The new beta version, build 28, has been sent live. Server is updated.
Changes:
* instant action added
* games are now force-started after 6 days instead of 9 days
* games can start if there are at least 4 human players
* in-game purchases have been removed
The main new thing is "instant action". With this function you can jump right in to an already running village, taking over a randomly selected NPC family.
This also means that if you are playing a game, NPC families can suddenly "come alive" as players at any time.
The game will always select families that are in good condition, with no immediate starvation and all family members still alive. It will select games up to day 10, not later.