Discussion & Poll : Frequency on invites

[GoddessHailey]

Hi

I'm writing this thread to gain feedback and open discussion on the frequency of invites we have lately. I saw a few comments here and there about either «not enough invites » or too many invites ». I'm curious about the community's thoughts about having invites during August and/or September every year. I reviewed the comments on the event thread and the other thread regarding the availability of invites during those months.


When invites were released, they were mainly for holidays, including Halloween (October), Christmas/New Year (December/January), Valentine’s Day (February), Easter (March or April if it falls in April), 4oJ (July), etc.


Recently you have May, June, August & September (for autumn / the Moon Festival) where you might have invites parties.

Now, the frequency has grown which nearly feel like every 2 hunts there’s invites. Over the years, the duration for invites was for a weekend. It was not enough, so it took the entire « hunt/event duration ».

The invites period has changed from 3 days to 2 weeks, so this is a lot different.


I observed some examples as given below.


An example of the back-and-forth for St-Patrick to either the entire hunt around that holiday or during the weekend of that holiday with promo on those parties (including and ).

Another example is August and September 2020-2022. During those years, you had a « horror » hunt with the Halloween invite series, and in September, you had the equinox invite series.

Here's a preview of the duration of the invites around Saint-Patrick

• 2025 : March 11, 2025 @ 12 PM PT until March 18, 2025 @ 12 PM PST. (7 days while hunt was 15 days and with 4 days promotion)

• 2024: March 12, 2024 @ 12:00pm PST until March 18,2024 @ 12:00pm PST. (7 days while hunt was 14 days and with 4 days promotion)

• 2023: March 17, 2023 @ 12:00 PM PST until March 20th, 2023 @ 12:00 PM PST ( 4 days while hunt was 21 days and with 4 days promotion)

• 2022: March 17, 2022 @ 12:00 PM PST until March 21, 2022 @ 12:00 PM PST ( 5 days while hunt was 14 days and with 5 days promotion)

• 2021: No Dublin Exposure party invites ( hunt was 14 days and with 3 days promotion {cash and avatars and stat item ) too close to Valentine invites and Easter invites).

• 2020: March 15 , 2020 @ 12:00 PM PST until March 18, 2020 @ 12:00 PM PST( 3 days while hunt was 14 days and with 3 days promotion)

Here’s a preview of August and September where invites parties occur in the previous years.

• 2025 : August 6th, 2025 @ 12:00 PM PST until August 21st 2025 @ 12:00 PM PST.

• 2024: September 17th, 2024 @ 12:00 PM PST until Oct 1st, 2024 @ 12:00 PM PST.

• 2023: September 12th, 2023 @ 12:00 PM PST until September 26th, 2023 @ 12:00 PM PST

• 2022: September 20, 2022 @ 12:00 PM PST until September 27 2022 @ 12:00 PM PST

• 2022: August 2, 2022 @ 12:00 PM PST until August 16, 2022 @ 12:00 PM PST

• 2021: September 14, 2021 @ 12:00 PM PST until September 28 2021 @ 12:00 PM PST

• 2021: August 10, 2021 @ 12:00 PM PST until August 24, 2021 @ 12:00 PM PST

• 2020: September 22, 2020 @ 12:00 PM PST until October 6 2020 @ 12:00 PM PST

• 2020: August 11, 2020 @ 12:00 PM PST until August 25, 2020 @ 12:00 PM PST

*No invites during August 2023 and August 2024, but there was promotion on ec parties running a some point.

Feel free to comment below or tag your friends so it gains interested.

How do you feel about the duration of invites? Should it be the entire hunt, just a weekend, or 3 days from Tuesday to Thursday, given that the holiday falls on a weekday?

Feel free to vote over the options. You can select more than one option.

I wrote this topic in collaboration with @Witchee

Disclaimers:All the information was found in the forums according to what I could gather and understand.

This poll will be opened for 6 weeks from August 7, 2025 to September 18, 2025.

 

[-RADEN_BagusIngarso-]

I'm irrelevant here because i don't do parties...

 

[Witchee]

️I am vehemently opposed to these invite hunts being every second hunt.

I liked them when they were for holiday events only. I'd settle for them just being a permanent part of the game so we can stop this flip flopping.

There used to be a basic schedule for this that clubs and ec spenders could plan around within our gameplay. That was fine and good, but this is disorganized and has made invites really lose the allure of being some sort of special party we get alongside life holidays.

As for the August / September months specifically I liked having invite hunts mixed in so the stretch between 4oj and Halloween wasn't so long without this feature.

September specifically used to have an invite hunt, a pvp hunt, and ghostly avatar shards during one of these based off the spooky avis in the pvp hunt. Last year this didnt happen and was incredibly disappointing.

As for the duration of the invites being for the promo weekend only or the entire hunt, I feel like its easier to plan in game things when theyre released at the start for the entirety of the hunt opposed to it being a pop up midway though.

Im looking forward to seeing what the community at large has to say about this but I strongly believe what is happening right now needs to change in some way to have invites feel like a good feature as a player.

 

[DinosAreTheOldestCars]

I noticed hunts are happening so often now. There seems no point to them now. There at least used be be come kind of holiday coming that it helped celebrate. Now its just another pointless cash grab.

But the promo definitely should be the full hunt when it is on coz it gives everyone a chance at joining in if they want to. Time zones exist. Different work shifts exist. Not everyone gets the same days off. Makes no one miss out due to more important life commitments like work

 

[Oasis]

I'm not quite sure where my opinion would fall on this poll so I haven't voted yet. Feel free to give a recommendation.

I definitely don't like this increased frequency of invites, but I do like having an occasional non-holiday invite hunt (like a seasonal one between large holidays like in May or Aug/Sept). I would prefer going back to this schedule which it seemed they were doing for quite a few years (like at least from when I joined in 2018 through the early 2020s). And it definitely has ramped up in 2025. You could expect when the next hunt would be invites, clubs and flashes could prep, and the like. Now besides holidays it does feel entirely randomized.

Part of the fun of invite hunts was that they were a relatively rare occurrance and you'd save up CPs, wild amps, ECs, etc for the hunts and their inevitable promo period. You'd have at the very least another month to prepare again (for example the gap between a May seasonal invite hunt to 4th of July).

I understand invite hunts bring in a lot of profit for ATA and at this point I agree with @Witchee -- just make it a permanent installation or something if you're going to have this many invite hunts. It's not my preferred line of action but it would be a hell of a lot easier on the community than this flip-flopping back and forth not allowing the community to decompress and prepare. When a good portion of the community is now groaning because of a yet another invite hunt, it may be time to switch tactics. Either go all in and make them permanent or please, please, please start pacing them out like you used to.

 

[Oasis]

Also @GoddessHailey to increase visibility I'd definitely recommend including this poll somewhere in your POTD/PPOTD update posts as that is the most frequenty checked thread by the community and is relevant on the topic of parties. I'm sure you may have already planned this but figured I'd suggest just in case.

I noticed hunts are happening so often now. There seems no point to them now. There at least used be be come kind of holiday coming that it helped celebrate. Now its just another pointless cash grab.

But the promo definitely should be the full hunt when it is on coz it gives everyone a chance at joining in if they want to. Time zones exist. Different work shifts exist. Not everyone gets the same days off. Makes no one miss out due to more important life commitments like work

I disagree with making the promo the entire hunt, but maybe settle on a promo being both weekends instead of just the one? I have a job where I work weekends but luckily it's Sat + Sun every other weekend so that would definitely benefit someone like me with an atypical work schedule from the Mon-Fri. I'm more concerned about the overall frequency of invite hunts rather than the placement of the promo period within it though.

 

[Kefo]

I am generally opposed to premium features and would rather spit on invite parties than give them credence.

BUT I love how you've presented this thread. It gives great options and a good statistical measure so it should be very usable data for devs. I hope that our voices are heard on this.

 

[Witchee]

I would also like to point out to people, the poll is multiple choice as there are 3 different points of information we are looking for from the community:
• Frequency of invite parties
• August/September invites specifically
• Whether it should be all hunt or promo weekend

You are not limited to just choosing one option on it ♡

 

[Lea]

Honestly, I liked invites more when they were rare and predictable, people could plan and save for them. Now tho I avoid them like the plague they happen so often now and usually by week two, clubs are scrambling around for invite sellers.
Promo’s fine the way it is, I just really wish invites happen less often.

And don’t even get me started on that time we had two hunts as back-to-back invites

 

[AnniePosition]

Invites should go back to being once each 2 or so months like it used to be, aside making it harder for ec clubs it also makes harder for us trying to find potd, because now also we have a fixed pro drop every hunt, and invite parties always made it slower to find potd since the game does not want to be nice and make us find potd on our own.

 

[Brattitude]

I liked it better when invites were holiday specials. It felt more .... special i guess lol and it was easier to plan and budget around them because we knew a holiday was coming up. Now its like can i even afford this???? Lol

 

[Canaille]

Not really sure where my thoughts go with this, but as someone who runs a potd/ppotd club that isn't really filled with people who spend on the game it definitely does make it more of a "treat" so to speak when invites were typically around holidays. At the same time I'm not opposed to a random hunt having them included here and there. The frequency of them now as they've been definitely makes me less enticed to run any. It's just like ehh we'll maybe run it next time when they're around.

As for the duration of them being an entire hunt or just a weekend, I'm cool with them being there the entire hunt. Gives more opportunity to run them if we choose to and coordinate droppers if we've got several all combining to drop a few for a single 22 invite party.

That said, I myself am stingy and 9 times out of 10 will only drop during a promo because why not make the most out of the money I'm spending when everything seems like one cash grab after the next? When I do this though, I usually just drop all invites myself and still help out during non-promo time if others are wanting to drop and don't have enough. I like the promo only being for a weekend instead of a full hunt though.

Summing it up, my thoughts are just kind of all over the place for the specifics of it, but the one thing for sure I can say is I dislike how frequent they're occurring. They no longer feel special and aren't making me feel like I'm missing out not running them every time they're around.

 

[Mori]

Thank you for bringing this to attention. I hope the devs are watching and reading the comments. Personally, i like the invites during holidays only. Holidays are special, invites are special. So many clubs choose not to do invites unless it’s during the holidays because it’s so chaotic converting and freezing parties during off time.

I also think invites should last the full hunt during holidays. They can be slower parties so it’s kind of perfect. A lot of clubs end a few days before the next hunt co due to lack of ihs/ohs, and that’s totally fine. But i like being able to hit invites and get more drops when it really matters - during cutie tootie holiday hunts for misc and hot avis ‍

 

[GoddessHailey]

@Wytchie420_

 

[GoddessHailey]

To add my grain of salt, if I can. You can modify your choices to add up to 4 votes until the poll closes.


First of all, I enjoy people's thoughts above. It gives perspectives on what people are looking forward to. Unsure if this poll will have repercussions by October 2025, but for 2026, I feel like we can have things change.

Second, I have scattered thoughts and mix-feelings about what direction it should take. so here’s my take below. I try to refine but it wasn’t the best


My opinion is that I feel that invites are happening too frequently because they happen throughout the hunt. Hunt that can be 7 days, 14 days, 19-21 days. And for some hunts related to holidays, it can be a 14-day or 21-day hunt.


I support the idea of invites happening throughout the hunt, giving everyone with their own schedule a chance to experience the invite. My only concern would be the Dublin Exposure invite if it's an entire hunt of 14 days. It's nearly back-to-back with Valentine's Day and Easter as holidays.


Take, for example, Valentine, Saint-Patrick, and Easter, which often fall closely. Previously, Valentine and Easter were 2-3 week hunts, with most players aiming to be on the leaderboard and complete side quests (collecting special items like eggs and club XC). And the one year (2021) where the Dublin Exposure invites were skipped (promotion remained) for Saint-Patrick.


If next year, 2026, Valentine's Day, Saint Patrick's Day, and Easter fall closely. Should we skip Dublin Exposure as invites? And maybe focus on avatar, stat items, and cash promotions for only Dog and Cats, and pizza (if we can offer an alternative option)? Similar to the 2021 example. Or maybe have Dublin Exposure (name of the invite parties) for 4 days with promotion on payout so it feels less back-to-back?


Saint Patrick's Day 2026 falls on a Tuesday. Should we have invites from Tuesday to Thursday, or during the weekend without even having invites/ promo on a Tuesday?


I wouldn't mind not having any invites in August and September since there are no holidays. Unless in September, there's a general agreement that Equinox / Moon Festival is something that players want with invites. Which related to @Muschi comment about "[...] I do like having an occasional non-holiday invite hunt (like a seasonal one between large holidays like in May or Aug/Sept). "


Or. people agreeing to alternate to celebrate the Equinox / Moon Festival with invites. It won't be annually, but on even years? (2026, 2028, 2030). I feel if we don’t do invites annually but alternate on the timing on even / odd year, it could reduce the frequency.


The Moon Festival, if ATA decides to do something around it, is on October 6, 2025, which is nearly back-to-back with Halloween. How can we create a gap in the frequency? That's why I included duration in the poll for voting.


In 2026, the Moon Festival is expected to occur around September 25, depending on the results. Will people feel heard if they vote for no invites during September?


In conclusion, limiting invites to only occur during promotions may reduce the feeling of receiving invites too frequently. If we skip 2026, for May, August and September invites.


Or we keep payout promotion for EC parties, but some invite themes can happen every 2 years (odd year or even year). If the demographic of players changes, we can reconsider in 2027-2028 and learned from it.


*Hence why I chose to emphasize those examples in my OG post.

 

[GoddessHailey]

@Jennielee here’s one of the ongoing polls. You can vote and share your thoughts .

 

[Victoria]

Honestly, as someone who has enjoyed frequently supporting this game monetarily, the way the do invites currently has added to the "cash grabby" feeling the game now has compared to when I started playing. It feels very, "Don't miss this special temporary thing we just released just now! Hurryhurry!" It's a sales tactic I do not appreciate or like...

They were nice when they were holiday specific- they felt special. And I think they brought a lot of money because people like enjoying special things.

Now, with such an increased frequency, they have become almost necessary to continue growing bigger and bigger, esp for people on the higher end of the stats spectrum. At this point, they are so often, they should just become permanent fixtures.

They no longer feel special, and having been an ec admin and a flash admin, I see all of the draw backs the community faces trying to constantly, consistently adapt each time they come around.

 

[GoddessHailey]

This ongoing poll until September 18,2025 EST @Sweetea . if you know other players looking for ongoing polls, feel free to tag them.

 

[Stress]

I would have to agree a little Victoria. The invites felt special. I know around the holidays invites were coming so I could prepare and book what I needed to be ready.

it’s been hard to keep up with every thing coming out. I open the app now and it’s like 15 new things to buy with very little time to get them. The economy isn’t as ok as it was a few months ago so I feel for some who need more time to get things so they don’t miss out

I fully support invites being special to holidays and big events like ata day. And yes, it’s so very hard to adapt 100 people to such quick changes let along FIND resources if you didn’t have an inkling or paranoid and prepped anyway. i definitely want your paid for all your time and amazing creativity so I will continue being that paranoid prepped but I ask to consider those who don’t have it like some or who spend their times earning as their only way to enjoy some parts of everything I’ve been on both ends before so I feel the some pains of one and benefits of the other.

 

[GoddessHailey]

I would have to agree a little Victoria. The invites felt special. I know around the holidays invites were coming so I could prepare and book what I needed to be ready.

it’s been hard to keep up with every thing coming out. I open the app now and it’s like 15 new things to buy with very little time to get them. The economy isn’t as ok as it was a few months ago so I feel for some who need more time to get things so they don’t miss out

I fully support invites being special to holidays and big events like ata day. And yes, it’s so very hard to adapt 100 people to such quick changes let along FIND resources if you didn’t have an inkling or paranoid and prepped anyway. i definitely want your paid for all your time and amazing creativity so I will continue being that paranoid prepped but I ask to consider those who don’t have it like some or who spend their times earning as their only way to enjoy some parts of everything I’ve been on both ends before so I feel the some pains of one and benefits of the other.

Should the duration of invite be shortened to only during cash promo on weekend for example?

Or to reduce the frequency should we have no invites at all on August and September next year as it’s less holidays but often months to test and trial new stuff (new big event)?