Pure Pool Pro news & patch notes

Hello again, Pool Fans!

Pure Pool Pro Hotfix #4 is now live on PC & Console. Please update your game for the best possible experience.

This update is a small, focused quality-of-life pass, aimed squarely at smoothing out local multiplayer, online stat tracking, and match resolution logic, while also tightening up some other areas and the rare but notorious "Cueing Discrepancy" bug.

Local Play Now Supports a 2nd Controller

Local matches now support two controllers - one per player - instead of relying solely on pass-the-pad.

With Hotfix 4, players can now connect and use a second controller in supported local game types, giving each player direct control on their own pad. Many of you who have asked for a more “couch‑friendly” setup should now find local sessions feel closer to a traditional head‑to‑head experience.

Player Card Online Stats Fix 

Your Player Card should now correctly display online-only stats. These stats combine both Ranked and Versus performance rather than including matches played in offline modes.

Previously, stats displayed here incorrectly included stats that combined online and offline modes and/or failed to update as expected. With this hotfix:

Online Versus and Ranked wins, losses and related stats should update more reliably.

Player Cards will more accurately represent your current online record.

If you've been grinding competitive matches and not seeing that reflected in your card, this should now be resolved.

Important Note: your online stats will display as 0 until connecting to our servers for the first time after the patch goes live. If the game is launched offline you will need to connect to the internet in order for your stats to sync. This is because online stats are now held on the server to ensure wins and losses are attributed correctly, even when disconnecting during a match.

Cueing Discrepancy Bug Fix

We’ve finally found a fix for a known online desync issue which caused drifting cues / odd cue ball behaviour. Thank you for your patience and for your detailed reports on this one; it was notoriously difficult to pinpoint the issue as it would only ever occur on the live build!

Online Win Attribution Fix 

We’ve fixed a bug that would occasionally mess with how online results are handled when an opponent disconnects.

In rare cases, a win could be incorrectly attributed if an opponent disconnected at specific points in a match. The underlying logic has been updated so that:

• Match results are aligned with the intended outcome

• Disconnect scenarios are processed in a fairer and more predictable way

Our goal here is to reduce edge-case frustration in online play and ensure your record better reflects what actually happened on the table.

Miscellaneous Minor Improvements 

Alongside the above, Hotfix 4 includes a series of smaller polish passes and improvements:

• UI refinements across menus and match presentation

• Subtle audio tweaks for clearer, more consistent feedback

• Minor graphical adjustments for improved overall visual cohesion

Individually these are small changes, but together they should help Pure Pool Pro feel just that little bit smoother and more joined‑up.

Thank you again for your continued detailed feedback on Pure Pool Pro - from local play and online behaviour to UI presentation.

OTHER PURE POOL PRO NEWS...

• Pure Pool Pro - Xbox Series X|S launches 23.07.2026

• Pure Pool Pro - Snooker Expansion Pack now in full development.

• Pure Pool Pro - US 8-Ball Community Tournament in August; Discord Moderator Aurakite is running this - you have just 2 weeks left to enter, here: SIGN UP FOR COMMUNITY TOURNAMENT

As always, every report, post, and note helps us decide what to address next - so keep it coming!

We’ll see you at the table.

- The Pure Pool Pro Team 🎱

Ranked Game Mode

“Quick Game” has now evolved into our new Ranked Game experience.

Ranked Game introduces:

• Global leaderboards for each online game mode

• Separate rankings for all three difficulties

• Overall rankings when selecting “Any” game type

Whether you specialise in 8-Ball, 9-Ball, Killer, or rotate between modes and difficulties, Ranked Game now gives players a clear way to track progress against the global player base.

Lag for Break

Relevant multiplayer modes now use Lag for Break to determine who breaks.

How it works:

• Both players take their lag attempt

• Results are shown side-by-side

• The closest ball to the head rail wins

• The winner may choose to break or pass the break to their opponent

If both players foul - or lag in the exact same spot - a re-lag will occur.

This system brings Pure Pool Pro closer to an authentic, real-world pool while adding a fairer and more skill-based opening to matches.

Ball Shadow Pop Fix & Restored Gloss

Patch 3 introduces significant improvements to ball reflections and shadow stability on PC & Console.

Improvements include:

• Dramatically reduced “shadow pop” and reflection instability

• Restored “glossy” ball appearance and richer colour presentation

• Improved visual consistency during ball movement and settling

The result is cleaner, more stable visuals while preserving the polished, glossy look many players requested.

Increased Frame Rate Stability

Underlying rendering optimisations have also improved overall game performance in most scenarios.

Improvements include:

• Reduced hitches and stutters related to reflections and lighting

• Improved frame pacing during busy table states

• Significantly improved performance during breaks

These optimisations benefit both PC and Console players.

9-Ball Push Out Rule Added

Proper Push Out functionality has now been implemented for 9-Ball.

Key Rules:

• Push Outs are only available immediately after a legal break

• The incoming player may choose to play a push out

• After the push out, the opponent may:

  • Accept the table position and play

  • Pass the shot back

This adds a deeper tactical layer to competitive 9-Ball play.

Additional Bug Fixes & Quality of Life Improvements

• General online stability improvements

• Freeplay now remembers your selected difficulty preference

• “Clarence Clearance” achievement/crest issue fixed

• “Accumulator” now permits sequential potting

• Steam Controller API now displays correct controller icons

• Steam Controller API now supports controller remapping through Steam Overlay

• The Match Preferences flow has been updated for improved clarity

Investigating

The following are known issues in this build that are being investigated. Should you encounter them, please report via

https://ripstone.com/feedback

to help us investigate further.

Daily Clearance Crest

Frequency: Intermittent (occasionally player-reported; now consistently reproducible internally)

Issue: Progression issues affecting the Daily Clearance Crest system:

• Progress resetting unexpectedly

• Progress failing to increment after a day has passed

What we’re doing: We have temporarily disabled the crest’s reset functionality while we investigate the underlying cause. A more comprehensive hotfix is in development and will be released once the issue is fully understood.

Lag for Break Animation Freeze

Frequency: Extremely Rare (observed twice early in testing; not reproduced in 200+ hours of recent testing)

Issue: In online matches, the pre-break animation sequence may freeze for over 2 minutes:

• During the intro animation

• During the post-lag transition before the break

**IMPORTANT NOTE**: This is not to be confused with the standard disconnect/reconnect state. The intended behaviour in a disconnect scenario is a temporary pause (typically up to 1 minute) while the game attempts to reconnect a disconnected player.

What we’re doing: We are cautiously optimistic that this may already have been resolved during development, but we will monitor for player reports to confirm.

“Cueing Discrepancy” Issue

Frequency: Extremely Rare (observed 5 times across 1,000+ hours of testing)

Issue: An online desync issue where cue and ball positioning become inconsistent between player instances.

Symptoms:

• Opponent’s cue visually drifting away from the cue ball

• Cue ball briefly lifts unexpectedly before the issue occurs

• Cue positioning inconsistencies between player game instances

• Even rarer, the player's perspective falls through the environment if the cue ball leaves the table

What we’re doing: We have implemented fallback protections to prevent crashes and are actively working to isolate and identify the root cause. Due to its extreme rarity, it remains very difficult to reliably reproduce.

Hello again, Pool Fans! Pure Pool Pro Patch 3 arrives Thursday, 21st May.

Our most substantial patch yet introduces ranked matchmaking, fairer starts with Lag for Break, the long‑requested Push Out rule for 9-Ball, online stability improvements, and a major visual fix that’s been on our hit list since launch.

Ranked Game Mode - Global Leaderboards & More Competitive Focus

“Quick Game” will now evolve into our new Ranked Game experience.

Ranked Game introduces:

• Global Leaderboards for each online game mode

• Separate rankings for all three difficulties

• When selecting “Any” as your game type, you’ll also see an overall ranking board of your performance across all ranked matches at all difficulties. 

Whether you’re grinding 8-Ball, mastering 9-Ball, or mixing it up across modes and difficulties, you’ll now have a clear way to measure your progress against the global player base.

Our goal here is to ramp up the competitive layer of Pure Pool Pro, give you more reasons to keep coming back, and make every rack feel that bit more meaningful. As always, we recommend joining our community on Discord to organise match-ups!

Lag for Break

In relevant multiplayer modes, the break is now decided by the Lag, bringing Pure Pool Pro closer to real-world play.

If you’re unfamiliar with the term, in pro pool, the lag is used to decide who breaks. Both players hit a cue ball from behind the headstring up-table, aiming to get as close as possible to the top rail and back without touching a pocket. The player whose ball finishes closest to the rail wins the lag - and with it, the right to choose who breaks.

Our implementation works as follows:

• Both players take their lag attempts

• You’ll then be shown your attempt side-by-side with your opponent’s (in ghost ball form if playing online).

• The closest ball to the head rail wins, and that player can decide to take the break themselves or pass it to their opponent.

• Should both players foul (or, in the unlikely event of lagging in the exact spot), a re-lag will take place.

This should make the opening of each match feel fairer, add a more skill-based/tactical element, and make things more authentic to how things work on real tables.

Ball Shadow Pop Fix & Restored Gloss

Since launch, we’ve been working to the ball “shadow pop” - distracting little jumps in lighting and shadow as balls came to rest. Pure Pool Pro uses a much more advanced and demanding reflections system compared to its predecessor, and this visual issue has been a tough nut for us to crack!

With Patch 3, we’ve made notable improvements.

• Shadow “pop” and reflection instability on balls have been dramatically reduced

• We’ve also reintroduced the glossy and vivid look of the balls, which was unintentionally dialled back/desaturated during earlier attempts to fix the issue

The result should be cleaner, more stable reflections with that satisfying, polished finish many of you loved - without the distracting artefacts.

PRE-PATCH 3 VISUALS Community noted that previous shadow pop fix attempts had reduced the glossiness for a ‘matte’ look.

PATCH 3 VISUALS - ARRIVING 21st MAY Enhanced reflections and richer, warmer colour restoring that ‘glossy’ look - with more stable performance. 

We’ll continue to monitor feedback here, but we feel this represents a major step toward the visual standard we’ve been chasing.

Increased Frame Rate Stability 

Alongside the ball shadow and gloss improvements, Patch 3 will deliver smoother overall frame pacing and increased frame rate stability across both console and PC.

While the core goal of these changes was visual fidelity, the underlying optimisations have:

• Reduced minor hitches and stutters related to ball reflections and lighting, most notably at the break

• Improved consistency of performance during busy table states

The result should be a more fluid, reliable experience that better matches the precision and responsiveness Pure Pool Pro is built around - whether you’re playing on a high-end PC or from the comfort of your home console.

9-Ball Push Outs - A New Tactical Layer

In 9-Ball, we’ve implemented proper Push Out functionality.

After a legal break in 9-Ball, the incoming player can now choose to play a push out - making contact with the cue ball without the usual requirement to hit the lowest-numbered ball first or to drive a ball to a cushion.

Key points for those unfamiliar:

• Push Outs are only available immediately after a legal break

• After a push out, your opponent can choose to take on the shot from the new position or pass the shot back to you

This adds a deeper tactical layer to 9-Ball, especially in high-pressure frames where controlling the table and leaving awkward layouts can be just as important as potting!

Additional Bug Fixes & Quality of Life Optimisations

• General online stability improvements: 

• “Freeplay” will now remember your difficulty preference upon launching the game 

• “Clarence Clearance” has been fixed for those who were struggling to pop the crest

• “Accumulator” rule tweak - this mode will now permit sequential potting

• Steam Controller API now ensures correct icons are used for your chosen controller

• Steam Controller API now permits re-mapping of gamepad controls via the Steam overlay

• We’ve tweaked the “Match Preferences” flow to make “Preferences” clearer

Thank You For Your Continued Support!

Patch 3 arrives next week as a result of your continued detailed feedback - on ranked systems, rulesets, QoL, and visuals. Every detailed review, Reddit post, and Discord message genuinely helps us decide what to prioritise next.

We’re thrilled to get these changes into your hands and to keep pushing Pure Pool Pro forward. If you enjoy next week’s patch and want to help us continue to support the game and keep building the community, please consider leaving/or updating a Steam review.

We’ll see you at the table.

- The Pure Pool Pro Team 🎱

Pure Pool Pro | Controller Vibration & DualSense Haptics Update - Now Live

With today’s update, we’ve introduced Controller Vibration on PC and full DualSense Haptic Feedback on PS5. We hope this makes Pure Pool Pro feel that little bit more tactile, satisfying, and immersive.

This update is live now on PC and PlayStation 5.

PC - Controller Vibration Support

On PC, players using supported game controllers - including the DualSense - will now experience new force feedback vibration effects during gameplay and in menus.

What You’ll Notice

• Vibration when striking the cue ball

• Vibration feedback while navigating UI menus

Shot Feedback

Cue-to-cue ball vibration will vary in intensity and duration depending on the power of your shot.

The goal here is to make each shot feel a little more physical and responsive in your hands.

PS5 - DualSense Haptics Support

Please note: this is a PS5-exclusive feature. PC players who use the DualSense Controller will only experience the standard “PC - Controller Vibration Support” described above.

On PlayStation 5, we’ve implemented full DualSense haptics, which includes the use of the controller speaker for additional sensory feedback. 

What You’ll Notice

• Enhanced cue-to-cue ball contact feedback

• Enhanced Money Shot heartbeat effects

• UI navigation haptics

• Additional immersive sound effects played through the DualSense speaker

Dynamic Shot Feedback

On PS5, cue strike feedback also varies in intensity and duration depending on the on-shot power, with the addition of some dynamic SFX from the DualSense’s built-in speaker.

This should make shot impacts feel that bit more expressive and immersive, especially during those high-pressure moments!

Prefer to Play Without Vibration/Haptics?

If you’d rather keep things vibration-free, that’s totally fine! You can switch these features off at any time:

• PC / Steam → via your controller or Steam input settings

• PS5 → via your system's DualSense settings (you can adjust the controller speaker volume to your liking here, too).

Make Sure You Update Before You Play

Be sure to update the game before your next session to make sure you’re getting the best possible experience. We hope Vibration/Haptics add a satisfying layer to every break, pot, and pressure shot. We’re now continuing our work on Patch 3 and hope to share concrete details of what this will include soon.

We’ll see you at the table! The Pure Pool Pro Team

Hello again, Pool Fans!

In Today's Hotfix...

We've just dropped another hotfix that addresses a few issues highlighted since the Month 1 Patch. Some crashes were reported in the Player Card menu, and in rarer instances with UI timing - these have now been resolved. We also received some reports of the "Daily Clearance" crest not updating correctly, or in some cases resetting unexpectedly - even if the player had attempted a Daily Clearance within the correct time frame.

Coming Up Next Week...

We've made a breakthrough with Haptics/Vibration this morning; it's finally playing nice with our engine's audio systems! We're now testing and tweaking this functionality. Hope to be able to patch this in next week. See you at the table!

Hello again, Pool fans, A hotfix for the "Free Item Pack" is now live.

We’ve fixed an issue where some Steam players were reporting being unable to access the "Free Item Pack" even when it was installed.

If you were affected, the items should now appear in-game - just make sure the “Free Item Pack” DLC is ticked in your Steam properties. Pure Pool Pro - Free Item Pack

Thanks to everyone who flagged this one!

Hello again, Pool Fans, Our Month 1 Patch is now live on both PC and Console. For the best possible experience, be sure to update your game before you next play. Here’s what’s included in this patch;

Gameplay Improvements

• Competitive Stats - Statistics are now shown on Player Cards at the beginning of online matches: Games Won, Games Lost, Win Ratio %, and Win Streak. Additional stats available in the “Socials” Menu.

• Star Unlock Criteria Adjustments - Certain challenges throughout the career have been rebalanced and made more forgiving to better reflect their intended difficulty. Notably, challenges involving specific potting distances and multiple pots will now reward you if you exceed the challenge, too.

• Rule Adjustment: Potting the 8-Ball from the Break in US 8-Ball was considered a Foul - Now, if the player pots the 8-Ball on the break, the player re-racks and takes the break again.

• Checkpoint Timing Adjustments - We’ve made some minor tweaks to the timing behaviour to allow for final buzzer-beating shots.

• Power Feather Added to FTUX - We’d noticed a lot of players were unaware of this function, so explanation text for the ‘Power Feather’ mechanic has now been added to the tutorial.

• AI Opponent Profiles - Short bios have been added to the “Profiles” of each AI opponent in the Versus menu, with details on their playing styles as well as their signature cue and how to unlock it.

• AI Behaviour Tweaks - We’re continuing to adjust our AI opponent behaviours following Hotfix 1. Further reduced instances of AI players accidentally potting ‘flukey’ shots.

UI & Quality of Life

• Career Completion Tweak - Added congratulatory messaging for completing each career path. An additional credit roll sequence will trigger upon completing the ‘Pro’ career path.

• Sub Menu Navigation Functionality - Improved navigation when browsing the Equipment, Crest, and Player Card menus.

• Stand-Up Interaction Fix - Fixed a bug where players could not stand up or adjust spin while a music track notification was visible. The user can now observe the table or reset the spin whilst the notification is present.

• Baize Decal Sub Menu Added -  Added dedicated sub menus for baize decals, which are now sorted by category.

Visual Improvements

• Aim Guide Clipping Fix - Addressed some edge case visual clipping issues with the aim guide on both ‘Amateur’ and ‘Focused’ settings.

• ‘Money Shot’ Visual Improvements - Adjusted the visual presentation and timing of the Money Shot moments.

• (Ongoing) Reflection Stability Optimisation - Made optimisations to reduce the “shadow pop” issue on balls. These 'pops' are now less frequent in most scenarios further up the table - but still apparent when balls come to rest at the near end of the table. Work is ongoing.

Audio Improvements

• Cue and Table Audio Enhancements

  • Improved break and ball impact sounds

  • Refined pocket and table mechanism sounds

  • Added reactive audience sounds in the Tetradome arena

  • Smoother soundtrack transitions between menus and gameplay

• Headphone Audio Fix - Reduced ‘crackle’/’interference’ reported on some headphones.

Performance & Optimisation

• Steam Deck and Handheld PC Optimisations – Pure Pool Pro now detects popular handheld PCs such as Steam Deck, ASUS ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go, and runs with new device-specific profiles on each. These profiles apply adjusted anti-aliasing, optimal resolution settings, bespoke reflections, and GPU tweaks to deliver better performance and a smoother experience on handhelds that meet the system requirements.

• PC Framerate Optimisations - General framerate improvements on PC.

• PS5 Framerate Optimisations - General performance improvements on PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro.

New Content & DLC

• 20+ New National Flags for your Player Card - We’ve added an assortment of new national flags for player cards, based on the countries in which Pure Pool Pro is most popular. Want your country’s flag in-game? Be sure to let us know!

• DLC Store Added - A new in-game DLC store has been introduced, accessible via the main menu.

• DLC Free Item Pack - Our complimentary  “Free Item Pack” is now available to all players. Including a new ball set, 4x Player Cards, 5x Baize Designs, and a Premium Animated Crest. 

• *DLC Premium Item Packs Now Available - 3x item packs are now available for purchase: the Classic Item Pack, the Cyber Item Pack, and the Party Item Pack.

  • Each pack includes 9 Themed Items;  • 2x Premium Ball Sets • 2x Premium Pool Cues • 2x Baize Designs • 3x Premium Animated Crests

  Classic Item Pack

  Cyber Item Pack

  Party Item Pack

  Includes:

  • 2x Ball Sets: The Hughes Classic Set & The Argyle Spotted Set

  • 2x Premium Cues: Ruby Royal & Douglas Fir

  • 2x Baize Designs: Hughes & Argyle

  • 3x Premium Animated Crests

  Includes:

  • 2x Ball Sets: The Photon Set & The Convexor Set

  • 2x Premium Cues: Jade Tiger & Cyan Sabre

  • 2x Baize Designs: Circuit Board & Tetra Core

  • 3x Premium Animated Crests

  Includes:

  • 2x Ball Sets: The Inflatable Set & The Racing Livery Set

  • 2x Premium Cues: Emerald Ore & Bengal Tiger

  • 2x Baize Designs: Visualiser & Bass Drop

  • 3x Premium Animated Crests

  *Please Note: All DLC item packs are purely cosmetic. Ball sets, cues, baize designs, and crests do not affect gameplay or provide any competitive advantage.

Still to Come Soon

• Haptics & Vibration - Though we’d hoped to include this in the Month 1 Patch, we’ve bumped into a few complications with haptics interfering with our engine’s audio system. We don’t expect this to be too far behind and will rapidly patch it in as soon as we can. When it lands, we’re confident it’ll add another layer of immersion to the Pure Pool Pro experience. 

Next Up...

Work continues on the following; 

• Our Next Patch - based on your Feedback

• Ports to additional platforms; Xbox & Epic

• Snooker DLC & more…

Thank You

Your passion and constructive feedback have been incredibly helpful in this first month of Pure Pool Pro. The Pure Pool Pro Team Join the Discord:

https://discord.gg/ripstone

Get your suggestions in for the next patch:

https://ripstone.com/feedback

Hello again, Pool fans!

An enormous thank you for the support you’ve shown and the detailed feedback you’ve shared with us since launch! Our Month 1 Patch has now entered final testing and will be arriving next week on Steam and PlayStation. This update includes gameplay & QoL tweaks, performance improvements, visual fixes, audio refinements, and some new content.

Full Patch Notes will be shared when the patch goes live! Following this, with your feedback, we’ll map out the next phase of updates and share our further plans with you. We hope you enjoy! The Pure Pool Pro Team

Hello again, Pool Fans, We’ve been closely monitoring feedback around AI opponents - particularly concerns about unrealistic multi-rail pots, fluke misses dropping in, and shots that simply didn’t feel believable.

While broader AI tuning remains part of our Month 1 Patch in March, we’ve moved quickly to deploy a targeted hotfix addressing the most egregious behaviours.

This update is live now on Steam and PlayStation.

AI Behaviour Adjustments

We’ve implemented two significant changes to shot logic and outcome validation:

1. Miss Validation – Preventing Frequent “Fluke Pots”

The Issue When the AI missed a shot, there was no secondary validation to prevent the miss from unintentionally potting another ball. This led to a frustratingly high frequency of  “I missed… but it went in anyway” moments.

What We’ve Changed

• AI misses are now checked to ensure they have a far lower probability of accidentally potting another ball.

• This should significantly reduce unrealistic fluke outcomes.

2. Multi-Rail Shot Classification Fix

The Issue AI shot selection works via weighted categories (e.g. all our players have different probabilities of straight pots, banks, kicks, plants, and “crazy” shots).

Previously, bank and kick shots were categorised as such regardless of how many rails were involved. This meant extreme multi-rail attempts could be selected far more often than we intended - resulting in a lot of outrageous, highlight-reel style pots (that a lot of you will have seen in vids posted on Reddit and YouTube!).

What We’ve Changed

• Any shot involving more than one rail is now classified as a “Crazy” shot; a value used for our AI's attempting a shot that would be considered out-of-the-ordinary.

• Most AI opponents now have only a 0–8% chance of ever attempting a Crazy shot.

• This change has dramatically reduced unrealistic multi-rail conversions and improbable snooker escapes.

• AI Player Ermina Merdanović remains the exception, with her Crazy shot percentage notably higher than that of other players. This is an intentional choice to reflect her distinct playing style.

What This Hotfix Means

In summary, these changes should result in:

• Far fewer “impossible” feeling pots

• Reduced fluke behaviour

• More believable shot selection

• More realistic AI escapes from snookers

This, however, is not the final word on AI - and we want to be clear about that.

AI tuning is something we will continue refining over time based on feedback and data. The Month 1 Patch will include more difficulty curve and behaviour adjustments, but this hotfix directly targets the issues causing the most frustration right now.

A Small Ask

If this update improves your experience, please consider updating your review so it reflects the current state of the game. It genuinely helps us reach more players and continue long-term support.

We understand how strongly people feel about competitive fairness in offline play. Thank you to everyone who raised concerns constructively - and please keep the feedback coming.

See you at the table

Hello again, Pool Fans!

First of all - thank you. Since launch, thousands of you have jumped in, played hard, and told us exactly where things weren’t landing. We’ve been reading Steam reviews, Discord threads, subreddit posts - all of it. This Week 1 Patch goes live at 8 am 19.02.26 on Steam and PlayStation, and we've tried to target the most reported issues as fast as we could.

Here’s what’s changing.

CAMERA FIX – Too Close to Cue Ball & Off-Centre Aiming

The Issue

Many players - especially on Pro difficulty without aim lines - reported difficulty lining up shots. This was worsened when forced cue elevation caused the camera to shift (most noticeable near rails).

We pushed for realism here. In practice, the camera shifting off-centre made shot judgment far harder than intended.

What We’ve Done

• The camera is now permanently centred in all scenarios - even when the cue is elevated

• The camera has been moved much further back from the cue ball to improve overall table readability in all scenarios

This should dramatically improve shot alignment and Pro-level playability, particularly near cushions. If you've gotten used to the current camera, please do give yourself a little time to readjust - we think it's worthwhile.

Please note: We are continuing to review expanded camera options based on your feedback and hope to provide more options and customisability, but this will require comprehensive testing and additional work. More on that soon.

CONTROL FIX – Mouse Sensitivity Overhaul

The Issue

Players experienced overly high or “twitchy” mouse sensitivity at certain DPI ranges, making feathered or gentle shots unreliable. Our mouse sensitivity scaling was out of whack!

What We’ve Done

• Reworked mouse sensitivity scaling

• Improved power consistency

• Enhanced fine shot control

Lining up shots and gauging stroke strength should now more intuitive for mouse users.

VISUAL FIX – Ball Reflection “Pop” / “Flicker”

The Issue

Our most reported visual issue since launch.

Reflections on balls were refreshing at slightly different rates, causing a noticeable “pop” or flicker - particularly in Rackhaus and on certain baize designs.

What We’ve Done

• Implemented several lighting and reflection adjustments

• Reduced the shadow/reflection popping effect

• Improvements apply across platforms, including PS5

UI FIX – Aim Guide Clipping (Royal Rumble)

The Issue

In Royal Rumble, the floating object ball could block the aim guide, making lines unreadable.

What We’ve Done

• Aim guides now pass cleanly through the floating ball

Achievements & Trophies

Players reported issues with the following achievements, which we have now fixed.

Steam

• Fixed “Crest Conqueror” achievement

PlayStation

• Fixed “Double Cheeseburger” trophy

• Fixed “Crest Conqueror” trophy

What’s Next?

Month 1 improvements are already in development - please refer to our Month 1 plan for full details.

We’ll continue refining the AI, presentation, and competitive layer as feedback evolves.

A Quick Ask

If this patch improves your experience, we’d truly appreciate updating your review to reflect the changes. Early launch feedback has helped shape this update - and continued feedback will shape what comes next.

Thank you for your passion, your honesty, and for pushing us to make this better.

We’ll see you at the table.

The Pure Pool Pro Team

Hello Pool Fans 👋 First of all, thank you all for your support on launch day! Huge thanks to everyone who has jumped in since launch and taken the time to leave feedback. We’ve been listening closely over the last 24 hours - especially to Steam reviews - and we want to be transparent about what we’re already working on.

Based on the most common feedback from launch day, we’re already preparing a Week 1 Patch (targeting Thursday 19th February) that focuses on the three biggest pain points players have raised.

Week 1 Patch Contents: Arriving Thursday 19.02.2026

CAMERA FIX: Off-centre aiming when cue pitching

The Issue: Many players - especially on Pro difficulty without aim lines - have rightly reported difficulty lining up shots when forced cue elevation occurs (most obvious near rails). We attempted to push realism here, but it’s clear this doesn’t quite translate well to Pro mode as the camera shifts off centre, making things incredibly difficult to gauge. What We’re Doing: We’re permanently re-centring the camera in all scenarios - even those where the cue is elevated. This should significantly improve the experience for Pro players. We'll continue to review camera options further after this.

VISUAL FIX: Ball Reflection “Pop” / “Flicker” 

The Issue: By far the most reported visual issue since launch. The issue is currently most noticeable in Rackhaus and is exacerbated by certain baize colours/designs. Ball reflections refresh at different rates - causing a noticeable “pop” in motion, or when gently circling the cue ball. What We’re Doing: We’ve been working hard on a fix - and believe we’ve found one that should significantly reduce this.

CONTROL FIX: MOUSE SENSITIVITY

The Issue: Many players are experiencing overly high or “twitchy” mouse sensitivity at certain DPI ranges, making gentle shots difficult even when using power feathering. What We’re Doing:

We’re adjusting sensitivity scaling to improve control and consistency for Mouse & Keyboard users.

UI FIX: AIM GUIDE CLIPPING IN ROYAL RUMBLE

The Issue: Some players are reporting unsightly aim guide clipping issues in Royal Rumble. The aim line is currently blocked by the floating object ball. 

What We’re Doing: We’re working on a fix that ensures the aim lines are readable and pass through when they come into contact with the floating ball.

Month 1 Patch Contents: Arriving March 2026

We’ve also mapped out a Month 1 Patch, again driven directly by launch feedback. We’ll share more details as we progress, but planned items we’re working on include:

• General Bug fixes & QoL improvements

• Player Card Stats UI: for competitive online games

• Rule Fix: Potting the 8-ball on the break was considered a foul

• Steam Deck optimisations: currently functional on Deck but not yet tuned or verified

• Power Feather tutorial explainer: added to the intro tutorial

• “Money Shot” improvements: better timing and presentation of dramatic slow-mo finishes

• Controller vibration & DualSense haptics

• Further framerate optimisations (PC & console)

• Checkpoint Challenge Mode adjustments: pacing/forgiveness of those final buzzer-beating seconds

• Baize decal sub-menu improvements

• Ball Drop Polish

• Career Completion Fanfare Implementation

• Star unlock criteria adjustments: to be made slightly more forgiving/less specific

• Equipment sub-menu scroll improvements

As always, this list may evolve as fixes land and testing continues.

Thank You For Your Support

Our goal now with these updates is to address the most disruptive issues as quickly as we can, improve playability, and show our commitment to ongoing support.

Thank you for your patience, your passion, and your constructive feedback. We’re excited to keep improving the game with you. If you haven't already, please consider leaving a review. The Pure Pool Pro Team

Hello again, Pool Fans! The wait is finally over - Pure Pool Pro is now live on Steam!

Whether you're stepping up for your first frame or diving straight into competitive online play, we’re incredibly proud to finally put this into your hands. Thank you for being part of the journey.

Starting Launch Day with a Celebration: We've Just Hit 30,000 Total Wishlists across all Platforms!

🚨 Launch Day Support & Reporting Issues

As with any launch, there may be the occasional issue that only surfaces once thousands of players jump in. If you encounter a bug or technical problem, please report it via our support form here: Feedback Form

Detailed reports (platform, settings, system spec, steps to reproduce, screenshots where possible) genuinely help us diagnose and resolve issues faster. We’ll be monitoring feedback closely.

Leave Us a Review

If you're joining us at the table in Pure Pool Pro today, we’d hugely appreciate you leaving an honest Steam review once you’ve spent some time with the game.

Reviews really help small teams like ours reach new players and keep growing the community - they're particularly important on launch week! Visit our Store Page

Spread the Word

Know someone who loves cue sports? Let them know Pure Pool Pro is now available!

Word of mouth also makes a huge difference for an independent studio like ours.

💬 Join the Community on Discord

We’re actively sharing friend codes and helping players organise matches over on our Discord.

Come join us, find games, and connect with other players: Join the Discord

A Quick Note from the Team

We’re a small, UK-based team working as hard as we possibly can to support the game. Our core working hours are 9:00–17:30 (Mon–Fri, UK time). If you report something and don’t see an immediate response, please bear with us - we’ll respond as quickly as we can, and we truly appreciate your patience and respect.

Thank you for supporting Pure Pool Pro. We’ll see you at the table.

— The Pure Pool Pro Team 🎱

• Share our social posts,

• Engage with them,

• Tell your mates,

• And if you haven’t already… wishlist the hell out of the game!

• Some UI flow fixes

• Visual improvements

• Gameplay tweaks

• Text clarity updates

• Audio improvements (ambient + SFX)

https://ripstone.com/feedback

https://linktr.ee/RipstoneGames

Hello again, Pool Fans! Kept you waiting, huh? Well, the wait is almost over! Pure Pool Pro will arrive on Steam (and PlayStation 5) next week:

Thursday, 12th February 2026.

To celebrate the announcement, today we've dropped our final trailer, the Features trailer.

Pure Pool Pro - The Final Trailer

Experience hyper-real visuals, refined physics, and competitive game modes - all powered using Ripstone’s proprietary Magma Engine.

The final trailer From native 8K visuals and high-fidelity reflections to career progression, challenge modes, online cross-play, and immersive venues, Pure Pool Pro delivers the most technically ambitious and authentic-feeling pool simulation to date.

What About Launch Pricing?

We released our standard pricing last week (seen in the graphic below), but can now reveal a little more about our planned Launch and Loyalty discounts on Steam.

The Steam version of Pure Pool Pro will launch with a 20% Launch Discount for the first two weeks. We're also launching with a Pure Pool Franchise Bundle - this bundle allows you to purchase the original Pure Pool and Pure Pool Pro together with an additional 10% Discount. Don't worry! This has been set up as a "Complete the Set" bundle, so existing owners of the original Pure Pool on Steam will qualify for this, too.

On top of that, we've collaborated with French developer DS SOFT to offer a collaborative bundle, the Pure Sports Bundle. This bundle features Pure Pool Pro alongside their acclaimed Badminton sim, Pure Badminton, with 15% off. A big win for fans of faithful-feeling sports sims!

We'll See You At The Table on Launch Day - 12.02.26!

We can't thank you enough for your support so far, but now we're asking for one more big push through to launch! If you haven't already, be sure to WISHLIST NOW. If you already have, tell a friend or share the trailer on socials! At launch, please consider leaving us a Steam Review - as a small indie developer, this helps us more than you know! --- Chalk Up! The Ripstone Team

Hello again, Pool fans! Dropping in with a quick Dev update: Pure Pool Pro's Steam Demo will be deactivated on 05.02.26. A huge thank you to the 10,000+ Steam users who've played since Steam Next Fest, and an extra special thanks to RenderedApocalypse, who spent over 100 hours in Rackhaus! 🤯 "So, why are you pulling it?" I hear you ask! While we'd have liked to keep the Demo live, we've made the tough decision to deactivate it as it is based on code that is now over 5 months old. This Demo build lacks all of our community-led improvements, and as such, we don't feel it reflects the game as it is now in its much-improved near-final state. If we get the time, we may consider bringing it back in an updated form post-launch. Ps. stay posted for some BIG Pure Pool Pro tomorrow! Wishlist Pure Pool Pro Chalk up! Ripstone George

Hello again, Pool Fans! We’re back with another Ask the Devs – and wow, you’ve had a lot of questions since the New Year! We’ve picked out a new batch to answer below, including some hot topics we’ve seen crop up multiple times across Discord, Twitter/X, Facebook, TikTok, Reddit, and beyond…

Before we begin, a quick update from us! The Pure Pool Pro team are now deep into the final push toward our Q1 2026 launch, and the game is now feature complete. We are currently working on those final fixes and bits of polish before submitting to the relevant platforms for approval. Thanks for your patience with us - we can’t wait to have you join us at the table very soon. Now stay tuned for a ton of your questions getting answered - including an all-important pricing reveal!

Ask the Devs - Community Q&A

Q1. “Will Pure Pool Pro have mini games, etc.?”— @rabi_taya, Twitter

Yes! Mini games are very much part of the Pure Pool Pro package. You’ll find a selection of skill-based challenge modes like Speed Pot, Checkpoint, Perfect Potter, and Royal Rumble - all designed to test your accuracy, speed, and shot control in fun and competitive ways. A new one that we’re excited about, however, is Daily Clearance. This challenge requires you to clear a randomised table of balls, in any order you please, without missing a single shot. There’s an exclusive crest for those who manage to clear the entire table without missing - and a participation crest with an increasing ticker for those who check in to complete it daily. You’ll be competing in global leaderboards here. 

Q2. “Approximate release date?” — @FoxMulder34, Twitter

“When will this game be ready?” — @nykolamor, Twitter

“Is this coming out in January?” — @brooner82, TikTok

We hear you loud and clear! We know it’s frustrating - but we’re not quite ready to lock in an exact date. We know it won’t be January. Pure Pool Pro will be launching in Q1 2026, and we’ll be shouting loud about it when that date is official. If you’ve wishlisted the game and follow us on socials, you’ll get notified of this the moment we lock in! We’re being so cautious because we want to prevent a scenario in which we let anyone down; in indie dev, this gets tricky, as an unexpected absence of a single team member could knock this by a few days or weeks! But we’re VERY close to being able to commit now.

Q3. “Do you plan to do a Snooker DLC, like the previous Pure Pool game?”

— @nirvaxav971, Twitter

“Just wondering, do you have any news on the Snooker mode?”

— KernowLearno, Reddit

We have no fresh news on this, but for the avoidance of any doubt, a paid Snooker DLC will come to Pure Pool Pro at some point post-launch. We’re hearing the Snooker requests loud and clear! While we’re focused right now on delivering a polished Pool experience across 8-Ball and 9-Ball, Snooker is firmly on our radar and will become a focus once the full game is finished.

Q4. “Would you consider a Chinese 8/9-ball pool table?”

— @JesseLawEDM, Twitter

It's not currently planned, but we’re watching demand for this closely. If enough players want it, or other game types for that matter, we’re absolutely open to exploring adding them in the future. We love Chinese Pool here! Anyone else itchin' for this mode?

Q5. “An exact price would be appreciated – quite excited for it, enjoyed the demo.”

— AnonymousWIN9xCIH, Reddit

Thanks for playing the demo! Here’s a very first look at the Standard Pricing for Pure Pool Pro: Standard Pricing: $24.99 | £19.99 | €24.99 There will also be Launch Discounts and Loyalty Discounts for owners of the original Pure Pool (on platforms that support this). Please note: pricing is subject to change slightly by platform, depending on each platform’s local conversion rates.

Q6. “In Pure Pool, all the pool tables had the big American pockets. Will there be smaller pockets as we have on the English pool tables, making it harder to pot?”

— Simon Bawden, Facebook

Thanks for the question, Simon! Being a US 8-Ball and US 9-Ball game, Pure Pool Pro’s tables and pocket sizes follow standard WPA pocket specs, which balance realism and accessibility. Our corner pockets are 4.5 inches, with centre pockets at 5.0 inches. Over 9,000 players have tested the Beta and Demo, and only a tiny number have requested the new, tighter pockets (as seen in UK Blackball or recent Matchroom-televised Pool events).

That said, we’re still exploring the option. But it’s not a simple switch. In our engine, changing pocket dimensions affects physics, AI, difficulty tuning, and more. I’ve personally tried it with smaller 4” corner pockets and found it near impossible to pot from range! So it’s something that requires serious planning and testing.

We’ve given this a lot of internal thought already - and we promise we’ll keep listening.

Q7. “Will we be getting physical copies, or will the game be digital only?”

— Daniel Jozef, Facebook

Hey Daniel, no physical versions are planned. Pure Pool Pro will be digital only across all platforms.

Q8. “Any chance of more ball sets? I’d love a variation of the Aramith Black set, Ripstone?””

— Daniel, Facebook

The game already includes a range of ball sets, unlockable through play. We’re exploring more as unlockables and potential post-launch DLC content. There are no current plans for licensed sets, however. Let us know in the comments if this is something the community feels strongly about!

Q9. “Any chance of a VR version?”

— Mohsin Ashfaq, Facebook

Right now, VR is not on the roadmap. Our focus is on delivering the best possible experience across PC and console platforms first. But we do have XP with VR (we ported Chess Ultra to PSVR way back when), who knows what the future holds?

Q10. “Will there be full cross-play in Pure Pool Pro? Not just when matchmaking online against a random opponent, but also the ability to play against friends regardless of whether or not they are playing on a different platform than you.”

— Andy Portress, Facebook

“How does the crossplay work? Can I find friends on other platforms?”

— Anonymous

Yes - full cross-play is supported across all platforms, including direct play with friends. You’ll be able to share friend codes and challenge players on any platform, not just matchmake randomly. We’ll share some footage showing exactly how this works soon!

Q12. “Any chance of online doubles? Or a private lobby where you could do winner stays on and the other players chill, watch and wait their turn?”

— Lee Smith, Facebook

We like this idea! But it’s not something we’re currently working on. This is something that would require a lot more demand from the community to make it viable for us to explore.

🙌 Keep the Questions Coming!

If your question didn’t make it this time, don’t worry - we’ll be back again soon with another Ask the Devs. We’ll be dropping another Dev Diary here soon, too. 

In the meantime, hit us up via our social channels, wishlist Pure Pool Pro on your platform of choice, and get ready for the most tactile, stylish and authentic cue sports game to date!

– The Ripstone Team 🎱

Hello again, Pool fans! 👋

It’s been a little while since our last Dev Diary. Ahead of the festive period, we wanted to take a moment to cover what we’ve been busy refining behind the scenes ahead of our Q1 2026 Launch. Many of the changes below are a direct result of your feedback from the Demo and Closed Beta - others are improvements we’ve been itching to tackle now that the foundations are locked in.

Let’s dive in.

Rail Physics - Bringing the Bounce!

One of the most consistent bits of feedback we’ve seen is that the rails in both the original game and our Pure Pool Pro demo felt a little…dead.

You were right.

After digging into the data, we found that, even at full power, too much energy was being absorbed on rail contact, resulting in rebounds that didn’t quite mirror real-world table behaviour.

What we’ve changed: We’ve rebalanced rail energy retention and rebound response, bringing cushions much closer to how a real table behaves. There’s still tuning to do (cue ball is now retaining a little too much energy), but the difference already feels far more natural - and satisfying.

New Camera Angles & Improved ‘Lean’ Controls for Banks & Kicks

Bank and kick shots live and die on your ability to read the table. In the original game, limited camera controls meant that these were super difficult to pull off at the best of times - and near impossible if playing with no aim guides.

We’ve been expanding and refining our Lean functionality to give you more freedom when lining up these shots, letting you better judge angles, contact points, and ball paths.

What we've changed: Eyeballing tricky banks and escapes now feels far more intuitive - especially in tight situations.

On gamepads, this ‘Lean’ function will be tied to the left trigger. Holding this, then moving the right analogue stick will allow you to move the camera.  You can use it to get super low to the cue ball and eyeball your shots.

On mouse and keyboard, the same function is achieved by clicking and holding the mouse wheel, and then moving the mouse to find your angles. 

Extreme Spin – Cueing Angles Unlocked!

We’ve now freed the cue to allow for far more cueing angles.

You can cue much higher or lower on the ball than before, opening the door to dramatic follow, draw, side spin - and yes, even jump shots!

Don’t worry: these shots are appropriately difficult to pull off. They’re powerful tools, but they demand precision and lots of practice to be able to use them consistently.

Tetradome Spotlight – Visual Parity Achieved

Our arena venue, The Tetradome, has now reached full visual parity with Rackhaus.

Lighting, materials, crowd presence, and atmosphere have all been brought up to par - and recently, we shared a full frame played entirely within the arena to show it off in action.

This venue is built for pressure, spectacle, and big moments in 8-Ball and 9-Ball career events, and it’s now looking the part.

Power Feather – More Control Where It Counts

'Power Feather' has seen some meaningful iteration.

For those unfamiliar, this feature limits the range of your draw-back, giving you finer control over shot power - especially helpful on short to mid-range shots where heavy-handedness can easily ruin your intent.

The latest tweaks make Power Feather feel far more impactful and reliable, and it’s quickly becoming a go-to tool during play for us as we test.

Break Shot Physics – Better Spreads

Another common note from the Demo: break spreads could feel uneven or inconsistent, with balls often gathering at the far end of the table.

We’ve revisited the underlying physics and made adjustments to encourage more balanced, believable spreads off the break.

It’s still pool - nothing’s guaranteed - but breaks now feel more realistic and readable.

Global Leaderboards Are In!

Leaderboards have landed!

For Daily Clearance and Challenge Modes, you’ll now see:

• The top-scoring players globally

• Your own position and those around you

Whether you’re chasing bragging rights or just trying to beat your personal best, there will now always be a clear benchmark to aim for!

Soundtrack Toggles – Your Table, Your Vibe!

Pure Pool Pro’s soundtrack has grown to feature 80+ tracks across multiple genres, but we know many of you loved the laid-back jazz and bossa nova vibe of the original game.

Good news: you’re in control.

You can now easily toggle individual music genres on or off in the settings menu. Want to recreate that classic Pure Pool lounge feel? Switch it to jazz-only and settle in.

What’s Next?

We’re continuing to polish, tune, and respond to your feedback as we move toward launch. As always, thank you for your passion, your patience, and your incredibly detailed input - it genuinely shapes the game.

More to share soon. In the meantime, please consider sharing your feedback and telling others about our game - every little bit gives us the best chance of creating a thriving Pool community at launch! 

If you haven’t already: 🎱 Wishlist Pure Pool Pro 💬 Join the community on Discord 💡 Keep the feedback coming in the comments!

Until next time, – The Ripstone Team

NEWS: Pure Pool Pro will now launch in Q1 2026

Hello again, Pool fans! 👋

Today, we’re sharing an important update regarding the release of Pure Pool Pro. After incorporating your feedback from the Demo and Closed Beta, we’ve decided to officially shift our launch window from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026.

This is a positive step driven by you, the community, and will help ensure that the features and refinements players care most about receive the attention they deserve.

Over the past few months, with the Closed Beta and our Public Demo, you’ve highlighted key areas you wanted us to improve. From mouse & keyboard controls, cushion physics, break-shot performance, sound design, and AI shot logic, to deeper immersion options. Your input here has shaped this next phase of development.

Rather than sticking rigidly to our original plan, we’ve decided to refocus our time on delivering these community-requested updates and giving the game the polish it needs for the strongest possible launch.

We’re also making excellent progress toward our ambitious performance goals on PS5 Pro and high-end PCs. As Phil, our Creative Director, puts it:

“We’re taking a little extra time to refine aspects of gameplay based on recent community input while also ensuring we meet our ambitious performance targets for PS5 Pro and high-end PCs. We’re getting close, and we’re confident this decision will give players the best possible experience when they rack up on launch day.” - Phil Gaskell, Creative Director at Ripstone

All store pages and our website will be updated shortly to reflect the new Q1 2026 launch window. We’ll be sharing a final release date as soon as we can - along with the first look at Pure Pool Pro running on PS5 Pro. In the meantime, here's a first look at the Tetradome in action - complete with our new work-in-progress, livelier rail/cushion physics! 👀

Thank you again for your patience, feedback and enthusiasm. You’re helping us build a true successor to Pure Pool, and it's shaping up to be the most immersive and authentic cue sports experience we’ve ever created! Stay tuned - and keep telling your friends about PPP! Exciting things are coming. 🎱

Hello again, Pool Fans!

We’re back with a new round of questions from across the community! Thanks to everyone who’s sent in thoughts, suggestions, and great questions – let’s dive in...

Q1. “How is the PS5 Pro version coming along?”

– Bucci35, Twitter

It's going great! We’re getting very close to hitting our performance targets for PS5 Pro and are really pleased with how it’s shaping up. Just a few visual/reflection bugs left to squash, and then we’ll be ready to show it off. Expect some footage soon – stay tuned!

Q2. “How did you decide on the balance between visual realism and performance optimisation, especially for maintaining smooth gameplay across different hardware setups?”

– William B. Pordobel, Twitter Great question! Pool games give us some unique advantages. Since everything is focused around a single table and players operate within fixed rules, we can concentrate visual detail exactly where it matters. The game’s physics are also lightweight, freeing up resources to push for realism in lighting, reflections, and materials. It’s a big benefit for a small team like ours - and we’re trying our best to make the most of it!

Q3. “I’m torn between purchasing the game for my PC gaming laptop or PS5 Pro. I would like to know if the PS5 Pro version of the game will match visually the maxed-out PC graphical experience?”

– Emp, Facebook We hear you, Emp! Like the PC version, the PS5 Pro version is looking gorgeous in-studio, especially on a 65” display. While the two platforms may have minor differences, they’re definitely comparable. Once we drop footage in the coming weeks, you’ll be able to judge for yourself.

Q4. “Hello, I was wondering if there will be a practice mode or free play mode where the player could retake shots? It's a great way to learn how different spins work.”

– Lemmy9, Discord Hey Lemmy! The Demo and full game both include Freeplay – you can rack up, take unlimited shots, and move the cue ball freely to experiment with spin and physics. We don’t currently have a shot retake feature, but we’ve seen some interest from the community – if demand grows, we’ll definitely explore it post-launch.

Q5. “If possible to get a licensing partner like Matchroom on board? It’d be great to have access to professional player stats and profile bios/images, as well as arena/event brands.”

– Mogzie, Discord Thanks for the suggestion! Pure Pool Pro, like the original, is unlicensed. We’ve chosen to focus our resources on realism and gameplay rather than licensing partnerships. With no character models or animations and a first-person table perspective, licensed content just didn’t feel essential for us. We're not aiming for a 'Broadcast-style' experience. Instead, we’re putting our efforts into making Pure Pool Pro a rich, authentic, 'pure' pool experience.

Q6. “It would be better if you could adjust the cushion and cloth responsiveness. They felt a little dead. This is massively important; things need speeding up, and sensitivity needs to improve.”

– RhesusVX, Discord

Totally agree on cushions! Based on demo feedback, we’re actively tuning cushion responsiveness and bounce – it’s already feeling more lively. As for customisable cloth/cushion speed, it’s a cool idea but tricky to implement as it affects both AI and camera logic. Not planned for launch, but never say never.

Q7. “Will there be an option for turning off aim guidelines when it releases?”

– K., Discord

Absolutely! In the full game, “Pro” difficulty disables all aim aids for a truly Pure experience. We’re also adding a menu toggle to let players disable guides in any mode, so you can tailor the experience to your liking.

Q8. “Can you use a keyboard or just a controller?”

– Ay, Discord

Both are supported! In fact, we’re actively reworking our mouse and keyboard controls based on feedback – aiming is now handled by simply moving the mouse, with no need to click and hold.

Q9. “RELEASE DATE?”

– Brooner82,

TikTok Watch this space – we’re revealing a little more on this next Thursday, the 20th!

Q10. “One thing that I'm finding in the Demo is that the on-table audio (ball striking sounds, including cue to cueball) sound muffled. Will the audio receive some attention prior to release?”

– Kimkom, Steam Community Thanks so much for the detailed feedback! Audio is highly subjective, but we’re hearing from a few Demo players that some SFX felt muted or “tinny.” We're actively refining ball and cushion sounds – they’re already improved beyond the Demo, and we’ll continue fine-tuning to make them more impactful before launch.

Keep your questions coming! We’ll be answering more in our next entry, so if you didn’t see your question here, feel free to ask again on our socials or Discord. And don’t forget…

Wishlist now:

https://loom.ly/iVoTvn0

– The Ripstone Team

Hello again, Pool fans! 👋

It’s been a full month since Pure Pool Pro’s free demo went live, and we’ve been blown away by the number of players chalking up their cues and hitting the table. Over 5500 of you jumped into the Rackhaus, and more importantly, told us what you thought.

We’ve spent the past few weeks reviewing every piece of feedback from the Closed Beta and Steam Next Fest - not just via the feedback form, but through socials and Discord, too.  Today, we’re lifting the lid on the community’s most requested improvements. Here’s what we heard most, and what we plan on doing about it. Important Note: If you’ve suggested something that isn’t listed here, don’t worry - it hasn’t been ignored! As a small team with limited time, we’re focusing first on the most commonly requested features and fixes to deliver the best experience for as many players as possible at launch.

Your Most Mentioned Points of Demo Feedback

1. Mouse & Keyboard Controls

What you said: The number one piece of feedback - by a mile. A lot of you felt the M+KB setup felt clunky or like a secondary option, which is quite significant when 62% of Demo players used this control scheme! What we’re doing: A full M+KB control remap is underway. This includes improved support for both left and right-handed players, and the ability to aim freely with mouse movement - no more needing to hold buttons just to look around. In the full game, we’ll also have an optional onboarding/tutorial that’ll help you get acquainted with the controls.

2. Cushion Physics Feel “Dead”

What you said: Object balls were losing too much energy on rail contacts, causing unrealistic rebounds.

What we’re doing: We’re actively tuning cushion bounce and spin response to bring them more in line with real-world behaviour. Cushion sounds are also being revisited, too - to ramp up that natural and satisfying feeling.

3. Break Shot Framerate Drops

What you said: Many of you experienced heavy frame drops when taking the opening break, especially on higher settings with all the fancy ray-traced reflections maxed out.

What we’re doing: We’re working diligently to optimise the break, alongside performance optimisations across the board. It’s worth noting that the break is the most performance-intensive moment in the game - every single ball is on screen, with every reflection being calculated - but we’ll get it running smoothly across all spec levels.

4. Option to Fully Disable Aim Lines

What you said: Some of our most hardcore new players and our OG Pure Pool players want the cleanest, most immersive experience possible - with no aim guides at all.

What we’re doing: ‘Pro’ difficulty wasn’t present in the Demo. In the full game, this difficulty removes all aim lines. We’re also looking at adding a global toggle so players can remove them completely, regardless of mode!

5. AI Shot Logic

What you said: A few AI opponents (Amber, Iosifina - we’re looking at you) made weird, overly complex or needlessly powerful shots instead of the obvious ones. Respondents also noted that occasionally the AI would take painfully long to make a decision.

What we’re doing: Our 20 AI profiles are being refined to feel more human and consistent - and we’ll continue tweaking them every step of the way til launch. This is a deceptively tricky one: we want variety and personality, but not at the expense of realism. We’re also fixing the bug that causes delayed AI shot decisions. Keep on sharing your thoughts on this!

6. Sorry! No Plans for Top-Down Camera

What you said: Around 1 in 10 feedback entries requested a birds-eye view camera, like in televised pool and other pool games. What we’re doing: Super sorry! But this is the one hill we’re willing to die on. We’re eager to stay true to the Pure Pool ethos: intimate, immersive, and entirely first-person. A top-down view breaks that realism, giving you access to angles that wouldn’t normally be available (without a stepladder, at least). While we understand the request and expect it will always be requested, it’s not something we’ll be pursuing. That said, we are experimenting with ways to improve existing camera angles for better visibility and control over your shots.

7. Ball & Cushion Sound Effects

What you said: About 1 in 5 players mentioned that ball collision and cushion sounds lacked weight or realism. Ball sounds felt “tinny” - while cushions were described as “rubbery”. What we’re doing: We’re continuing to tweak the audio mix, especially the clarity and depth of ball-on-ball and ball-on-rail contact. Audio, however, is super subjective (a lot of respondents loved it as is), so we’ll work to make the default experience feel more satisfying without losing realism. P.S. We’re sorry to the one guy that requested we make the break shot sound “like a Barrett .50 Cal” - we don’t think this would be in fitting with the vibe! 😅

Bonus Mention: Thoughts on Blackball Mode

What you said: While Blackball was not a part of the Demo content, a vocal contingent (particularly in Discord!) called for Pure Pool Pro’s planned Blackball mode to feature correct UK rules, table size, pocket dimensions, and ball sets. Context: In the original Pure Pool, this mode was simply a US 8-Ball table, with a Traditional Red and Yellow Ball Set. What we’re doing: If we do bring Blackball back, the community is telling us it’ll need to be done right. But this is a bigger task than many assume - it’s not as simple as just scaling down our 8-Ball table. It’ll require additional code, art, rules, UI, and QA, too. If we can’t ship it at launch, we’ll put a pin in it for now and consider it as a post-launch update if there’s still community appetite for it. Let us know if you want it!

What’s Next & When’s The Release Date? 

First off, thank you for your patience with us as you’ve waited for the release date news! Your support has been absolutely incredible, and it’s helping shape the final version of Pure Pool Pro.

The Demo and Closed Beta gave us vital insight into what the community wants most from the game. We’re thrilled to use those insights to make Pure Pool Pro the best it can be right out of the gate.

With all of the above in mind, we’ve decided to undertake a slight refocus in development based on your input. Rather than sticking rigidly to our original plan, we’re prioritising the features and suggestions that players have shown the most excitement for. This means some content we initially slated for launch (for example, one of the lesser-requested rule sets) may be put on hold for now, freeing us to double down on the elements you’re actually most eager to experience on Day One. It’s all about making sure Pure Pool Pro delivers what you want to see at launch.

Naturally, implementing these community-driven adjustments (and that bit of extra polish) means we’re going to take a little more time than expected.

We’re reworking our production timeline and, as a result, the planned Q4 2025 release window is very likely moving to Q1 2026. We genuinely believe this small shift will be worth it to ensure everything is just right. Our goal is to launch a game you’ll truly love from day one, even if it takes a bit longer - and we’re confident the wait will pay off.

So, what’s next? Right now, we’re finalising the schedule for these last improvements, and we expect to have a solid release date for you within the next few weeks.

We’ll share it with you as soon as it’s locked in - alongside a refresh of store pages etc. - stay tuned!

If you haven’t already: 🎱 Wishlist Pure Pool Pro 💬 Join the community on Discord 💡 Leave a review on the demo page - it really helps!

Until next time, The Ripstone Team

Hey again, cue sports fans! Big week for us coming up - Pure Pool Pro is part of Steam Next Fest: October 2025 Edition! From 13th to 20th October, the Pure Pool Pro Demo will be playable right here on Steam for the Fest.

Your feedback means the world to us, so once you’ve had a few racks, please: ✅ Share your thoughts via the Demo Feedback Form ✅ Leave us a Steam review!

Both go a long way in helping our small team improve the game and reach more players.

Watch Our Steam Next Fest (Not-So) Live Stream - NOW!

Another exciting part of Next Fest! The team have put together a 1-hour pre-recorded showcase - that you can catch looping right here on the Steam Store Page from today!

In the show we'll be covering:

• The Pure Pool Pro Demo content

• A deep dive into Physics & AI, and planned improvements

• A conversation with the Art Team on Art, Environment, and Customisation options

• Unlockables coming in the full game 

Set a reminder, grab your cue, and join us for a closer look at what’s new in Pure Pool Pro!

💚 Huge Thanks to Our Closed Beta Testers

Between 24th September and 8th October, 120 incredible players helped us test the game across a huge range of systems.

You’ve helped us crush bugs, refine physics, and gather a ton of valuable insights that are already shaping our optimisation and balancing work ahead of launch.

Your time and feedback have genuinely made a difference - thank you for helping us take another big step forward! Special Congrats to the Five Winners of Closed Beta “Best Shot” Competition, too! All five have won a code for the full game at launch: 

• ET34N1TY 

• Jimmy Dali 

• MeatPlow

• thebadger4932 

• jinx20001

See you at the table, 💚 The Ripstone Team

Hello cue sports fans! 👋

Surprise! Pure Pool Pro’s free Steam Demo goes live tomorrow, Wednesday, 1st October 2025. This is your chance to get an early taste of the highly anticipated sequel to our critically acclaimed cue sports series.

This demo is a slightly updated build of the one currently being used in Closed Beta. It’s still technically in “Beta,” so you may notice some rough edges - but its performance has proven stable enough for wider release and will help us gather vital feedback on performance and gameplay ahead of final optimisation.

What’s in the Pure Pool Pro Demo

Freeplay in the Rackhaus

• Rack up in our stylish new skyscraper venue, the Rackhaus. Spend as much time as you like getting to grips with Pure Pool Pro’s refined physics and mechanics.

Practice Matches in 8-Ball & 9-Ball Test yourself against four lifelike AI opponents:

• Amber De Wit, Felix Song (Amateur) - full aim-line assistance

• Ethan Cruz, Iosofina Gatou (Focused) – limited aim-line support for a tougher challenge

Our Brand-New Look Enjoy sharper visuals, improved lighting, and detailed table surfaces (yes, even baize fuzz!). Please keep in mind that some visuals are still work-in-progress - occasional flickers or polish issues are expected.

Redesigned UI A first look at our sleek, modern interface. Expect the odd bug, but this should give you a taste of the smooth experience we’re working towards in the full release.

Pure Pool Pro Demo: System Requirements

Please note; we’re still ironing these out. Your feedback will help us provide more accurate specs ahead of launch. Your system may run the game adequately even if outside of these estimates. 

System Requirements

Minimum:

• OS: Windows 10

• Processor: Intel i5-7400 / AMD FX-8350 (quad-core or better)

• Memory: 16 GB RAM

• Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 1060 (4GB) / AMD RX 570 (4GB)

• DirectX: Version 11

• Storage: 8 GB available space

Recommended:

• OS: Windows 11

• Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X (6 core or better)

• Memory: 32 GB RAM

• Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 3060 (8–12 GB VRAM)

• DirectX: Version 12

• Storage: 8 GB available space

Your Feedback Matters

When you exit the demo, you’ll be prompted to complete our feedback form (direct link here). Every response helps us refine Pure Pool Pro for launch.

“Feedback on the demo is fundamental to Pure Pool Pro’s ongoing development. As we continue to optimise performance across a wide range of system specs, every player’s experience helps us get closer to our launch goals.” -  Emily Cooke, QA at Ripstone

Following the Beta and Demo periods, we’ll focus on optimisation and refinement, working to address the most critical feedback before locking in a launch date.

Join the Community

The demo has its own Steam page, so please consider leaving a review tomorrow - it really helps! And if you haven’t already:

💚 Wishlist Pure Pool Pro 💬 Join our Discord community

We can’t wait to see you at the table tomorrow! - The Ripstone Team 🎱

Hello again, Pool Fans! Some exciting news...

You've Helped Pure Pool Pro Hit 10,000 wishlists!

Wow! As a small indie team, this is a significant milestone for us. We're incredibly thankful for your support and excitement for the game. If you haven’t added Pure Pool Pro to your wishlist yet, please do – it helps more than you think in getting the word out about the game. 👉 Wishlist Pure Pool Pro!

📝 Closed Beta Sign-Ups Closing Tomorrow

Due to overwhelming demand, we’ll be closing our Closed Beta sign-up form on 10th September at 5pm GMT.

• This is your last chance to sign up for the Beta before it starts on 24th September.

• If you’ve already registered, keep an eye on your inbox – we’ll begin sending invites to selected players next week.

• For more information on what to expect in our Beta, read our recent Dev Diary.

👉 Sign up for the Beta!

Hello again, cue sports fans! 👋

We’ve got some exciting news to share: the Pure Pool Pro Closed Beta kicks off on Wednesday, 24th September 2025. The Beta is planned to run for two weeks, giving a selected bunch of you a first look at the game.

Sign Up While You Can!

Sign-ups are still open through our Beta Sign Up Form - but spaces are limited. We’ll be contacting selected participants by email during the week beginning 15th September. Don’t forget: the Beta will be managed via a private Discord, so be sure to create an account in advance if you don’t already have one.

What’s in the Pure Pool Pro Closed Beta?

To keep production well on track, we’ve had to shift the scope slightly since our earlier plan. This build still offers plenty to sink your teeth into:

• Freeplay in the Rackhaus – Rack up as many times as you like in the Rackhaus, our stylish new skyscraper venue. This is the place to spend plenty of time getting to grips with Pure Pool Pro’s physics and mechanics. Get comfortable and master each shot type in your arsenal.

• Practice Matches – Face two lifelike AI opponents with contrasting difficulty: play Amber De Wit (Amateur) with full aim-line assistance, or take on Ethan Cruz (Focused) with limited aim-line support for a significantly tougher test. Each has their own distinctive play style.

• A Brand-New Look – Soak in the atmosphere and admire the new visuals. New lighting with sharper reflections and detailed table surfaces, complete with baize fuzz! Note: please expect some unpolished visuals - or maybe the occasional lighting or reflection flicker - it’s still a work in progress!

• Redesigned UI – A first look at our streamlined, modern interface. Again, your feedback will help us iron out the creases of some elements here. So expect the occasional bug - but this should give you a taste of how smooth we want the final experience to be.

Looking Ahead

We’re thrilled to finally let a bunch of you go hands-on with Pure Pool Pro. This Beta marks the beginning of an exciting run-up to launch! We'll be running another 'Ask the Devs' soon - so keep sharing your thoughts and questions about the beat below our posts. Wishlist Pure Pool Pro on Steam

See you at the table, – The Ripstone Team 🎱

Hey again, pool fans! 👋 Welcome to another round of Ask the Devs, where we respond to your questions about Pure Pool Pro from across our social channels. With our gameplay trailer now out in the wild and Beta sign-ups well underway, the conversation is heating up - so let’s dive into some of your most recent questions!

Q1. “Is there a chance of getting a beta for Xbox and PlayStation?”

– @InsideXboxDE, X (formerly Twitter)

Hey there – we hear you! The Closed Beta is exclusive to Steam. We’re a very small team, and managing a multi-platform beta would stretch our resources to the point where it could impact the full launch timeline. We chose Steam because it offers the smoothest pipeline for managing this kind of testing, but we really appreciate the interest from console players. Thank you for understanding – we'll do our best to make sure it’ll be worth the wait!

Q2. “Can you just shadow drop it lol I’m just that eager.”

– Nathan, Facebook

We love the enthusiasm, Nathan! Unfortunately, shadow dropping an unfinished game would be a terrible business plan haha! Steam players can sign up for the Beta coming this September – it’s your best shot at getting hands-on early.

Q3. “Is there going to be a physical release? Also, will the ultimate pool rules be in place, or will there be a choice between old school rules and new ultimate pool rules?”

– Tom A, Facebook

Hi Tom! Right now, we don’t have plans for a physical edition, but we’d love to hear if there’s a demand for a limited run – let us know! As for rulesets, that’s still being finalised. We’re considering both the classic and Ultimate Pool rules, and we're even consulting with a professional referee later in development to make sure we get it right.

Q4. “Looks great, is the Snooker pack at launch?”

– MJ1931, Reddit

Thanks so much! We're glad you’re excited. The Snooker DLC won’t be available at launch, but it is in our post-launch plans. Once the main game goes gold, we’ll be shifting focus straight to that!

Q5. “Will this game make its way to Nintendo Switch?”

– Samarra, Steam Community

Hi Samarra! Sadly, the performance demands of Pure Pool Pro exceed the specs of the original Switch, so we have no plans to bring it to that platform. That said, Pure Pool did eventually land on Switch, and we’ll always be open to revisiting platforms if the tech makes sense down the line.

Q6. “Will it play the same as Pure Pool? So the right thumb stick determines power, and no power bar. Only able to take shots head-on. And in multiplayer, allow us to see the opponent lining up a shot? Please say yes to all 3.”

– Steve1977Beyond, Reddit

Hey Steve — YES to all 3!

• You’ll still use the right thumbstick to determine shot power when playing with a controller

• There’s no on-screen power bar – it’s still about feel and precision

• And yes, you’ll see your opponent lining up their shots in real time

We’re keeping the DNA of the original alive, with a fresh coat of polish.

Q7. “Will there be a top-down view?”

– Horror-Abies-3403, Reddit

Great question! There won’t be a top-down view in Pure Pool Pro. That’s a deliberate choice – just like in its predecessor, the goal here is immersion and realism. You’ll be able to rotate around the table naturally between shots, but we avoid artificial broadcast-style angles so that all play decisions are made just like you were standing at the table in real life.

Q8. “Pretty awesome that this runs at native 8K! How did you guys even manage that? Some sort of culling, or is it because everything is just close up?”

– @LivedWater, YouTube

Thanks! It’s a mix of a few things. Pool’s fixed perspective helps – we’re always focused on a relatively small scene. But the real magic is our custom-built Magma Engine, which was purpose-built for cue sports. It lets us scale to extreme detail while keeping performance strong on high-end systems.

Q9. “Release Date?”

– @grashalm, Instagram

We’re keeping this under wraps for now! 😉 The only thing we’ve said publicly is: 2025. As soon as we’re ready to share more, you’ll be among the first to know.

💬 Got More Questions?

Didn’t see your question answered this time? Don’t worry – we’ll be back with another Ask the Devs soon. In the meantime:

🎥 Watch the New Gameplay Trailer 🎮 Sign Up for the Closed Beta

Thank you for your support – every question, wishlist, and kind comment makes a difference!

– The Ripstone Team 🎱

Hello again, cue sports fans! 👋 Just in case you've missed it - this week has marked a major milestone for Pure Pool Pro - we’ve just dropped our first official gameplay trailer, giving you your first real look at the game in motion.

Captured entirely in-engine on a pre-alpha PC build, this trailer represents the first glimpse of what we’ve been working on since announcing the game back in April. You can watch the full trailer below – and yes, it really was captured at native 8K resolution.

What You’re Seeing

Save for the intro and outro logos, this trailer was captured entirely in-engine on an early PC build. This is all pre-optimisation and running at native 8K 30FPS. We’re still working hard to hit our targets of 8K 60FPS and 4K 120FPS by launch.

The entire sequence is set in Rackhaus, Pure Pool Pro's venue inspired by the intimate jazz bar in the original game and designed to highlight the lighting, reflections, and surface fidelity of our proprietary Magma Engine.

Eagle-eyed viewers may have also noticed - that’s not just any old 2D tablecloth texture…that’s baize with realistic fuzz and pilling.

Creator Reactions Rolling In!

We're excited to see creators, players, and press starting to react - and Snooker YouTuber CaptainGoodspeed has already done a fantastic breakdown of the trailer.

His coverage dives deeper into what we’ve shown so far, and shares his thoughts on the future of Pure Pool Pro.

New Giveaway Launched!

To further celebrate the trailer’s release, we’ve also kicked off a brand-new Gleam giveaway. You could win a:

🎮 DualSense Edge Controller (PS5) or an 🎮 Xbox Elite Series 2 Controller ...along with a free copy of Pure Pool Pro at launch!

Pssst! There are also 5x Copies of Pure Pool Pro up for grabs for runners-up!

Enter the Giveaway Now

Ask the Devs #3 – Coming Next Week!

We’re gathering up more of your burning questions about Pure Pool Pro – and we’ll be answering them in the next instalment of Ask the Devs, arriving next week.

If you haven’t already, post your questions in our Steam Community thread or on our Discord!

Thank You for Supporting Pure Pool Pro

Your support continues to blow us away. We’re thrilled by the reaction to the trailer so far – and we’re only just getting started.

Keep wishlisting, sharing, and spreading the word. We can’t wait to show you more over the coming weeks and months.

Wishlist on Steam

See you at the table. – The Ripstone Team 🎱