- Patch 3 ─ F.A.R.T., fireworks & more - 2 September 2026
Your input on the Abduction Update has resulted in extremely useful data for tweaking systems, finding the right balance, and maximizing the fun output. After carefully processing your transmissions, we’ve synthesized this patch that makes your lives as undercover aliens a whole lot easier. Here's what's new: The F.A.R.T. got a bit of rework based on your suggestions: If the player puts a box on a storage rack, that rack gets marked with the product that was in the box (similar to how it works with the store shelves). You can clear the label by right clicking on the tag or putting a box with different products on it. The restocking robot will put back boxes on shelves where they took them from as long as the shelf is still tagged. The restocking robot will prioritize boxes with less items in it. This means you will have fewer random boxes with only a few items. It will prioritize shelve…
- Hotfix 13 — Rocket launch, walls & more - 20 August 2026
Greetings, very average Terran gas station owners,A new hotfix has materialized. After the previous one addressed the battery system and F.A.R.T., this one answers a couple of other reports that have kept our alien engineer busy. Here are the patch notes:Fixed objects that were floating.Fixed walls that had offset collisions.Fixed the rocket not launching and you being unable to buy a blueprint during the invasion tasks.Fixed various issues where NPCs wouldn't use shelves, the ATM and the cash register (there are still some cases e.g. with open fridges where customers won't use them and we'll resolve this with the next hotfix).Added a visual indicator for leftover concrete spots to still smooth out as an invasion task.With that, our work here is almost done (we are going to zap a few other bugs in a bit). Your work, however, has only just begun. The humans aren’t going to abduct themsel…
- Hotfix 12 ─ Battery System & F.A.R.T. - 19 August 2026
A priority hotfix is now live, mainly including changes to and fixes for the battery system and F.A.R.T. that were introduced with the Abduction Update. Here are the patch notes: Batteries have been removed from man-made automation upgrades: self-service gas pump and self-scan register. Research Point cost for F.A.R.T. has decreased from 30000 to 15000. Research Point cost for a recharge has decreased from 1000 to 500. Research Point cost for Infinite Batteries has decreased from 250K to 100K. Recharging speed of batteries has increased from 2 min to 30 seconds. Recharging loads of Recharger have increased from 2 to 5. Removed the extra visual battery from the F.A.R.T. to make it less confusing. Lots of F.A.R.T. navigation fixes. F.A.R.T. can now grab boxes even if it can't reach them directly. Reduced battery drain of F.A.R.T. Fixed an issue where if a hunt started after an abduction,…
- Changes to Battery System and F.A.R.T.: Hotfix is on the way - 19 August 2026
We are sorry for any trouble caused by the Abduction Update and understand your frustrations. Based on your input, a hotfix is in the making to resolve issues regarding the Battery System and the restocking robot (F.A.R.T.). The hotfix will include these major changes: Removal of batteries from self-service gas pump and self-scan cash register Lowered costs to purchase a F.A.R.T. Lowered costs for recharges and the infinite battery upgrade Increased recharging speed and loads of the Recharging Tool Once we got news on the hotfix, we will share it here. Thank you for letting us know your thoughts on the update. Your feedback helps us make Roadside Research the best it can be! The hotfix is now live!
- The Abduction Update is READY to play! - 18 August 2026
Greetings, kidnappers from outta space! The new update has just beamed down for you to finally beam up some volunteer-ish humans. We promise, we’re just... borrowing them. More on that in a bit. For this update, we introduced community playtests and they have been a great success with so many of you contributing to this mission. Yes, you made this update happen! Our green hearts go out to you! And to all of you who have kept on researching humanity so diligently by playing the live version of Roadside Research, we want to say thank you! Creating updates that are heavily based on community feedback is what we are striving for, and it could not be possible without your support. Finally, the stars have aligned and based on your input, we have synthesized an update full of player suggestions! Here are the highlights:Now it’s time to clock in for your next shift at your favorite intergalacti…
- Abduction Update Going Live on August 18th! - 11 August 2026
Calling all glow heads, Your efforts have paid off! Alien HQ is finally convinced that you will able to handle the next grade of alien tech very well: abductions! This means that it's almost time to brain hack those humans and charge the tractor beam for an involuntary trip to the stars... Because nothing feels better than seeing your specimen float away into the heavens. Brain hack and abduct up to 4 humans at a time to gain Research Points. As the update nears completion this summer, a release date has been generated: The Abduction Update will go online on August 18th! In line with intergalactic protocols, the first of four Invasion Stages will then become available. The stages will lead up until the game’s grand finale and will be released update by update. Each Invasion Stage comes with a range of tasks for you to complete.The bad news about tasks: the required resources on Earth ca…
- Coming soon: Playtest the Abduction Update - 4 August 2026
Calling all operators with maximum curiosity levels, Alien HQ requires your assistance! The Abduction Update is about to materialize its beta version, which needs thorough testing. Naturally, Alien HQ has put the Quality Assurance department on this, but nothing is more valuable than hearing what the best of the best (= you) have to say! This means that this is your chance to preview and shape the future of alien research on Earth! What is playtesting? As playtesters, you will soon gain access to an early version of the update that includes new features and improvements. In short: you’ll get an exclusive preview of what’s coming next! During playtest sessions, it is possible that you run into design issues, balance bugs, or gameplay inconsistencies which were not spotted or addressed at that point. Your extraterrestrial assignment is simple: Play the beta version and share your first im…
- The Goopletter — July 2026 - 24 July 2026
Greetings, friends of Shlorp! Here’s a brief transmission about what’s new at Alien HQ including the latest previews, playtests, and feature explanations. Discover what will be coming next with the Abduction Update this summer and get ready for increased levels of excitement!Coming this summer with the Abduction Update In the previous Goopletter, we already shared a first glimpse on the upcoming update including details on these cosmic curiosities:Fully Automated Restocking Technician (code name F.A.R.T.)GiuseppeBattery SystemWhile you were pushing Earth operations to maximum absurdity, we were busy synthesizing even more player-feedback based extras to make the next update even more fun for you. Take a look below!Work In Progress — Probing rework, Goopster Fridge & placeable walls Alien HQ Disclaimer: The following content is still being developed, tested, and occasionally sent into a…
- The Goopletter — June 2026 - 26 June 2026
Greetings, fellow "human" gas station owners! Welcome to the very first edition of The Goopletter: your exclusive news transmission by Alien HQ (known on Earth as the Devs at Cybernetic Walrus)! Beaming in from deep space right into your home, it informs you about the latest developments, stories, and community contributions during Early Access. Here's what to expect in this inaugural news transmission:Preview of the Summer UpdateFirst glance at the prototype of F.A.R.T. (a cute restocking helper)Sneak peek at Giuseppe di Hampter e Testico and the new battery systemBreakdown of customer NPC behaviorCollection of community artwork and screenshots of plant palooza gas stations that have caused us to question reality itselfThe transmission is now fully decoded. Try not to get too much goop on it while reading! Summer Update PreviewLet's start this transmission by saying thank you for playi…
- Hotfix 11 - Box to Box Transfer and more - 22 May 2026
Alien HQ thanks you for your stellar feedback on the latest update! Your kind words and detailed anomaly reports helped us identify and fix a number of issues. Here is a list of all the fixes:Box-Box transfer is back babyyyyyyy Boxes fall under the floor less often. This is not a perfect solution but it should make it better. We are working on a proper fix. Added an icon on the Data Analyzer to make it clear the DNA sample needs to be attached for the symbol puzzle. Fixed several placement issues in the storage room Tool reset icon is now disabled correctly Made it possible to go under the stairs once the last storage update is unlocked. Fixed wrong suspicion values for the probing toilet Brought back old cat sound Fixed the issue where it was impossible to go to page 21 on the How to Play with a controller. If a product is losing money, it should now be indicated with a negative sign a…
- Hotfix 10 - Client VS Pump - 19 May 2026
Hey Goopers, We fixed an issue where the client was unable to attach the pump to the car Happy Goopin'!
- More Alien, More Sim Update is LIVE now! - 19 May 2026
Welcome to next level gas station chaos! Alien HQ has upgraded its invasion protocols with everything being slightly more alien, slightly more sim-heavy, and significantly more fun! With over 730K copies sold so far, this mission has been a great success already! And it would not be possible without all of you fantastic undercover operators! Thanks to your support, Roadside Research is being played, streamed and used worldwide by friends and families to come together and have a good laugh gooping on the floor. Here are the biggest upgrades: Open your receptors as a new transmission of highly requested upgrades has entered your systems: a storage upgrade, extra alien stuff, and lots more! Amp up your operations because Alien HQ is watching... and expects results! Here are the highlights: An upgraded Alien Room now features the Data Analyzer minigame to boost alien tech...... and your loy…
- More Alien, More Sim Update Coming May 19! - 12 May 2026
Attention, researchers in disguise! What started as a perfectly ordinary undercover mission involving Boneless Bananas and “totally normal human behavior” is about to escalate beyond parameters with next week’s update: expect bizarre new alien technology, more sim elements, and enough fresh chaos to make local authorities deeply uncomfortable. See for yourself in the brand-new Roadside Research trailer!The next update will go live on May 19th!Thanks to your many feedback transmissions, stellar new features are about to increase the fun level to the max! Here are the biggest upgrades: The Alien Room will be your extraterrestrial sanctuary on planet Earth: Check on your pet Greg!Grab all of your alien tools!Run your operations from this upgraded backroom incl. playing the new minigame! New content will hit the sweet spot between what you asked for and what you didn’t know you need: Play t…
- Easter content update is HERE! - 3 April 2026
Happy Wester... Easter, fellow undercover operators! Based on recently decrypted signals, we understand that humans enjoy being exposed to colorful ovum units (“Easter eggs”) and cranial appendages resembling bipedal mammals (“bunny ears”) during this time of the year. However, we still wonder why these items are used to celebrate cardinal directions...Either way, the mothership has deployed a fresh batch of festive seasonal decorations for you to better blend in. Caution: excessive exposure to this Earth custom may result in… actually liking it? The Easter update is live now and includes the following: 10 Easter-themed decoration items 6 new skin colors 10 new hats (including a “bunny ears” and "Frog Sqwad" disguise) Minor bug fixes The agents were tweaked:We received reports that agents react too erratically when it comes to probing. Consequently, we made some adjustments. Please keep…
- Hotfix 9 - 25 March 2026
Hello Goopers! We know that the previous bug sweep left out a few stragglers. Thanks to your reports, we’ve found the root causes of many and wiped them out. The eradication efforts of this hotfix include the following: Fixed an issue where the shop would be unusable with a controller due to two different actions being assigned to the same button Fixed invisible agents Decreased memory load of the game Fixed an issue where it was impossible to remove some placeables because the game thought a customer is still using them Fixed various desync issues Please continue let us know if you are encountering issues still! This week we will work further to stabilize the game so your reports are very handy! Beam up to our Discord and tell us if you are encountering any problems!
- Hotfix 8 - Can't interact with screen - 23 March 2026
Hello Goopers! Your feedback was received, your player logs cherished and your patience deeply appreciated by command. Here are the bugs that got zapped: - Fixed an issue where the client has everything highlighted in green and can't interact with the screen - Fixing this issue likely resolved a bunch of other weird bugs as well. - Fixed an issue where cleaning robot would go on a strike and would stop cleaning. - Fixed an issue where items would get stuck on the self scan. Please continue let us know if you are encountering issues still! This week we will work further to stabilize the game so your reports are very handy! As we will start working on the next big update, we’re also refining our internal processes first to keep future updates far more stable and only the fun kind of chaotic. Beam up to our Discord and tell us if you are encountering any problems!
- Hotfix 7 - Fix for items stuck in hand - 20 March 2026
Hello goopers, - Fixed an issue where it was impossible to drop tools after interacting with the alien screen Sorry for the troubles!
- Hotfix 6 - Automation Tweaks & Other Fixes - 20 March 2026
Unacceptable levels of weirdness in the latest version of the game have been identified and neutralized. Thanks to everyone for staying patient and helping us troubleshoot this! The following has been corrected with the hotfix: Fixed an issue where the cleaning robot would spawn on the roof Fixed an issue where players would not be able to interact with the alien screen Automation tweaks including the following: Reduced overfilling when auto pump is on. Pumping speed has slightly decreased to compensate. The cleaning robot breaks less often Self-checkout requires assistance less often Fixed an issue where agents would get stuck Fixed an issue where customer spawn rates were not functioning as intended resulting in fewer customers Fixed an issue where customers would not be dropping trash in trashcans. If any other anomalies manifest, report them to us on Discord for us to hunt them down…
- Hotfix 5 - Stuck NPCs - 19 March 2026
Hello Goopers! Small hotfix to make sure NPCs don't get stuck at their cars! Hope you enjoy!
- Automation Update Is Out NOW! - 19 March 2026
Your intergalactic espionage mission is kicking into overdrive... And as every lifeform knows, efficiency is key! Let’s buckle up for automation! This means less chores, higher sales, and more time to run extremely invasive human research. Watching so many of you play Roadside Research has been an absolute blast (especially with over 400,000 copies sold in just the first month of Early Access)! Thanks to your support, we’ve already been able to improve the game so much in such a short time and seeing it featured in this month's Steam Top Releases truly feels out of this world. What’s new: Summary of the automation update As promised, the update will include lots of features that you have been asking for! Plus, the new partial automation will pump up the fun especially for solo and duo players (you can turn these upgrades on and off anytime). Here are the highlights: The new "Automatic S…
