Slay the Spire 2 Sells 3 Million Copies in First Week of Early Access

Record-Breaking Launch#

Slay the Spire 2 has sold 3 million copies in its first week of Early Access, according to developer Mega Crit. The roguelike deckbuilder has also logged over 25 million runs since launch, cementing its position as Steam's biggest roguelike. For context, that's an average of over eight runs per player in just seven days, suggesting the game's signature "one more run" addictiveness has carried over seamlessly to the sequel.

"Slay the Spire 2 has been out for merely a week, and we have already hit 3 million units sold with more than 25 million runs," Mega Crit stated, expressing clear surprise at the scale of the launch. The studio, which has remained relatively small and independent since the original game's 2017 Early Access debut, clearly wasn't expecting this level of immediate adoption, even with the first game's cult following.

The sequel has shattered the original game's records across the board. It peaked at 165,000 concurrent players on Steam and reached 573,000 total players, nearly tripling the original Slay the Spire's all-time concurrent player count of around 58,000. The game has already accumulated 6,000 Overwhelmingly Positive reviews on Steam, maintaining the franchise's reputation for quality despite launching in an unfinished state. This level of player trust is rare in Early Access launches, where even beloved franchises often face skepticism.

Early Access Success#

These numbers represent a 162,000% increase in launch players compared to the original game, positioning Slay the Spire 2 ahead of other major roguelikes on the platform, including Elden Ring Nightreign. The comparison is particularly striking given that Nightreign carries the weight of FromSoftware's Elden Ring brand, one of gaming's biggest recent phenomena. That an indie deckbuilder sequel is outpacing a FromSoft spinoff speaks volumes about how thoroughly Slay the Spire has defined the roguelike deckbuilder genre it essentially created.

The original Slay the Spire spent nearly two years in Early Access before its full 1.0 release in January 2019, gradually building its playerbase and refining its systems based on community feedback. That patient approach paid off, with the game eventually selling over 5 million copies and spawning an entire subgenre of deckbuilding roguelikes. Titles like Monster Train, Griftlands, and Inscryption all owe a debt to Mega Crit's formula. Now, the sequel has already moved 3 million units in a single week, suggesting it could eclipse the original's lifetime sales within months.

The developers maintain their stance as "microtransaction haters," keeping the game's monetization straightforward with a single purchase price for Early Access. This philosophy stands in stark contrast to the live service model dominating much of the industry, and the game's success proves there's still massive appetite for premium, single-purchase indie titles. No battle passes, no cosmetic shops, no season passes - just the game and future updates included.

Mega Crit playfully referenced another highly anticipated indie sequel in their announcement, adding "We'll getcha one day Silksong" in a nod to the long-awaited Hollow Knight follow-up. The joke resonates with the indie community, where Silksong has become something of a running gag due to its years-long development with minimal updates. It's the kind of self-aware humor that endears developers to their audience, acknowledging they're part of the same gaming culture rather than standing apart from it.

With the game still in Early Access, these early figures suggest Slay the Spire 2 is on track to become one of the biggest indie success stories of the year. The roadmap promises additional characters beyond the current roster, new relics and cards, balance adjustments, and quality-of-life improvements based on player feedback. If Mega Crit follows the same development philosophy as the original, players can expect regular updates and meaningful content additions throughout the Early Access period. Are you among the 3 million who've already started climbing the spire?