diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 3d47463..64df11a 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.20)
 
-project(InterestEngine VERSION 0.1.0 LANGUAGES CXX)
+project(InterestEngine VERSION 0.2.0 LANGUAGES CXX)
 
 set(CMAKE_CXX_EXTENSIONS OFF)
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ddd029d..07ae5a8 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -12,18 +12,18 @@ snapshots, then resolves the chosen ID into gameplay or presentation. There is n
 engine dependency, scene query, object binding, action planner, gaze controller,
 animation system, learning model or network service.
 
-**Version 0.1.0:** an early source library with substantive synthetic regression
-coverage. API, ABI and tuning compatibility may change before 1.0; there is no
+**Version 0.2.0:** configurable event novelty directionality, independent of raw
+preference scoring. The default directionality of `1.f` preserves legacy numerical
+behavior. API, ABI and tuning compatibility may change before 1.0; there is no
 serialized-state format or cross-platform bit-exact simulation guarantee.
 
-**Next release candidate: v0.2.0.** Event directionality adds an optional trailing
+This version adds an optional trailing
 `float CandidateSnapshot::eventDirectionality{1.f}` and
 `float CandidateTrace::noveltyGate` after `eventStrength`. The trace field occupies
 existing padding on tested x64 compilers, preserving its 96-byte size and all
 pre-existing field offsets. These change public struct layouts; rebuild
 consumers with matching headers and library. Existing aggregate initializers may
-omit the new snapshot field and retain legacy behavior. The release version stays
-0.1.0 until a release is approved.
+omit the new snapshot field and retain legacy behavior.
 
 Use named fields for trace access; positional `CandidateTrace` aggregate initializers
 must account for the inserted field before `eventNovelty`.
diff --git a/src/version.cpp b/src/version.cpp
index 94781ed..6c6874a 100644
--- a/src/version.cpp
+++ b/src/version.cpp
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ namespace interest {
 
 const char* VersionString() noexcept
 {
-    return "0.1.0";
+    return "0.2.0";
 }
 
 } // namespace interest
diff --git a/tests/smoke_test.cpp b/tests/smoke_test.cpp
index b4d3ee2..91eda3a 100644
--- a/tests/smoke_test.cpp
+++ b/tests/smoke_test.cpp
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ void CheckTraceLayout()
 
 int main()
 {
-    Expect(std::strcmp(interest::VersionString(), "0.1.0") == 0,
+    Expect(std::strcmp(interest::VersionString(), "0.2.0") == 0,
            "VersionString() returns the library version");
 
     Expect(__cplusplus >= 202002L, "compiled as C++20 or later");