I'm Happy To See Habbo Hotel: Origins Come To Steam Later This Year

Launched in 2000 by Finnish studio Sulake, Habbo Hotel was one of the earliest examples of a free-to-play online social MMO. It offered a digital hotel lobby filled with quirky avatars, customizable rooms, and shared spaces where players could simply hang out. There was no grinding, no combat, just a laid-back environment. The purpose of Habbo Hotel was to be present, talk with others, decorate your space, and perhaps join in on some light roleplay or community events.

For many, it was an introduction to the potential of the Internet. While RuneScape and MapleStory captured my attention as a gamer, I also dabbled in Habbo Hotel as a child. It served as a gateway MMO for me, alongside Club Penguin, Neopets, and Gaia Online. I would log in after school, meet people from around the world, and feel as though I was part of something larger. It was a magical experience at the time.

That is why the announcement of Habbo Hotel: Origins struck such a nostalgic chord. Origins is essentially a resurrection of the 2005-era version of the game, before years of updates and monetization layers transformed it into something more complex. Sulake has joined the wave of companies reviving their classic MMOs, focusing on what made Habbo Hotel special in the first place: a stripped-down, quirky social sandbox where interaction itself was the goal.

Origins first launched in mid-2024 through the Habbo launcher, and it has since been developed into what Sulake calls “feature-complete.” Now, the team is preparing for a wider release on Steam later this year. This move feels like an effort to place Habbo Hotel back on the map for a generation that may have missed it entirely, while also appealing to nostalgic veterans like myself who drifted away long ago.

There are notable differences between Origins and the modern Habbo Hotel. Most importantly, Origins is targeted at players eighteen and older. That might seem unusual for a game remembered as a playground for youth, but it makes sense given both nostalgia and practicality. The early days of Habbo Hotel were defined by a looser, more chaotic culture, and Sulake seems intent on recapturing that energy. They are allowing less restrictive chat filters while still keeping moderation in place.

Another significant change is the return of long-lost features. Over the years, Sulake removed or streamlined certain aspects of Habbo Hotel in an attempt to modernize. Origins reverses some of those decisions, reintroducing older mechanics and simplifying navigation.

I am particularly glad to see a Steam release, since it is still the most prominent PC platform. Few people are likely to install a separate launcher just to revisit a game they played two decades ago. Steam makes Origins accessible to both new players and those who want to briefly revisit their childhood.

And yet, I probably will not be playing myself. As much as I appreciate what Sulake is doing, and as much as Origins stirs those childhood memories, I recognize that I am no longer the target audience. My online gaming time now goes into MMOs with more depth, which is why RuneScape and MapleStory appealed to me more strongly back in the day. Habbo Hotel is a game I am excited to see revived, not because I expect to immerse myself in it again, but because of what it represents.

Habbo Hotel was a formative piece of the Internet’s early social landscape. It deserves a second life, and Origins looks to be the most authentic way to provide it. It is a reminder that not every online world needs to revolve around grinding, battling, or min-maxing. Sometimes it is enough to log in, chat, and feel like you belong in a quirky little pixelated hotel.