The week-long Steam Next Fest demo bonanza has officially come to an end, and Valve has unveiled the top 50 most played games during the event. These games were ordered based on the number of unique players who spent time with them during Next Fest itself, excluding any early demo plays from earlier in the month. Surprisingly, the most popular game of the lot, Dungeonborne, was only announced at the end of January. Let’s delve into the details and explore the highlights of this exciting gaming event.
Dungeonborne Strikes a Chord
The number one spot on the Next Fest charts belongs to Dungeonborne, a captivating blend of PvPvE dungeon crawling and fantasy skelly monsters. Developed by Mithril Interactive, Dungeonborne garnered over 19,000 concurrent players during its Next Fest playtest. This impressive feat has catapulted the game from Steam’s top 500 most wishlisted games to the prestigious top 50, all within two weeks of its initial announcement. In a Steam blog post, the developers expressed their gratitude for the overwhelming support and valuable insights from the playtest participants. They acknowledged the challenges identified, such as class balancing, gear disparity, anti-cheat measures, and gameplay details. The feedback received will be thoroughly reviewed and analyzed to shape the game’s future development plans and release strategy.
The Rest of the Top 50
Apart from Dungeonborne, several notable games made it to the top 50 list of Next Fest. Stormgate, often hailed as a spiritual successor to Starcraft, secured the second position. This real-time strategy game garnered significant attention and showcased its potential during the event. Pacific Drive, a first-person car roguelike, followed closely behind at number three. The recently delayed Homeworld 3, a highly anticipated space epic, claimed the fourth spot, while the indie autobattler Backpack Battles rounded up the top five. Other noteworthy entries in the top ten include the poker roguelike Balatro, Paradox’s Civilization-rival Millenia, and the Hollow Knight-inspired Deviator. The diversity and quality of these games reflect the discerning tastes of Next Fest participants.
The complete top 50 list showcases a remarkable collection of games that piqued the interest of Next Festers. Many of these games were featured in the team recommendation and demo posts leading up to the event. The variety of genres, styles, and gameplay mechanics on display is a testament to the thriving indie game development scene. However, it is impossible to ignore the absence of the visually stunning and promising Until Then, which unfortunately didn’t make the cut. The demo for this game is still available, and it is highly recommended to give it a try before it’s too late. The fact that it didn’t receive the attention it deserved is undoubtedly a crime that gaming enthusiasts should rectify.
While the Steam Next Fest has officially concluded, many of the demos are still available for play. If you missed out on the event or want to delve into the chart-topping games and discover what all the fuss is about, don’t worry. You still have the opportunity to experience these exciting demos and support talented developers. Take advantage of the time you have and see for yourself why these games captured the imagination of Next Fest participants.
The Steam Next Fest provided an incredible platform for developers to showcase their upcoming games through engaging demos. Dungeonborne emerged as the most popular game, thanks to its unique blend of PvPvE dungeon crawling and fantasy elements. The top 50 list featured a diverse range of titles, highlighting the creativity and talent within the gaming industry. While it is disappointing that some hidden gems like Until Then didn’t receive the attention they deserved, the event’s success and the number of concurrent players demonstrate the enthusiasm and discerning taste of Next Fest participants. As the demos continue to be available, gamers can still explore and support these games to help shape their future development.
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