diff --git a/app/main/index.ts b/app/main/index.ts
index 6c0218d..ace002d 100644
--- a/app/main/index.ts
+++ b/app/main/index.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { installStdoutEpipeGuards } from './safeConsole';
 installStdoutEpipeGuards();
 
 import { openDialogFilterLabel } from '../shared/appBranding';
+import { USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED } from '../shared/features/usersBranchFeatures';
 import { ipcChannels, type ScenePreviewImportEvent, type SessionState } from '../shared/ipc/contracts';
 import {
   PROJECT_ZIP_OPEN_DIALOG_FILTER,
@@ -402,8 +403,10 @@ async function main() {
   const licenseService = new LicenseService(app.getPath('userData'));
   tokensStore = new TokensStore(app.getPath('userData'));
   await tokensStore.ensureLoaded();
-  playersStore = new PlayersStore(app.getPath('userData'));
-  await playersStore.ensureLoaded();
+  if (USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED) {
+    playersStore = new PlayersStore(app.getPath('userData'));
+    await playersStore.ensureLoaded();
+  }
   setLicenseAssert(() => {
     licenseService.assertForIpc();
   });
@@ -429,9 +432,11 @@ async function main() {
     sceneTokensSessionStore.reset();
     sceneNpcTokensSessionStore.reset();
     scenePlayerTokensSessionStore.reset();
-    const playerIds = Array.isArray(req?.playerIds) ? req.playerIds.map(String).filter(Boolean) : [];
-    if (playerIds.length > 0) {
-      scenePlayerTokensSessionStore.dispatch({ kind: 'setSelection', playerIds });
+    if (USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED) {
+      const playerIds = Array.isArray(req?.playerIds) ? req.playerIds.map(String).filter(Boolean) : [];
+      if (playerIds.length > 0) {
+        scenePlayerTokensSessionStore.dispatch({ kind: 'setSelection', playerIds });
+      }
     }
     effectsStore.dispatch({ kind: 'tool.set', tool: effectsDefaultTool() });
     openMultiWindow();
@@ -1357,13 +1362,19 @@ async function main() {
   });
 
   registerHandler(ipcChannels.players.list, async () => {
-    await playersStore!.ensureLoaded();
-    return { players: playersStore!.listPlayers(), teams: playersStore!.listTeams() };
+    if (!USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED || !playersStore) {
+      return { players: [], teams: [] };
+    }
+    await playersStore.ensureLoaded();
+    return { players: playersStore.listPlayers(), teams: playersStore.listTeams() };
   });
   registerHandler(
     ipcChannels.players.upsert,
     async ({ id, name, filePath, teamId, ringColor, imageOffset, imageScale }) => {
-      const player = await playersStore!.upsert(
+      if (!USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED || !playersStore) {
+        throw new Error('Players library is disabled in this build');
+      }
+      const player = await playersStore.upsert(
         {
           name,
           ...(id !== undefined ? { id } : {}),
@@ -1380,17 +1391,26 @@ async function main() {
     },
   );
   registerHandler(ipcChannels.players.delete, async ({ id }) => {
-    await playersStore!.delete(id);
+    if (!USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED || !playersStore) {
+      return { ok: true };
+    }
+    await playersStore.delete(id);
     emitPlayersState();
     return { ok: true };
   });
   registerHandler(ipcChannels.players.setOrder, async ({ playerIds }) => {
-    const players = await playersStore!.setPlayersOrder(playerIds);
+    if (!USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED || !playersStore) {
+      return { players: [] };
+    }
+    const players = await playersStore.setPlayersOrder(playerIds);
     emitPlayersState();
     return { players };
   });
   registerHandler(ipcChannels.players.upsertTeam, async ({ id, name, color }) => {
-    const team = await playersStore!.upsertTeam({
+    if (!USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED || !playersStore) {
+      throw new Error('Players library is disabled in this build');
+    }
+    const team = await playersStore.upsertTeam({
       name,
       ...(id !== undefined ? { id } : {}),
       ...(color !== undefined ? { color } : {}),
@@ -1399,21 +1419,33 @@ async function main() {
     return { team };
   });
   registerHandler(ipcChannels.players.deleteTeam, async ({ id }) => {
-    await playersStore!.deleteTeam(id);
+    if (!USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED || !playersStore) {
+      return { ok: true };
+    }
+    await playersStore.deleteTeam(id);
     emitPlayersState();
     return { ok: true };
   });
   registerHandler(ipcChannels.players.setTeamsOrder, async ({ teamIds }) => {
-    const teams = await playersStore!.setTeamsOrder(teamIds);
+    if (!USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED || !playersStore) {
+      return { teams: [] };
+    }
+    const teams = await playersStore.setTeamsOrder(teamIds);
     emitPlayersState();
     return { teams };
   });
   registerHandler(ipcChannels.players.assignTeam, async ({ playerId, teamId }) => {
-    const player = await playersStore!.assignPlayerTeam(playerId, teamId);
+    if (!USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED || !playersStore) {
+      throw new Error('Players library is disabled in this build');
+    }
+    const player = await playersStore.assignPlayerTeam(playerId, teamId);
     emitPlayersState();
     return { player };
   });
   registerHandler(ipcChannels.players.pickImage, async () => {
+    if (!USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED || !playersStore) {
+      return { canceled: true as const };
+    }
     const { canceled, filePaths } = await dialog.showOpenDialog({
       properties: ['openFile'],
       filters: [
@@ -1432,7 +1464,10 @@ async function main() {
     return { canceled: false as const, filePath, previewDataUrl };
   });
   registerHandler(ipcChannels.players.imageUrl, ({ id }) => {
-    return { url: playersStore!.getImageUrl(id) };
+    if (!USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED || !playersStore) {
+      return { url: null };
+    }
+    return { url: playersStore.getImageUrl(id) };
   });
   registerHandler(ipcChannels.sceneNpcTokensSession.getState, () => {
     return { state: sceneNpcTokensSessionStore.getState() };
diff --git a/app/main/protocol/dndAssetProtocol.ts b/app/main/protocol/dndAssetProtocol.ts
index 1c50aa0..919002e 100644
--- a/app/main/protocol/dndAssetProtocol.ts
+++ b/app/main/protocol/dndAssetProtocol.ts
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ async function serveFile(info: ReadInfo, request: Request): Promise<Response> {
 export function registerDndAssetProtocol(
   projectStore: ZipProjectStore,
   tokensStore: TokensStore,
-  playersStore: PlayersStore,
+  playersStore: PlayersStore | null,
 ): void {
   session.defaultSession.protocol.handle('dnd', async (request) => {
     const url = new URL(request.url);
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ export function registerDndAssetProtocol(
     } else if (url.hostname === 'token') {
       info = tokensStore.getImageReadInfo(asTokenId(id));
     } else if (url.hostname === 'player') {
-      info = playersStore.getImageReadInfo(asPlayerId(id));
+      info = playersStore?.getImageReadInfo(asPlayerId(id)) ?? null;
     }
     if (!info) {
       return new Response(null, { status: 404 });
diff --git a/app/renderer/control/ControlApp.tsx b/app/renderer/control/ControlApp.tsx
index e4ed7ea..53d7f37 100644
--- a/app/renderer/control/ControlApp.tsx
+++ b/app/renderer/control/ControlApp.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { pickEraseTargetId } from '../../shared/effectEraserHitTest';
 import { fitAspectRect } from '../../shared/geometry/fitAspectRect';
 import { ipcChannels } from '../../shared/ipc/contracts';
 import type { SessionState } from '../../shared/ipc/contracts';
+import { USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED } from '../../shared/features/usersBranchFeatures';
 import {
   isNodeInMainStoryline,
   isNodeInSideStoryline,
@@ -1778,6 +1779,8 @@ export function ControlApp() {
           <div className={styles.previewHeader}>
             <div className={styles.previewTitle}>{t('control.screenPreview')}</div>
             <div className={styles.previewActions}>
+              {USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED ? (
+                <>
               <label className={styles.npcTokenScale}>
                 <span className={styles.npcTokenScaleLabel}>{t('control.npcTokenScale')}</span>
                 <input
@@ -1816,6 +1819,8 @@ export function ControlApp() {
                     ? t('control.hidePlayers')
                     : t('control.showPlayers')}
                 </Button>
+              ) : null}
+                </>
               ) : null}
               <Button onClick={() => void api.invoke(ipcChannels.windows.closeMultiWindow, {})}>
                 {t('control.stopPresentation')}
@@ -2026,7 +2031,7 @@ export function ControlApp() {
                     }}
                   />
                 ) : null}
-                {previewContentRect ? (
+                {USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED && previewContentRect ? (
                   <SceneNpcTokensOverlay
                     placements={currentScene?.npcTokens ?? []}
                     library={session?.project?.npcs ?? []}
@@ -2046,7 +2051,7 @@ export function ControlApp() {
                     }}
                   />
                 ) : null}
-                {previewContentRect ? (
+                {USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED && previewContentRect ? (
                   <ScenePlayerTokensOverlay
                     library={appPlayers}
                     session={scenePlayerTokensSession}
@@ -2509,7 +2514,7 @@ export function ControlApp() {
         ) : null}
       </div>
 
-      {npcSessionCtxMenu
+      {USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED && npcSessionCtxMenu
         ? createPortal(
             <>
               <button
diff --git a/app/renderer/editor/EditorApp.tsx b/app/renderer/editor/EditorApp.tsx
index e521bd5..3eecaad 100644
--- a/app/renderer/editor/EditorApp.tsx
+++ b/app/renderer/editor/EditorApp.tsx
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import React, { startTransition, useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useSta
 import { createPortal } from 'react-dom';
 
 import { moveSceneInListOrder, reconcileSceneListOrder } from '../../shared/graph/sceneListOrder';
+import { USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED } from '../../shared/features/usersBranchFeatures';
 import type {
   NpcImportResolution,
   SceneImportResolution,
@@ -841,6 +842,7 @@ export function EditorApp() {
                   {t('top.file')}
                 </button>
               ) : null}
+              {USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED ? (
               <button
                 type="button"
                 data-testid="players-header-btn"
@@ -858,6 +860,7 @@ export function EditorApp() {
               >
                 {t('top.players')}
               </button>
+              ) : null}
             </div>
             <div className={styles.flex1} />
             {appVersionText ? (
@@ -868,6 +871,7 @@ export function EditorApp() {
             <div className={styles.headerActions}>
               {state.project ? (
                 <>
+                  {USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED ? (
                   <div
                     ref={runSplitRef}
                     className={styles.splitRun}
@@ -917,6 +921,19 @@ export function EditorApp() {
                       </svg>
                     </button>
                   </div>
+                  ) : (
+                    <Button
+                      variant="primary"
+                      disabled={runDisabled || launching}
+                      data-testid="run-main-btn"
+                      onClick={() => {
+                        if (!licenseActive || !graphStartGraphNodeId || launching) return;
+                        launchFromGraphNode(graphStartGraphNodeId);
+                      }}
+                    >
+                      {t('top.run')}
+                    </Button>
+                  )}
                   {runDisabled ? (
                     <Button
                       variant="ghost"
@@ -1620,16 +1637,20 @@ export function EditorApp() {
         }}
       />
       <CheckUpdatesModal open={checkUpdatesOpen} onClose={() => setCheckUpdatesOpen(false)} />
-      <PlayersManagerModal open={playersManagerOpen} onClose={() => setPlayersManagerOpen(false)} />
-      <LaunchPlayersModal
-        open={launchPlayersOpen}
-        onClose={() => setLaunchPlayersOpen(false)}
-        onConfirm={(playerIds) => {
-          if (!graphStartGraphNodeId) return;
-          launchFromGraphNode(graphStartGraphNodeId, playerIds);
-        }}
-      />
-      {runMenuOpen && runMenuPos
+      {USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED ? (
+        <>
+          <PlayersManagerModal open={playersManagerOpen} onClose={() => setPlayersManagerOpen(false)} />
+          <LaunchPlayersModal
+            open={launchPlayersOpen}
+            onClose={() => setLaunchPlayersOpen(false)}
+            onConfirm={(playerIds) => {
+              if (!graphStartGraphNodeId) return;
+              launchFromGraphNode(graphStartGraphNodeId, playerIds);
+            }}
+          />
+        </>
+      ) : null}
+      {USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED && runMenuOpen && runMenuPos
         ? createPortal(
             <div
               data-runmenu-root="1"
diff --git a/app/renderer/editor/help/helpSections.ts b/app/renderer/editor/help/helpSections.ts
index 6435dcd..c8135e6 100644
--- a/app/renderer/editor/help/helpSections.ts
+++ b/app/renderer/editor/help/helpSections.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 /** Порядок разделов в окне «Инструкция». */
-export const HELP_SECTION_IDS = [
+import { USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED } from '../../../shared/features/usersBranchFeatures';
+
+const HELP_SECTION_IDS_ALL = [
   'overview',
   'license',
   'projects',
@@ -25,7 +27,11 @@ export const HELP_SECTION_IDS = [
   'settings',
 ] as const;
 
-export type HelpSectionId = (typeof HELP_SECTION_IDS)[number];
+export type HelpSectionId = (typeof HELP_SECTION_IDS_ALL)[number];
+
+export const HELP_SECTION_IDS: readonly HelpSectionId[] = USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED
+  ? HELP_SECTION_IDS_ALL
+  : HELP_SECTION_IDS_ALL.filter((id) => id !== 'players');
 
 export function helpSectionTitleKey(id: HelpSectionId): string {
   return `help.section.${id}.title`;
diff --git a/app/renderer/npcs/NpcsEditorApp.tsx b/app/renderer/npcs/NpcsEditorApp.tsx
index 56ec31f..faa2c50 100644
--- a/app/renderer/npcs/NpcsEditorApp.tsx
+++ b/app/renderer/npcs/NpcsEditorApp.tsx
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import type {
 import editorStyles from '../editor/EditorApp.module.css';
 import { useEditorI18n } from '../editor/i18n/EditorI18nContext';
 import { getDndApi } from '../shared/dndApi';
+import { USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED } from '../../shared/features/usersBranchFeatures';
 import { PlayerTokenView } from '../shared/playerToken/PlayerTokenView';
 import { Button, Input, Select } from '../shared/ui/controls';
 import { useAssetUrl } from '../shared/useAssetImageUrl';
@@ -737,27 +738,35 @@ export function NpcsEditorApp() {
                 <div>
                   <div className={styles.fieldLabel}>{t('npcs.avatar')}</div>
                   <div className={styles.avatarPick}>
-                    <PlayerTokenView
-                      name={selected.name}
-                      imageUrl={selectedUrl}
-                      ringColor={npcDispositionRingColor(selected.disposition ?? 'neutral')}
-                      imageOffset={selected.imageOffset}
-                      imageScale={selected.imageScale}
-                      sizePx={140}
-                      panEnabled
-                      onImageOffsetChange={(imageOffset) => {
-                        void api.invoke(ipcChannels.project.updateNpcFields, {
-                          npcId: selected.id,
-                          imageOffset,
-                        });
-                      }}
-                      onImageScaleChange={(imageScale) => {
-                        void api.invoke(ipcChannels.project.updateNpcFields, {
-                          npcId: selected.id,
-                          imageScale,
-                        });
-                      }}
-                    />
+                    {USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED ? (
+                      <PlayerTokenView
+                        name={selected.name}
+                        imageUrl={selectedUrl}
+                        ringColor={npcDispositionRingColor(selected.disposition ?? 'neutral')}
+                        imageOffset={selected.imageOffset}
+                        imageScale={selected.imageScale}
+                        sizePx={140}
+                        panEnabled
+                        onImageOffsetChange={(imageOffset) => {
+                          void api.invoke(ipcChannels.project.updateNpcFields, {
+                            npcId: selected.id,
+                            imageOffset,
+                          });
+                        }}
+                        onImageScaleChange={(imageScale) => {
+                          void api.invoke(ipcChannels.project.updateNpcFields, {
+                            npcId: selected.id,
+                            imageScale,
+                          });
+                        }}
+                      />
+                    ) : (
+                      <div className={styles.avatarPreview}>
+                        {selectedUrl ? (
+                          <img className={styles.avatarPreviewImg} src={selectedUrl} alt="" />
+                        ) : null}
+                      </div>
+                    )}
                     <Button
                       disabled={avatarBusy}
                       onClick={() => {
@@ -782,6 +791,7 @@ export function NpcsEditorApp() {
                   </div>
                 </div>
 
+                {USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED ? (
                 <label>
                   <div className={styles.fieldLabel}>{t('npcs.disposition')}</div>
                   <Select
@@ -800,6 +810,7 @@ export function NpcsEditorApp() {
                     ]}
                   />
                 </label>
+                ) : null}
 
                 <div>
                   <div className={styles.fieldLabel}>{t('npcs.name')}</div>
diff --git a/app/renderer/sceneEditor/SceneEditorApp.tsx b/app/renderer/sceneEditor/SceneEditorApp.tsx
index 358ca3d..257b63e 100644
--- a/app/renderer/sceneEditor/SceneEditorApp.tsx
+++ b/app/renderer/sceneEditor/SceneEditorApp.tsx
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ import {
   trapTypeLabelRu,
 } from '../../shared/types/sceneTraps';
 import { sceneViewPanBy, sceneViewZoomAt } from '../../shared/types/sceneView';
+import { USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED } from '../../shared/features/usersBranchFeatures';
 import editorStyles from '../editor/EditorApp.module.css';
 import { useEditorI18n } from '../editor/i18n/EditorI18nContext';
 import { getDndApi } from '../shared/dndApi';
@@ -484,7 +485,7 @@ export function SceneEditorApp() {
       return;
     }
     const npcId = e.dataTransfer.getData(SCENE_NPC_DND_MIME);
-    if (npcId) {
+    if (USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED && npcId) {
       addNpcTokenAt(npcId as NpcId, p.x, p.y);
       return;
     }
@@ -600,6 +601,7 @@ export function SceneEditorApp() {
           ) : null}
         </div>
 
+        {USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED ? (
         <div className={styles.accordion} data-testid="scene-npc-accordion">
           <button type="button" className={styles.accordionHead} onClick={() => setNpcsOpen((v) => !v)}>
             НПС {npcsOpen ? '▾' : '▸'}
@@ -621,6 +623,7 @@ export function SceneEditorApp() {
             </div>
           ) : null}
         </div>
+        ) : null}
 
         <div className={styles.accordion}>
           <button type="button" className={styles.accordionHead} onClick={() => setTokensOpen((v) => !v)}>
@@ -884,7 +887,7 @@ export function SceneEditorApp() {
                   );
                 })
               : null}
-            {contentRect
+            {USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED && contentRect
               ? localNpcTokens.map((tok) => {
                   const npc = project?.npcs.find((item) => item.id === tok.npcId);
                   if (!npc) return null;
@@ -1050,7 +1053,7 @@ export function SceneEditorApp() {
           )
         : null}
 
-      {npcCtxMenu
+      {USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED && npcCtxMenu
         ? createPortal(
             <>
               <button
diff --git a/app/renderer/shared/PresentationView.tsx b/app/renderer/shared/PresentationView.tsx
index 3b66906..716615b 100644
--- a/app/renderer/shared/PresentationView.tsx
+++ b/app/renderer/shared/PresentationView.tsx
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import React, { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 
 import { computeTimeSec } from '../../main/video/videoPlaybackStore';
 import type { SessionState } from '../../shared/ipc/contracts';
+import { USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED } from '../../shared/features/usersBranchFeatures';
 
 import { ExplosionVideoOverlay } from './effects/ExplosionVideoOverlay';
 import { PixiEffectsOverlay } from './effects/PxiEffectsOverlay';
@@ -54,7 +55,8 @@ export function PresentationView({
   const [materialsOverlay] = useMaterialsOverlayState();
   const [npcsOverlay] = useNpcsOverlayState();
   const appTokens = useAppTokens();
-  const { players: appPlayers } = useAppPlayers();
+  const appPlayersResult = useAppPlayers();
+  const appPlayers = USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED ? appPlayersResult.players : [];
   const [sceneTokensSession] = useSceneTokensSession();
   const [sceneNpcTokensSession] = useSceneNpcTokensSession();
   const [scenePlayerTokensSession] = useScenePlayerTokensSession();
@@ -196,7 +198,7 @@ export function PresentationView({
           viewport={contentRect}
         />
       ) : null}
-      {scene?.previewAssetType === 'image' && contentRect ? (
+      {USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED && scene?.previewAssetType === 'image' && contentRect ? (
         <SceneNpcTokensOverlay
           placements={scene.npcTokens ?? []}
           library={project?.npcs ?? []}
@@ -205,7 +207,7 @@ export function PresentationView({
           grid={scene.grid}
         />
       ) : null}
-      {scene?.previewAssetType === 'image' && contentRect ? (
+      {USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED && scene?.previewAssetType === 'image' && contentRect ? (
         <ScenePlayerTokensOverlay
           library={appPlayers}
           session={scenePlayerTokensSession}
diff --git a/app/shared/features/usersBranchFeatures.ts b/app/shared/features/usersBranchFeatures.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..48a1521
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/shared/features/usersBranchFeatures.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+/**
+ * Hotfix release: set to `false` to hide everything merged from branch `users`
+ * (Players library, run-with-players, circular NPC/player session tokens, disposition UI).
+ * Re-enable after QA.
+ */
+export const USERS_BRANCH_FEATURES_ENABLED = false;