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More Lands Turn Grey

Posted by Kenny on January 1, 2026, 9:13 am NST

UPDATE, JANUARY 5: Faerieland and Altador are no longer grey. (The Lost Desert remains grey.)

Three more lands have now turned grey!

Faerieland »

The Lost Desert »

Altador »

At the time of writing, there does not appear to be any updates at The Void Within hub. TNT has not specified precisely when Episode 3 will begin. The official FAQ says "towards the beginning of 2026." A roadmap shared in August specified "end of January" 2026. These greying lands were perhaps automatic, prescheduled changes. We'll update you if TNT indicates otherwise!

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Ugh, a pretty big turn of events to Grey Curse Faerieland and not have that be part of an update with the Plot! Though, for the sake of keeping the story's main threat to the Shades, I'll guess the power of either the Grey Curse, Void, or both will continue to suppress the Wraith just as it'll now be suppressing Faerieland's magic.

Of course another big factor is all the leaders are now back in their homeland. I don't recall if that includes Fyora, I could see her either staying to help in Altador or having gone back to FL to check on things. If she did, this would be a major strike against Neopia if they Grey Curse her. Oh, and also Jazan (& Nabile, though I'd imagine Jazan would do everything in his power to at least make sure she escapes Qasala before then). As for Amira, unless Aymas Xendrik (or Sankara) is given the opportunity to join the villains side, it would just put her in the same position as Skarl & Meridell.

But wait, HOW did FL and LD get Grey Curse? We last left our heroes having Luxinia using her powers to reveal Ozzy's memories all the way in Altador. Are these lands getting cursed a spoiler that our heroes' plans fail, Ozzy and Vira flee, and instead attack Faerieland and Lost Desert next? Or are there others who also have a Grey Curse Brush?

by pikachu315111 on January 1, 2026 9:47 AM NST

Oh, spoke too soon, they got Altador too. So guessing Ozzy and Vira is getting away. Still feels a bit fast for them to get to FL and LD (unless there's more Curse Painters).

Eitherway, the main good guy strongholds have been dealt with, so I guess all that's left to save Neopia is our protags. Though not quite sure what they can do at this point, unless Ozzy's memories gives them a clue the only place I can think to logically take the story is our heroes getting pulled into the Void and discovering the secrets of the Shades (and maybe the Grey Curse, still not clear how those two are quite connected if they even are).

by pikachu315111 on January 1, 2026 9:59 AM NST

I hope I never see a grey map again after this plot, this has been my least favorite part of it, especially for how long it's been drawn out.

by eravilan on January 1, 2026 10:02 AM NST

Its hard to give a shit about the plot at this point. It's been nothing but a half baked mess, and its ridiculous that they put these long pauses on it. Its a more of an annoyance now than anything

by therubyfox23 on January 1, 2026 10:14 AM NST

Ugh! More grey maps?! How long are we going to be stuck with these ones?

by purplewarf on January 1, 2026 10:22 AM NST

I wouldn't mind these grey maps if they weren't just the normal maps in greyscale.

by bacon on January 1, 2026 10:29 AM NST

My theme is Gray, so that's what they normally look like to me. I like the look. I only un-grey-ify if there's something happening that I really need to see the colors of. At the Neopets birthday party I discovered I'm quite the weirdo to like the gray. @Bacon you are unusual among players in that you see the 'art' of it first.

by solsticesprite on January 1, 2026 11:24 AM NST

Chaos

by gnostichkdum on January 1, 2026 12:25 PM NST

i just want the plot to advance without constant breaks. like can we please get it going and keep going. it's hard to get immersed if it keeps going on standby. like i WANT to get into it and look forward to the changes so please just let me >__<

by iloveeevee on January 1, 2026 12:30 PM NST

Let‘s kick the darkest faerie‘s butt

by horses_46569 on January 1, 2026 12:35 PM NST

I wish instead of one single, drawn out mega plot, they would have done some heavy editing and condensed Void Within down to just one episode--then spent the time they would have on episodes 2 and 3 on *different* plots.

by dave on January 1, 2026 12:39 PM NST JN Staff

god i hope we're nearing the end, i'm so tired of the continous sapping of colour from this site for no reason

by purrmeister on January 1, 2026 12:46 PM NST

Something amusingly classic TNT about the main desert map turning gray but Qasala and Sakhmet remaining two of the most colourful places in Neopia

by faintish on January 1, 2026 1:09 PM NST

@dave that was kind of my feedback for them when they did that survey. I feel like a plot of this size was too big of an undertaking for the current team. A smaller more focused plot would have been better. (Bonus points if it focused on Hannah and gave us a new Hannah game, or at least the old ones back) But, yeah I think the scale was too much and they overestimated their current ability.

by eravilan on January 1, 2026 1:15 PM NST

Thanks, I hate it.

by goalkeeper50 on January 1, 2026 1:31 PM NST

I know a lot of people hate this plot, and I really don't understand why. I have enjoyed it very much so far, even with the breaks in between, and I'm looking forward to it coming back.

by josie on January 1, 2026 1:56 PM NST

the end is nigh

by anydarnedthingeez on January 1, 2026 1:59 PM NST

I am so tired of this plot. Let it be over already.

by fenix on January 1, 2026 2:12 PM NST

@josie , I've mostly grown tired of it because it was meant to take one year to complete, but it's now spread across 3 calendar years.

by mohawk_lynx on January 1, 2026 2:23 PM NST

laughing at Qasala still being in color.

by kyrette on January 1, 2026 2:44 PM NST

Booooooooo

by fireheart on January 1, 2026 3:50 PM NST

I'm honestly really tired of logging onto my bright, cheery, sometimes slightly morbid or tongue-in-cheek comfort game to find more and more DEPRESSION, DEPRESSION, DEPRESSION, THE CHARACTERS ARE DEPRESSED, GRAY, GRAY, GRAY, GRAY, GRAY, EVEN IN THE ADVENT CALENDAR THERE ARE CHARACTERS SOBBING AND LONELY. DEPRESSION. HEY EVEN MORE OF THE GAME IS NOW GRAY WITH SAD CHARACTERS. HEY DO YOU GUYS LIKE COLORS? TOO BAD! MORE DEPRESSION!

by odnarozovayamysh on January 1, 2026 3:50 PM NST

Guys, I was buying grooming stuffs at the grooming parlour and I've noticed that the usul owner doesn't look grey mid haggling

by maninshi on January 1, 2026 4:11 PM NST

Oh no.

The plot was so bad I feel nothing but dread at having it come back.

by infernodragon02 on January 1, 2026 4:22 PM NST

I'm so over this plot. I just came back last year so late to the party anyway. Beyond that though I'm here to escape the depressing yuck in the world I don't need it in neo too

by orchidt on January 1, 2026 4:24 PM NST

I didn't like the gray theme either and all the characters having emotional problems. I like Neopets to have fun and escape the pressures of real life. One of the events I really liked was when we could throw pies at other players pets on April Fool's Day. It was fun interacting with other players. And just being silly.

by liesha on January 1, 2026 4:32 PM NST

cool.. more gloom. Please don't let this next chapter last another two frickin' years.. #endthevoidwithin

by shaymusall on January 1, 2026 4:37 PM NST

How many chapters are left? I came back to Neopets in June and I'm getting tired of this plot.

by elf_starlight on January 1, 2026 4:51 PM NST

@odnarozovayamysh (and anyone who doesn't want more grey and bad tidings). Happy New Year.

How about that Displeased Darkest Faerie New Year Doll as the last gift from the Advent Calendar. Or that awful premium perk background? Doom and Gloom and electric wires.

by topaz644 on January 1, 2026 5:02 PM NST

The plot was so grindy that they felt they had to give us breaks.

But then nobody forced them to make it grindy/filled with daily busywork.

With trophies and the prize shop being open the whole time, there isn't even anything to look forward to with it ending (other than a return to colour for these worlds), but let's just get it over with.

by dennykins on January 1, 2026 5:15 PM NST

@ Length Of Plot:
I can't help but think even New TNT are now regretting their choice to have such an extensive Plot. Old TNT dedicated months into planning out the story & puzzles before even drawing a single comic & graphic asset. By the time they were ready to launch the plot they were probably either past their planned halfway point or maybe near the end, thus they were able to have a smaller team finish up what was left to do while others switched to monitoring players participating in the plot. This is a long process, but it's just the way these things have to be done. During the planning stage is where you catch things like pacing issues (what can be quickened, shortened, reworked, cut, etc.) and you fully realize the characters and locations so the artists can get familiar drawing them. And able to split the team eases the pressure on both those monitoring the players and the ones working on finishing the plot as one doesn't have to switch modes on a moment notice.

It feels like how the Void Within began was meant to be a "short cut", making the plot as the players are going through it. Most planning that happened was probably a skeleton of how the story was going to go, quick round of character designs, and finishing a batch of the comics thinking they'll be able to keep ahead. Unfortunately the one-page comic idea meant each page had to contain enough info to move things along, thus required more time to plan out then had they done a normal comic setup. And because they're working as they go when things don't work right (especially with the puzzles) that has to pull resources to fix it taking away the needed buffer space. Quickly the player experience caught up to where the writers & artists were.

Speaking of puzzles, while maybe they had some of them planned out, they also feel like they were done as the moment came; and that REALLY doesn't work. There were moments in the story which felt like there should have been a puzzle, and the puzzles we got

by pikachu315111 on January 1, 2026 5:28 PM NST

There were moments in the story which felt like there should have been a puzzle, and the puzzles we got felt quickly put together and mainly just busywork; something extra to do. Which is odd as puzzles could have been points where the writers and artists could have bought themselves more time.

Of course all this is old news. New TNT realized this and the second part, Lost In The Dark, tried its best to remedy all this. But due to how they set things up it at the start it hampered them in what they could do now. It feels like they have now written a significant amount of the story and each update gives us several comic pages, but there probably wasn't much time to edit things to address new pacing issues (moments where the story drags on). Puzzles are now more a dedicated feature, but still either feel simple or quick as they likely had to be made in a rush so couldn't be complex.

And the thing is I understood where New TNT were coming from. They wanted to do a Plot, but they have limited resources, so tried to find a new way to do things they thought would work. It just unfortunately failed big time, and yet another lesson into the annuals of history that you can't rush these things. Hindsight 20/20, but maybe a better way of doing things would have spun off parts into multiple connecting Events either leading up to a more focused Plot or using the Plot as an overarching story. Also, to give New TNT credit, there are features which I think are neat and they should think about reusing in the future (such as the Battledome Wave mechanic).

by pikachu315111 on January 1, 2026 5:29 PM NST

i wish i cared about this plot. the writing is just so... childish. like i'm reading a book for a 1st grader. and yeah yeah it's neopets. but i remember in the ama's them saying that the story is going to be able to really hit the older audience with adult themes like fighting depression. but like... way to overhype someone when the writing team is gradeschooler level. oh no!! the light faerie is afraid of the dark! the hiker is afraid of heights! oh and leeet's noot forget to put in a useless but marketable and cute furry sidekick (juni)!

it's better than the last plot with aurrick, but that bar was literally on the ground. i could not care less if they just ended it and gave out final prizes and trophies right now.

by inkpot on January 1, 2026 5:30 PM NST

Another year with no seasonal attack pea

by maninshi on January 1, 2026 5:34 PM NST

Oh no, THEY TOOK DOWN THE FAERIE FESTIVAL HUB! I still had points (as I'm sure many others did)!

I'm making a neoboard on both Site Events and The Void Within asking them to put it back up. I'm hoping this is a mistake because they know better than closing a prize shop without giving everyone a heads-up announcement!

Site Event Board: https://www.neopets.com/neoboards/topic.phtml?topic=164307239
The Void Within Board: https://www.neopets.com/neoboards/topic.phtml?topic=164307245

by pikachu315111 on January 1, 2026 5:45 PM NST

@topaz I think that BG may have actually been a nod to Stranger Things

by snix_snix on January 1, 2026 6:48 PM NST

Please, can we wrap this up already!

by colinfarrelluver on January 1, 2026 6:55 PM NST

@ snix_snix...ah. ok. I usually like when neo pokes rl stuff but I don't feel that that was appropriate for Happy New Year on Neopets. I'd have preferred a new year bg I could use every year without some date stamp..

by topaz644 on January 1, 2026 7:00 PM NST

I'm thinking of some of the best real life pokes Neo has done over the years.

Stick 'Em With the Pointy End rates high on my list.

What are some of yours?

by topaz644 on January 1, 2026 7:19 PM NST

I've enjoyed the plot for the most part, but drawing it out at this long has definitely made people lose interest. Hopefully this last(?) chapter will have a little spice and get some interest again.

by dustin on January 1, 2026 8:29 PM NST

I feel, like everyone else here, this plot as gone on WAY beyond too long. We're in like, the 2nd year of this plot, and everything has felt... downhill. It genuinely feels like the worst plot in a decade, and it feels like it's gone on way too long.

It's written like a SatAM cartoon, and not a very good one at that. I've literally lost any feelings I had for most of the cast of the story aside Baelia, and if they were to all be cursed as well, I'd feel absolutely nothing sad about it.

TVW is the first plot I've been both old enough and active enough to participate in, and looking back at things like AotA, Wraith Resurgence, and Faerie's Ruin... I feel a bit scammed, as all of those looked engaging.

by lumanare on January 1, 2026 9:13 PM NST

Like many others, I am soooo over this "plot". Sick of everything being grey (would be different if the art was changed, but instead it's a filter. If we wanted that we could use the grey theme!) and I have zero attachment to any of the characters. The message and themes are way off their mark - not to be "that person" but I think I've done a better job with the little snippet I wrote for one of my pets! (she has a Void token and was inspired by what I think they were TRYING to do with the plot)

I sincerely hope when come back it's more engaging, but I'm not holding my breath.

by goldennightfox on January 1, 2026 9:52 PM NST

There’s no winning with this playerbase. I mean we finally get a plot and there’s so much complaints I doubt we will ever get one after this has ended. I mean if this plot is that depressing either don’t log on or don’t engage with it.

by from1sttolast19 on January 1, 2026 10:11 PM NST

Plots used to last awhile and have daily aspects to them but now it’s like people don’t wants plots even slightly like they used to be.. the grinding only is for top tier just like the altador cup. I mean your engagement is how much you feel you wiant to do. There’s always been multiple tiers. Not everyone will want to do everything… but some will want to complete.

by from1sttolast19 on January 1, 2026 10:14 PM NST

I am so sick of this plot. Already have depression and don't need it from my favorite game, too.

by mrsfrodo1138 on January 1, 2026 10:29 PM NST

@from1sttolast19: People don't want plots, they want GOOD plots. And this plot is not good. Old plots lasted for a few months, and the activities aren't repetitive. Look that this so-called plot. It started in June 2024 (not counting all the prior teasers, greying of the site), and it is only half way through. It may not even end this year. There is already another planned hiatus after the current one. Whenever the so-called plot is active, the activities are like dailies. Look at old plots in comparison, it is easy to understand why many people detest the Void Within.

by stormmonarch on January 2, 2026 12:16 AM NST

Moving to a more subjective perspective, the story is bad and the characters are likeable.

by stormmonarch on January 2, 2026 12:17 AM NST

*unlikable

by stormmonarch on January 2, 2026 12:18 AM NST

But.. This doesn't make any sense. Ozzy has been subdued! His Paint Brush has fallen out of his hand and Luxinia is sending him down a memory path! How can more lands turn Grey?! Who has not plotted out this plot?!
And what we don't seem to realise yet.. is that we're not even close to an end. We don't *know* who the main villain is (or.. you know.. it's The Darkest Faerie because why be creative, right?), and the crew of "heroes" certainly doesn't. We've only just reached Ozzy and MAYBE that could help. Or Luxinia gets poisoned by Vira's dagger (I would give all my criticism back if they actually dared to show some proper damage. Not that I want to see that, but it would be something...), Ozzy escapes and can go back to moping that his sister was never there for him. After that the heroes will have to find him again, try to convince him again to listen and rinse and repeat.

We're not done yet. IF the plot returns in February as planned, then MAYBE we can see an end before the end of 2026. But that is IF the plot returns. And with more countries being hit by a Grey Curse, an Altador Cup would make even LESS sense than last year. So another cancelled cup? I wouldn't mind, but.. they can't really do that, can they?

If only they had picked up the idea I only left on this website and nowhere else, where they used the Faerie Festival to gather all the Faerie magic and put an end to the curse while Ozzy was distracted. But alas. All we ever get is more poorly written fanfiction regarding forgotten, but dark characters of Neopia's past, uncomfortable will-they-won't-they couplings with Illusen and Jhudora and whatever all that stuff was during last year's Cup..

Anyway, strap in everyone, we are not done yet. Not by a long shot.

by apophis324 on January 2, 2026 12:37 AM NST

@ apophis324:
It does feel they jumped the gun on Grey Cursing more lands, especially Altador and Faerieland, before starting the plot proper again. Like, this would seem to suggest that the next batch of comics we're getting is going to reveal the heroes fail to convince Ozzy to stop, him and Vira get away, and they not only Grey Curse Altador but go and attack Faerieland and Lost Desert.

The only twist they can do for this not be the case if reveal there's more characters with Grey Curse Brushes. While everyone's attention was on Altador, the villains enlisted some other characters to spread the curse faster and places that Vira & Ozzy may not be able to easily get to. That way, even if the heroes can convince Ozzy to stop, the villains don't actually need him anymore as they have more Curse Painters (though I can see they still physically need him to use the Grey Curse power thus he ends up captured).

While the main villain looks to be another Dark Faerie, users have said the silhouettes we've seen of them matches the mysterious Drakara (and since Baelia is involved I wouldn't be surprised is Jennumara makes her physical debut).

by pikachu315111 on January 2, 2026 3:10 AM NST

But, yeah, it doesn't seem like this plot is going to wrap up before May/June, so unless they push this year's AC back maybe it'll be another absent year. Hopefully they've been finding time to at the very least making a new version of the AC games and this will provide another year to polish them, as well as figure out some other ways to freshen up the AC after years of stagnation.

OR, maybe use this to scale the AC down. Imagine this: By the time the AC rolls around most lands likely would be Grey Cursed. The AC teams, wanting to cheer everyone up but having no land suitable to play in, decide to hold a makeshift Altador Cup (instead of competing in the Altador Colosseum it'll be said they're playing in fields that were scouted to be safe from Shade attacks). I'd say make it single knock out tournament like the first few ACs, but I'm not sure how that'll work with 19 teams. Eitherway it shouldn't be the full AC, just a small tourney to give us an AC-like event as well as test out the games for when they do a full AC next year.

by pikachu315111 on January 2, 2026 3:37 AM NST

All they grey maps better be gone by February.

by mooglequeen on January 2, 2026 4:19 AM NST

@pikachu315111: Good points. I do however worry that if they reveal there are more Grey Painters and it's not just Ozzy, that this plot will drag on for another year at least, maybe even two. After all, we only have our merry band of misfits trying to solve the world's issues, while the leaders are too busy arguing instead of doing something. So Nyx and Co. would have to track down those painters one by one and take them down.
More rinsing and repeating is exactly what this plot does not need and brings back (bad) memories of the Wraith Regurgence XD

by apophis324 on January 2, 2026 4:52 AM NST

@pikachu315111 iirc I haven't used a single point of the faerie festival neither

What a loss, for a second time

by maninshi on January 2, 2026 7:07 AM NST

The grey lands suck more than a Vacumatic 9000. Enough is enough with the plot that never ends, it keeps going on my friends.

Drakara is assuredly growing bored too. She wouldn't take years to do something Xandra took a season to do.

by pancake on January 2, 2026 8:16 AM NST

Can we talk about how the feature festival shop was randomly closed on the 1st? I had points I didn’t use yet and now I am…extremely angry. I learned to wait to spend my points when the Altador Stamp fiasco happened.

by jbecks on January 2, 2026 9:04 AM NST

Guess there's only one way to remedy this.
*casually blasts old music from the 1900s-1950s*

by kevin2763 on January 2, 2026 9:13 AM NST

The ambassadors have poked TNT about the Faerie Festival shop unexpectedly closing yesterday. I suspect it'll be a short term issue until TNT gets back into the office next week.

by dave on January 2, 2026 9:37 AM NST JN Staff

UGH! That's what I think. I'm not doing the plot, and to turn Faerieland grey is a crime.
Does TNT have any idea of what people want? It seems to me they don't really know or understand the history -- there used to be cool plots. I liked the movie "Clueless." I don't like it being the way TNT operates!
And I'm tired of having things to complain about on neo.

by mistyraider on January 2, 2026 9:38 AM NST

It is the Plot That Never Ends

If the goal was to make Neopians HATE plots, goal met and exceeded!

by someday_soon328 on January 2, 2026 10:27 AM NST

@from1sttolast19 - You really want to defend something this poorly executed? This is the hill you want to die on? Have you zero discernment?

I think everybody wants plots, but they also want good stories and engaging activities, and a functioning site and new content that's not just real money gachas.

This whole thing has been such a gong show. I think one of the most unintentionally comic aspects of this whole thing has been that this depressed gloomy dreary unhappy vibe has been dragged on for years to accompany the disappointing, over-promising and under-delivering experience that is the entire site. Between the dreary plot and the utter dumpster fire that is the website, what a time to be alive!

And I haven't seen anyone talking about the worst advent calendar of all time either.

I'm torn between feeling sorry for the TNT team because I can only imagine how stressful their jobs are right now. It can't be fun working hard every day and knowing that despite how much effort you are putting in you are doing such an inadequate job because you just don't have the time and resources to do things well.

Where is all this money going that has been sucked out of the player base for the past year or two? Why are we not getting an improvement on any of these efforts? If they are still 'just managing to stay afloat' then I have to wonder how well managed things are right now.

by neolodgeism on January 2, 2026 11:42 AM NST

this makes me so sad. neopets is supposed to be an escape. i like seeing colors. i want to be happy, i want my neopets to be happy. as someone who really struggles with mental health, i feel like this whole plot is handled in poor taste. grey everything makes ME depressed (and I love my grey pets but seriously, all these maps and parts of the site being stuck grey, drooping, crying etc for years is just... so dumb).

by sephi on January 2, 2026 11:48 AM NST

aw, i returned to neopets pretty soon after the plot started and i thought the grey idea was cool at first... but now it's bumming me out that the maps are all greying out ;^; it feels ironic that i started playing again because i was sad and wanted relief and now the whole website is sad too

and for so long! i don't think i've seen Neopia Central in color at all since i returned

by umsiii on January 2, 2026 12:06 PM NST

@neolodgeism

"And I haven't seen anyone talking about the worst advent calendar of all time either."

Oh good, so I wasn't the only one who noticed how dialed in it was

by someday_soon328 on January 2, 2026 1:50 PM NST

Just wait until the plot ends and grey and depression is defeated and totally driven away.

The characters in the plot will probably become SOOOOO HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY OZZY HAPPY that you'll wish they just went away. Forever.

by gweezunstad on January 2, 2026 1:54 PM NST

Ozzy will turn into a Care Bear.

by gweezunstad on January 2, 2026 1:57 PM NST

@Neolodgism: Of course people are allowed to like or dislike things, even if things are arguably bad

(For I agree: Bad is an understatement here.)

I do wholeheartedly agree with your sentiment regarding the Advent Calendar though. Writing poor fanfiction is one thing, but writing poor fanfiction and presenting it as "fill in the blanks" homework is just bad (although I had "fun" filling in cuss words

). I miss the time rewards had something to do with the comic/animation of the day...

by apophis324 on January 2, 2026 3:57 PM NST

the fact that the whole grey maps thing is still going fills me with dread

by metallica on January 2, 2026 4:56 PM NST

I gotta say I am not enjoying this plot. I want to paint my pets void colors, but at the point this plots been dragged out ive all but quit the game and just come back to organize lists of items here on jelly neo and make dress ups in dress to impress.

by planetduck on January 2, 2026 7:05 PM NST

Like Void was THE color ive been excited for most. And now the only thing im looking forward too is the plot ending. The idea of preying out subworlds is cool and all, but given how long this has been going on for? I am just tired of all the he eyed out depressed looking everything. Im sick of it. The plots been going on for so long that my MC server crashed and burn and yet the plot still goes on. This plot laster longer than my minecrfat role play. Spare me please of this plot I beg of you TnT

by planetduck on January 2, 2026 7:10 PM NST

@planetduck I'm with you. I've been holding a FFQ and a species change in reserve for THREE YEARS now thinking void was gonna be released any day now... and THEN they freaking released PAY option skins with no hint that the actual color is coming any time soon. I'm so tired.

by goalkeeper50 on January 2, 2026 8:06 PM NST

When the plot is actually in motion and being updated, it's great...At this point it's just kinda.....yawn....

by bornfr0zen on January 2, 2026 8:38 PM NST

@apophis324 - If someone is enjoying the plot while everyone else is hating it, that's totally fine, but when they cross the line to attacking people for legitmately complaining about it, that starts to feel like gaslighting. You like it? Awesome. But don't pretend it's been unworthy of complaint.

by neolodgeism on January 2, 2026 8:57 PM NST

@neolodgism: Don't worry, we're in the same boat~! There is *plenty* to complain about for sure! But maybe the finale in 2034 will be AMAZING!!

by apophis324 on January 3, 2026 1:32 AM NST

lol

by neolodgeism on January 3, 2026 3:26 AM NST

I agree with what a couple people above said, this year's advent calendar was definitely the worst one ever. I expected it to be lack-lustre but was truly shocked at how awful it was. Compare it with advent calendars from years past if your memory fails you– it was BAD this year.

They cited focusing on the Advent Calendar as part of the reason why the plot went on hiatus again, did they not? Maybe I'm wrong but I could have sworn they did.

I really like the petpage at neopets.com/~Paywalled outlining a lot of concerns people have with the site. Seriously would recommend checking it out it you haven't.

The fact that they turned more maps and shopkeepers grey without any announcements: that does not instil confidence in me in this team. The fact that the worlds that have been changed appear grey, but when you click on them (eg. Faerlieland is all grey, oh but wait Faerie City full of colour!!) shows how absolutely on the floor the bar for quality control is. It's genuinely embarrassing to me. Like how does the team care so little? Do people who DO care end up being let go for voicing their concerns? The number of things that are broken on the site or half thrown together are seriously inexcusable.

The fact that they don't reply to tickets sometimes, even if you have premium for crying out loud, that does not instil confidence. Virtually everything they do now does not instil confidence.

After being a huge dork for this site for the last 20 plus years, I'm officially on permanent hiatus. I'm going to keep putting my neopets in the lodge because I genuinely love my lil pixels and want them to be happy, and I'll keep spinning the starlight wheel until my premium expires, but I can't do it anymore.

I recently started playing a fansite (not sure if I'm allowed to mention it by name here?) and I am so in love with it. THE PASSION, man. It makes me feel like I'm on early 2000s neo in the best way.

I love Neopets so dang much. Everyone in my life k

by xxhomesick on January 3, 2026 5:09 AM NST

Aww dang it makes sense my comment above was cut off because it was insanely long, but I wish I got a pop-up telling me, I'm sad it got shortened haha. My little ranty essay ends so abruptly there. Lemme quickly summarize it: everyone in my life knows I'm obsessed with Neopets, this site has been a special interest of mine for decades. If you like the state it's currently in, I am genuinely happy for you. I just can't handle the lack of passion anymore. Jellyneo is a good example of actual passion for Neopets, the updates you guys do and such. Love this site. The lifeblood of Neopets is gone for me, they keep killing it with NC and no real storyline and a total lack of lore. I am so thankful for the fansite man. I was hanging on putting up with all the painful clunkiness because I thought there wasn't another option, but there is. Thanks if you read this all, still bummed my original comment was cut short because it was LONG lemme tell ya, but thanks for reading my rant. Neopets is great but the site in its current state and all the ways they are attempting to "fix" it are so disappointing and heartbreaking.
xoxoxo

by xxhomesick on January 3, 2026 5:14 AM NST

Soo, TNT wants to draw in more players, especially Premium ones so what do they do?

Turn even MORE of our beloved bright Neopia areas grey even if it seems to be random and not related directly to the timeline of the "Plot That Never Ends But Hasn't Restarted Yet." .:::facepalm::

For newer players, it's not exactly an attractive site atm.

I've been through plenty of plots, starting waaay back with the Meridell vs Darigan plot through some good, some great and some just okay ones. This plot is depressing and feels never ending and poorly thought out. If it had been shorter and resolved more quickly than over YEARS, I probably wouldn't be nearly as annoyed by it. But it just DRAGS. Plus, there's a heck of a lot of whining and not much overall character growth, imho.

And yes, I agree that the Advent Calendar was rather pathetic this year.

by kirin on January 3, 2026 12:51 PM NST

What's so hilariously bad about all of this too, is how you can (provided you've done the Altador plot) go to the Restive Tomb.. which is in colour.. and then click the bottom left corner pixel to turn around.. which is in colour (still one of my favourite images on the site by the way). Did TNT really think slapping a greyscale onto an existing image would make it look better?

by apophis324 on January 3, 2026 1:00 PM NST

BTW, for anyone who's been keeping up with the seemingly accidental early closing of the Faerie Festival Prize Shop: IT HAS RETURNED!

https://www.neopets.com/faeriefestival/

Thank you TNT!

Well, while it's probably "early" to do so, I think I'll claim my points now.

by pikachu315111 on January 3, 2026 9:52 PM NST

@pikachu314111: Thank you for the update :3 I shall not dally too long with my redeeming!

by apophis324 on January 4, 2026 12:31 AM NST

I came back to see if it really did turn grey or I just forgot — but Faerieland seems to be in color again??

by katie2510 on January 5, 2026 2:58 PM NST

Faerieland seems to have returned to normal now.

by murpha21 on January 5, 2026 6:06 PM NST

I wish I could edit my previous comment. Altador seems to have returned to normal. The Lost Desert seems to remain grey.

by murpha21 on January 5, 2026 6:07 PM NST

This message is for Misty: can you please check out the Neopets subreddit, search for my post titled "You ever organize your pets until 3am? Me neither." and message me there?

by pickles on January 5, 2026 8:27 PM NST

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