Hattrick players are getting a big makeover later this year, and today we are giving you a first glimpse. This is a completely new set of player faces, drawn in a more realistic style than the current ones, which you can use as an alternative to the existing ones if you want. If you switch over, your players will keep their visual characteristics – such as “red hair” or “square jaw”, but they will be expressed in a new way. You can see it as a choice between what sunglasses to wear – a pair that gives the world a sharper, more realistic edge or a pair that tweaks things to look more expressive and fun.
Why are we doing this change? It’s a good question, because adding new players faces is quite a lot of work and it has no effect on the actual gameplay in Hattrick. Also, it is in some ways a risky move since we open ourselves up to complaints from those that doesn’t like the new style or just think we should do something else.
However, we know that visuals in the game in general and the player faces in particular have a huge impact on how we relate to our teams and how we see Hattrick as a whole.
In the big web redesign we did in 2008, we threw out an old version of our player faces, which were done in a pixel-art style with a rather realistic feel. There was no question that the faces we introduced then – that is, the current ones we still have today – were of a higher quality. Many users recognised this and liked them straight away. But for others users this was a painful transition, as it disturbed the inner picture they had formed about their team and “forced” them to think about their players in a new way. Some quit, others stayed but never forgave us for making Hattrick feel “less serious”. And while we never regretted the changes we did, those discussions still left a lingering feeling that at some point, we might want to revisit this question again.
There are several reasons we think now is a good time to give the faces another ago. The last few years we have been reworking many important pages in Hattrick – such as the Match Orders, Live Viewer, Player and Transfer pages – giving them a more consistent, modern design while also adding lots of functionality. We think the new faces will look great in this new environment, as well in our apps, that are getting more and more popular. But they are also an invitation to users old and new to reevaluate how they see Hattrick, giving them the possibility to have back that “more serious” Hattrick of old, if they prefer it. Another factor is the amazing fact that after ten years of a shrinking user base, Hattrick is growing again – organically, that is, before any marketing or reinvitation campaigns that we do. Now we can see what all those new and unbiased users actually prefers, the more humorous style of today or the more realistic, maybe even heroic, new set of faces.
It is also worth mentioning that this is not a project that takes much time out of the regular development team. Almost all the work is done by our old friend Beach, who has been the main illustrator of Hattrick since the year 2000. So in a way this is part of a natural evolution, for both Hattrick and for our illustrator, who keeps reinterpreting our game for us.
How will all this work? A main lesson from 2008, when we last changed the faces, is that we will not force this change onto anyone. By all means we can discuss the pros and cons of these two styles, but ultimately this will be a personal decision how each and every users prefers to see Hattrick. Make the switch, and all players will have the new look. Stay with the old, and nothing changes. Move between the two if you find that this makes you happy.

The work is already well underway, and you can see a first example of how the old faces “translate” to new ones above. The first step will simply be to match the variety of faces we have today, to make sure that all face shapes, hair styles, and skin colours have a corresponding version in the new set of faces. But later on, we will probably push on for a while longer, and also add in new “features” for the faces, such as the much-coveted facial hairs. No promises as to what that will look like, or when it will happen, but now that we have opened this box of candy, we are unlikely to close it for a while.
That’s all for now!
Cool. Once you are at it, you should also fix the kits issue. Goalkeepers should have different kits from outfielders.
The kits are buried in an old Flash app, so it is a tricky thing to do anything with them. One of the things we need to do next year is solve that Flash situation, so at least this may be a viable request then..
Really pretty cool change.
Feel the spirit of the old Hattrick.
Nice addition to the faces we got here, but what do you think about some more control towards the stadium and the interaction with fans. Something like the managers setting price of tickets, the options to sell whole season tickets at the beginning of the new season or even the option to invest in snacks and drinks before every match. For the fan interaction part I can think at tshirts sales or events to get the fans closer to the team.
Certainly possible, but not a subject I’m prepared to get into today!
really wonderful idea. although the game is great, if you open it to more dimensions other than “the engine” it would be intersting, like that “faces” are not engine but visual experience, this would be marketing and creatitivity experience.
It is a bit vague to me as well. On hattrick I just read that unpredictable players are less strong but still a good option in your team, but from this article it seems like the positive effects https://cazinox.com.ua/mobilnaya-versiya-skachat.html of unpredictable are not changed. Only the negative effects have decreased. Scoring own goals is harder now, thus I read it as unpredictable players became even better. I might misunderstand.. Can someone clarify?
Are there any other design changes expected? I refer to the design competition two years ago. Do you want to implement something from those ideas as well? Did it make sense to announce that competition?
Not at the moment, but we plan to continue with that step by step. The design competition has come to use in certain ways, as a kind of guide for in which direction we want to be walking when we take on lesser design taks. But something bugger will come eventually as well.
Nice! Thanks for the reply! 🙂
very cool 🙂
Nice, now in Spanish
Agree!
Nice change, I like it! I agree it would be nice to have this communications available in spanish also. Gracias!
It would be nice to have a lot of new combinations, to make sure every player is really “unique”
Great! Finally those ugly faces will go away. Thank you!
I will go against the tide instead … I like the current style … that has that taste of retro ‘… and a style not too serious, as instead seems to be the new one …. I will keep the “classic” one I think
me too!!!
please give the choice to remain with the old ones
yeah old ones look better, more original
any update regarding the old set of faces from HT-Open ?
I appreciate that you are designing new “more serious” faces, giving the option to use those or the old ones (I have not yet decided which ones I will prefer).
However, imho, the new faces posted above are quite similar to those of the old days, they are not serious and professional enough to be a real competitor to the funny version. I’d rather suggest to go for really realistic pictures, with 3D effects, details, etc. (e.g., like PES fashion), or those new faces will already look “old”.
Is there estimative for when will this be released?
I personally like the cartoon view better, seems more unique, whenever I think of hattrick I associate the art style.
But changes are also good and would like too see it soon.
Yes – I agree.
Lord Miecz approves!
I like it! Will you consider changing the rest of the pictures in the site? I’m thinking of the manager, secretary, etc.
I prefer the originals – they have much more ‘punch’ – the new ones are a bit insipid – half way between realistic and caricature – they seem a bit ‘washed out’ Maybe the outlines are too thin? Not trying to be disrespectful just an honest opinion.
nice i like it, !!
Good thing, but indeed, as said before, I think the players KIT could use an upgrade as well. No rush in that, but inserting images in the KIT and having different kits for GK and field players should be added if it would be changed…
Great news for me, as I dont like the current style.
Very Impressive
I really dislike the old one, look at these nose, look at these eyes, not possible 😛
These new one seem cool, but a bit too much “cartooned” again, but it’s better!
You should use a GAN as a realistic face generator.
Nice that you keep improving this great game. However, I believe I will stick to the cartoonish faces, it’s a game after all and I’m only 63 and plan to continue for another decade at least. 🙂
I hope you respect different skin colours. It’s been too much a “white” game so far.
what about the old ones? before 2008? its there any way their coming back??? that would be great for sure
Will we have it for the beginning of next season?
An overhaul of the faces is not a bad idea. To my taste, the new faces look too much the same. Further, there is too little character, compared to the old and weard ones.
I propose you put some more strength in the new faces. The faces above are too much baby faces.
Big Like here.
Illustrator Beach rocks !
I might recommend game to somebody again, after 12 years.
Maybe it’s an idea to give us choices. There are people who love the cartoony style, some like nostalgia. I made a pixelart stadium with the old style hattrick and made my own supporters etc. and a part of the stands with banners etc. Too bad those images were lost. I also liked the style before the current one. Not sure if i’m going to like the new one.
I’m worried my Håkon “Prettiest face in Hattrick” Thrane 259807539 will not be as pretty anymore. Will his mustache design change, whatabout his flamboyant hair and “blue steel” stare?
I actually like the cartoony style. Who needs realism in a text based pretend manager game?
Extremely ugly. HT faces were caricaturized, identity sign… Those are awful and bland.
Uno schifo. disgusting. wrong choice.stop this ugly faces
Horrible, it seemed to me that it had to be more realistic! Never mind i will keep the old design. Why you do not ask member before doing it ? It’s getting worse….
That’s a really good point. Why not ask members before doing such a change. And we all know how it works. You can stick to the old for some time, but sooner or later you have to use the new crappy stuff.
I don’t really like the current faces. But the new ones aren’t either a step taken in the realistic direction. Those bland baby faces are as bad as the ugly distorted ones.
Hello? where are the new faces?
merhaba yeni yüzler nezaman güncelenecek
any news when the new faces are availible ?
+1
Are these still going ahead? Any ETA for arrival?
When are the new faces coming?