled edges, and a staggered preview reveal when you add a modifier! (1/3)

Don't miss dev/ai/nyc, this Wednesday (April 29)! Registration is free. Spots are limited. Fireside chat + light bites + drinks + fun!

We brought an old modifier card back from the dead. Maybe if our brains hadn't been EATEN, we'd know what a risky idea that is! Earn the ZOMBIES modifier card by completing 2 stories in The Crow, The Call of Cthulhu or Dracula. You'll earn the ability* to add zombies to any world! *be cursed forever

REMINDER: We've got a new modifier card! Find a book in-game, add its entity card to your deck, and poof, you'll unlock the Poetic Asides modifier card. Characters will break into poetry. Events will be summarized in verse. And you'll get an A+ in literature class! Try it at hiddendoor.co today!

Happy Poetry Month! Strawberries are red, blueberries are blue; we've got a new modifier for you. When you add a book to your deck, you'll unlock the Poetic Asides modifier card. This card will turn SOME of your story's cast into bards, and their dialogue will rhyme!

It's the update report for Tuesday, April 21, 2026! Huh. Don't remember typing that last part. I'm sure it's nothing.

Will we see you next week at dev/ai/nyc? We sure hope so—register now via @automattic.com's event page: luma.com/jae3jufw

If you're attending BookCon or the Festival of Books this weekend, we'd like to introduce you to: US. Hi, we're Hidden Door. We made an RPG for anyone who loves stories (whether they're books from your library or fanfiction from AO3). It's great to meet you. 💕📚⭐

Now on @medium.com: The State of AI-Native Games from #GDC2026, as presented by our CEO @hilarymason.com#GDC2026, Hilary and co-presenter Eleanor Todd discuss which games have succeeded (or spectacularly failed):

IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE DAYS

WARNING: This Q&A contains shovel-tuskers, gomphotheres, and taxonomically misrepresented cheetahs. How did paleontology and poetry shape our romantasy world, A Courtship of Frost? Take a look behind the scenes:

It's the update report for April 14, 2026! FEATURES: *Achievement badges open a detailed popup showing the icon, description, and earned date! *Deleting worlds now uses a polished hover-to-reveal trash icon! *The story highlights button now displays how many highlights you’ve created! (1/3)

Happy weekend! We're sharing our favorite modifier recipes. This one's great for fans of Legends & Lattes, Gilmore Girls, Practical Magic, setting up a Google alert for "Practical Magic sequel," Fields of Mistria, Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing, Studio Ghibli films, and rewatching F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

Have you had a chance to listen to @hilarymason.com on the Aboard podcast yet? Here are the highlights: *Joyscrolling is IN this year *Vibe coding is easy, good (pro-social) game design is hard *"Classic" machine learning never goes out of style Watch now on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef8j...

A real code review comment I got to type with my own two hands.

If you'd like to hear @ftrain.bsky.social roleplay as Marion, a hunter struggling with internal demons, working to make friends at a fantasy tavern in Brooklyn...now's your chance. Thanks for having @hilarymason.com on the podcast, Aboard team!

It's the Update Report for April 7, 2026! FEATURES: *Your profile page now shows gold/silver/bronze icons for achievements!😎 *Our highlights maker is snappy to open, loads WAY faster (especially on mobile!) and supports smooth drag transforms. *[REDACTED: ATLAS PROJECT TICKETS 6871 AND 6894]

March Madness never has to end at hiddendoor.co  👀🏀⏱️🏆🗓️

BUSINESS TIP: If you want to #grind and #hustle this weekend, we highly recommend playing our startup parody world BURN RATE. Learn businessy business terms, practice your pitches, drink your weight in kombucha, profit. The end.

Happy April 1st! Here at Hidden Door, we are celebrating April Fools' Day with FREE (and mandatory) party hats! Create a new character? Party hat! Play as a canon character? PARTY HAT. Discover a new location? Uh. Well. Okay. I guess the castle can have a party hat. That was...intentional. Yes.

On this Trans Day of Visibility, I would just like to say that trans rights are human rights and that celebrating the trans community as a part of all communities enriches every one of us.

look, sometimes "test the new player experience" means "one straight hour of cannibalism talk." that's just BUSINESS

It's the Update Report for March 31, 2026! (🧵 1/3) FEATURES: *You can pitch your own story ideas after finishing an origin story! Hit the new "My Idea" button and type in your pitch. *When making a world, creators can now [REDACTED: ███ ATLAS PROJECT ███ TICKET 6846] ...Hmm! Ignore that for now ;)

Hidden Door out of context. And also: Google Meet suggested responses out of context.

It's Bug + Update Report day! We have a LOT to share from this week. Check out our most recent glow-up, as of March 24, 2026:

Consider this your formal invitation to...THE COTTAGE. Play the SPORTS modifier card to unlock these hockey-inspired outfits in any world (we fooled around in Pride & Prejudice to make these real gameplay examples). Reimagine, remix, and remember: have fun.

Another new modifier card?! We must have March madness, because we added ANOTHER new modifier. The SPORTS modifier card centers your stories around athletic competitions. To earn it, have a ball in any of our playable worlds (interact with or mention a ball or another spherical object). Play ball!

Our newest modifier card is a blockbuster event! Film Festival adds silver screen dramedy to your stories. Flirt with Mr. Darcy on a movie set like it's 2005. Host a film festival on a distant planet. Manage industry chaos with magical equipment. Maybe you even get to control the awards shows. ;)

It's your lucky day! We made a bunch of improvements to the game. Here's the BUG AND UPDATE REPORT for MARCH 17th, 2026: *You can now download your card images! Make a game scrapbook or junk-journal your deck! *We improved trope transitions (when you become a vampire, you will REALLY NOTICE)!...

Your snacks are on-theme. Your Nicole Kidman AMC speech is memorized. Now, you just need Modifier Card combinations for Hidden Door, inspired by the Oscars. We've got it.

Howdy! Are y'all ready to hit the dusty trail? With our newest modifier card, Spaghetti Western, you can add western tropes to any playable world. Earn it by horsin' around—that is, encountering or discussing horses in any of our playable worlds! (1/2)

The next big thing

Hidden Door, out of context. The horses are FORESHADOWING.

we're REAL excited for this one

HAPPY GDC. If you are not prepared at all, here, please, copy our homework: www.hiddendoor.co/blog/gdc-sch...

We put on a cute new outfit for GDC. Do you like it 🥺

one week til bagels with Roguelike Celebration @ GDC. if u even care

Hidden Door, out of context: We have a NEW BUSINESS VENTURE.

If the AI overview says it, it MUST be true.  We launched a playable parody world, Burn Rate, that lovingly skewers startup culture. Step into Nimbus (former bus repair shop, current co-working space). Drink all the coffee you want, but watch out for Rollerblade Guy (he's definitely "disrupting.")

We upgraded our moment creation studio! We also have a brand-new homepage experience. COINCIDENCE?! No! We worked very hard on both simultaneously! What, you think we're just wingin' it over here? See it all at hiddendoor.co now and create your own new-and-improved social moments when you play!