PROCESSING
Keep this window open.
The gate opens cleaner, and the ship under it is lighter.
This one is small and focused, and it is all about getting into the alpha without friction. We fixed a flow that could bounce you out of activation right after you connected an account, let a Google sign-in cover the email step, and added a live handle check when you create a Hive account on the way in.
If you sign in with Google, your verified Google email now counts for the email step of activation on its own. There is no separate email to add and no extra code to wait for, so a Google pilot moves straight on to connecting a Hive account.
Choosing to make a brand new Hive account on the way in now checks your chosen handle the moment you type it. You can see right away whether a name is taken or invalid, and the button only unlocks once the handle is actually free, so you are not guessing and resubmitting.
Finishing an account connection during activation used to drop you onto your settings page, which made the gate feel like it was flip-flopping and left you hunting for the way back. Now you land back on the activation screen with your progress intact, so you can finish the last step and get into the game.
More onboarding polish is landing next, and a lot of quiet cleanup happened under the hood to keep the game fast. Thanks for flying the alpha.
