Sulake announced today that it will be removing SnowStorm from Habbo. The statement released refers to "changes" to the minigame, although the only concrete plan is the immediate removal of the feature.
According to the company, the idea is to turn SnowStorm into a seasonal game — and no longer a feature permanently available to the community. So, it may eventually return to Habbo for a limited period, but, for now, there are no plans or guarantees that this will happen.
Dubious plans
In March 2021, Sulake published an article sharing his long-term vision for SnowStorm on Habbo. The company intended to develop a beta version of the game on Habbo.
SnowStorm leaves the hotel in a context of low audience, but this may not be the only explanation for Sulake's recent decision. The company's goal with its main product is to stimulate the creativity of its users, especially with the room building and RPGs. SnowStorm does not represent that. The game arrived as an improvised solution to the exodus of users who strongly rejected the new version of Habbo, based on Unity, launched in previous months.
Habbo Hotel: Origins, on the other hand, could be the ideal environment for the launch of minigames, especially those that bring back nostalgia. Battle Ball and Fishing are some of the games available at this hotel, and Macklebee promises even more new features.
Comings and goings
Released in October 2006, SnowStorm is a game inspired by one of Sulake's most primitive projects, Lumisota, with mechanics very similar to the current game, but with graphics based on the extinct Mobiles Disco, a community that preceded Habbo Hotel.
SnowStorm was first removed in May 2009, when many of Habbo's features were removed during the migration of the platform on which the community runs from Shockwave to Flash Player. It returned in December 2011 and became part of the Game Center, a window for games within Habbo, which also included Habbo Speedway, Matchwood, Fast Food and several others. The Game Center, however, was discontinued in March 2014, when Sulake felt that these games were not compatible with the experience it wanted to provide its community. Even so, seven years later, it returned to Habbo for the turbulent launch of the new beta version of the hotel. Now, once again, it leaves Habbo with a dubious future.