The inZOI team shared a smaller but highly focused development update this week, continuing their “Fundamentals First” initiative for 2026. While the video does not introduce large new systems, it highlights meaningful improvements to core animations, build mode usability, UI clarity, and overall gameplay fluidity.

Alongside visible changes, the developers also discussed ongoing internal work on a record and memory system, aimed at helping players better understand what their Zoi experiences throughout the day.

🧠 Internal Focus: Records, Memories & Activity Logs

Although not shown directly in the video, the team revealed that a significant amount of time this week was spent discussing a record system.

• Life simulation gameplay can be difficult to follow if players look away even briefly
• Since players act more as observers, understanding Zoi behavior requires better context
• The team believes systems such as memories, diaries, and activity logs are becoming increasingly necessary
• These records would help players understand daily actions, emotional states, and behavioral patterns

The developers emphasized that even if progress isn’t always visually flashy, these foundational systems are critical to inZOI’s long-term quality.

✋ Independent Arm Behavior & Multitasking

One of the key animation updates this week focuses on separating Zoi arm movement from the body:

• Zoi arms can now act independently instead of being locked into full-body animations
• Example shown: a Zoi watching TV while eating takeout can rest the food box naturally between bites
• This system will be expanded to support more complex and variable actions
• It also opens the door for true multitasking scenarios in the future

This change significantly improves animation realism and flexibility.

💥 Collision & Animation Fluidity Improvements

Collisions between Zoi characters and world objects have been refined:

• Previous collisions could cause broken or unnatural animations
• Both Zoi and object animations have been corrected
• Interactions now play out in a more natural and believable way

While subtle, these improvements contribute greatly to moment-to-moment gameplay smoothness.

🧱 Build Mode – Grid Snap Flexibility (Exploration)

The team is exploring an option to make grid snap units adjustable in build mode:

• Players may be able to choose smaller grid snap sizes
• This would be a configurable option rather than a fixed system
• Developers asked players directly whether this would be useful during building sessions

Feedback from the community will help determine whether this feature moves forward.

🖥️ UI & Build Mode Clarity Updates

Several UI-related refinements were introduced to reduce clutter and improve usability:

• Notifier icons now disappear beyond a certain zoom distance
• This prevents unnecessary distraction when icons are no longer useful
• Storable assets in build mode now have clearer visual indicators
• These changes make assets easier to identify and manage

🛁 Progression & Interaction Tuning

Some everyday interactions and progression elements were adjusted based on player feedback:

• Bathtubs now fill much faster after players reported the previous speed felt too slow
• This change makes progression feel more responsive

🎞️ Additional Animation & Interaction Fixes

Several smaller but important polish fixes were also implemented:

• Zoi characters no longer shake excessively when sleeping on sunbeds at 30× speed
• Zoi characters no longer get stuck when exiting bathtubs
• Oven trays no longer auto-rotate unexpectedly
• Making coffee no longer causes water to spill everywhere

These refinements help eliminate friction in daily gameplay.

🧭 Long-Term Direction: “Fundamentals First” (2026)

The developers reaffirmed their commitment to the Fundamentals First strategy:

• The majority of development effort is focused on core gameplay quality and polish
• A smaller portion of the team will still work on new features
• This approach will continue until the game meets both internal standards and community expectations

The team once again emphasized that player feedback is essential in shaping inZOI into a complete experience.