Hey y’all 
,
EN_CW here 
. I am a Senior Product Designer here at Highrise.
Highrise has always been about two things: style and community. That’s what makes logging in worthwhile, and it’s what we keep building around. To support this, we kicked off our Richer Looks initiative yesterday with the brand new Looks feature. It will serve as the stage for sharing creativity and finding inspiration.
Today, we’re ready to reveal Part 2: a whole new way to earn cosmetics and experience stories together. After some closed playtests, it’s time to bring this project into the open for everyone: the Season Pass, launching next week.
Season Pass 0: The Pilot Episode
The Season Pass is a brand new approach to core progression in Highrise. We tried a similar progression system a couple years back called the Sky Pass. Based on both community feedback and popular demand, we’ve been working on an updated version with a new focus:
- Increase free-to-play (F2P) accessibility and cosmetic options
- Create story that the whole community can experience together
Why a “Pilot” Season Pass?
This pilot is essentially the beta version of the Season Pass. It’s our chance to explore together what we enjoy the most and what needs more polish. The beta will run for two weeks, starting sometime next week.
We intentionally kept this first one concise so we can learn quickly as a community. What we discover together over these two weeks will guide how we shape the Season Passes ahead.
We’re not just releasing a feature. We’re co-creating the future of the Season Pass with you.
How It Works: Your Phone, Daily Requests & Rewards
All of the Season Pass progression will live in a new in-game phone! How you’ll get it? You’ll just have to see… 
Every season, players will interact with the seasonal NPC and communicate primarily through the phone. For the first Season Pass, it’s Rosie: a kind but clumsy witch, usually in a flurry, always insisting she’s the “all-powerful witch of Flutter Park.” Rosie will ask for Daily Requests, which are separate from Daily Quests. Daily Quests will be getting their own update in the future.
Every season, players will interact with the seasonal NPC and communicate primarily through the phone.
Completing these Requests earns bubbles and Season XP
, which helps to level up the pass. Each level has rewards to claim, ranging anywhere from cosmetics to loot boxes to Diamonds for the Diamond Boutique.
WIP - Subject to change
There are two reward tracks:
- Free Track: This track is available to everyone and includes over 20 rewards and one complete set. We received a lot of feedback on increasing F2P options, so we made sure the cosmetic rewards are top-quality.
- Premium Track: The beta Premium track can be purchased for $4.99 USD. Future Premium tracks will be $9.99 USD, as there will be significantly more content to earn. In addition to the Free Track, you’ll get access to additional rewards like premium cosmetics and earn the same amount of Gold equal to the cost of the Premium track! This means that players can earn significantly higher value from purchasing the Premium pass and getting the Gold back rather than buying the Gold itself!
Premium tracks can only be purchased with USD. Players won’t be able to purchase the Premium track with Gold.
Both tracks end with a special reward: your very own Cweepy!
More Than a Pass: A Shared Season
Beyond rewards and gameplay, we wanted to bring storytelling to the forefront of the Highrise experience. The Season Pass isn’t just a progression system, its a way for all of us to share a story together.
Every couple days, an Story Request unlocks. These Story Requests lets us talk with Rosie and move the Season Pass’ story forward through in-game dialogue cutscenes. For this Season Pass, Flutter Park might need some help…
WIP - Subject to change
In the future, we intend to create shared moments where the whole community is buzzing, whether it’s in Discord, in HR Crews, or anywhere else on what might happen next. For now, we would appreciate any feedback on our storytelling!
Rosie’s story is just the start. Future Season Passes will rotate NPCs, themes, and mysteries. Some will be cozy, others a little eerie. But each season builds on Highrise’s lore over time.
Flutter Park: Growing Together
We’re adding new content to Flutter Park in response to player feedback. For this beta season, we’re introducing a Critter Log where everyone can collect critters and show them off to friends. It’s a simple but fun way to give more value to the bugs you’ve been catching.
Looking ahead, Flutter Park will continue to grow alongside the Season Pass. For Season 1, we’re planning:
- A Halloween retheme of the park
- A brand new fishing minigame
- More things to come…
After The Pass: Diamonds Remain
So, we’re making a big swap. We’re moving the ability to earn Diamonds away from Flash Events and into the Season Pass! After you finish the main Season Pass, you can continue to play and complete levels. Any levels earned after you finish the main quest will provide you with Diamonds. That means on average, players should earn more Diamonds AND earn guaranteed rewards along the way!
Due to this change, flash events will be temporarily on pause once the Season Pass starts. That means players won’t be able to earn Diamonds from flash events. Players will still be able to redeem Diamonds in the Diamond Boutique for exclusive rewards and cosmetics.
Let’s Build This Together
With Season Pass, we complete the two pillars of our Richer Looks initiative:
- Looks: Create a new creative space to showcase outfits and be inspired by others
- Season Pass: Increase accessibility for all players to new styles
We fully expect this first Pass is going to teach us a lot, and we want to build its future with the community. We’ll be paying close attention to how the pass feels in practice: what works, what doesn’t work, and what sparks the most conversation. Your feedback is what will help us decide what you all love and where we need to refine.
Here’s how to get your voice in the mix:
Feedback Survey: Give feedback over anything related to the Season Pass (Season itself, Progression, Story, etc.). You’ll be able to also find this in-game in Flutter Park once Season Pass releases.
Discord Channel: Visit #beta-season-pass to share ideas, pain points, and answer any questions. (we encourage starting Threads!)
AMA: A short Q&A during the beta. AMA will occur a week after Season Pass is released.
The first Season Pass will run for two weeks, starting sometime next week. Once it wraps up, we’ll share back what we learned together and what’s changing for the next season. Thanks for building this with us. We’re excited to see where this journey takes us all.
FAQ
Do I need to buy Season Pass?
The Free track is available to everyone. The Premium track is available for purchase, which includes extra rewards like cosmetics.
If I upgrade to Premium later, do I miss anything?
No. When you upgrade, you’ll unlock all Premium rewards up to your current level immediately. For example, if you’re level 14 on the Season Pass, you’ll unlock every Premium Pass rewards for every level up to level 14.
If I’m running out of time to get a reward I was working towards, is there anything I can do to get it?
Players are able to obtain rewards faster by grinding out the Repeat Requests. This can be subject to change as we receive feedback in preparation for the next Season Pass.
Do I keep my rewards when the Season Pass ends?
Yes. Cosmetics are yours to keep once earned.
Will Season Pass rewards return later once a Season Pass ends?
We don’t have any plans right now on making the rewards available in the future. If there’s a particular reward you’re looking for, you may want to ensure you earn it during the Season Pass before it ends.
What about the old Daily Quest clothing sets?
There will be a permanent bubble grab where players can obtain the old clothing sets.
What if I forget to claim a reward before the season ends?
Don’t worry! Unclaimed rewards will be sent via Inbox Gift at season end.