Hello ExO community!
We’re excited to share a high-level look at what’s coming to the OpenExO platform throughout the rest of 2025. This roadmap is ordered roughly by release sequence, but please note we’re not committing to specific dates—our goal is simply to give you visibility into what’s in development. This doesn’t include our ongoing workshops, masterclasses, learning hub courses and certifications, events, podcast and media productions, and more.
We know our communication around platform updates hasn’t always been great. With our move to this new forum, we’re committed to keeping you in the loop and gathering your feedback every step of the way. Behind the scenes, a lot is happening to improve your member experience, even if progress sometimes feels slow. We truly appreciate your patience and ideas!
1. ExO Forum Launch
- You’re using it right now! The new forum is available as an app in the ExO App Directory inside ExO Pass.
- Built on extendible, open-source Flarum community software, it’s designed as a back-to-basics paradigm shift in how we communicate and engage.
- Check out the welcome post for details and quick tips:
Welcome to ExO Forum 🌟
- We’ll be rolling out new forum features over time—feedback and feature requests are always welcome.
2. ExO Insight Publisher Dashboard Migration
- The frontend of our Insight blog is already at https://openexo.com/insight, but the backend still runs on managed Ghost hosting.
- We’re migrating to a self-hosted Ghost instance for full customization and tighter integration with ExO Pass.
- Soon you’ll sign into the publishing admin with ExO Pass credentials. Basic-tier members and above will be able to submit article drafts directly (subject to review).
- This dashboard will also appear in your ExO App Directory.
3. ExO Pass Direct Messaging & Notifications
- Long overdue: platform notifications (mentions, follows, etc.) plus one-to-one direct messaging.
- Basic-tier members and above will be able to initiate new DMs (to help keep spam in check).
- These features will make it much easier to connect, collaborate, and stay informed.
4. Networking App (Experimental)
- A new tool to facilitate 1:1 networking between verified ExO Pass members.
- We’ll share more details soon—this is an experiment, and we want your input on how it works and evolves.
5. XP Rewards 2.0 & Gamification
- The first version of our XP system was originally built for an NFT program that never launched, so it never got fully developed—and frankly, it’s lacking.
- We’re redesigning it from the ground up to make earning XP more fun and engaging: new challenges, exponential leveling, leaderboards, and fresh reward mechanics.
- Redeem XP for exclusive perks—and eventually convert XP into XOXO tokens.
- We welcome community ideas on rewards, challenges, and gamified experiences.
6. Marketplace App
- A new, integrated marketplace where you can post and discover opportunities: projects to join, roles to fill, services to offer, and more.
- Accessible as an app in the ExO App Directory—log in with your ExO Pass account.
- The exact solution is still TBD; we’re evaluating options to find the best fit for stability and feature depth.
7. Ongoing Quality-of-Life Improvements
- Enhancements to feeds, the Insight blog, the digital book, community profiles, learning hub, and our main website.
- You’ll notice small updates as we polish existing features, fix bugs and add new conveniences.
Things will shift as we learn, prioritize, and respond to your feedback. Our ultimate goal is to build what you actually want and need, so please share your ideas, pain points, and wish lists right here in the forum.
Thank you for being part of the journey. We’ve come a long way, and there’s so much more to build together. Let’s make 2025 our best year yet!
