Indie game Slay the Spire 2 dominates Crimson Desert in March Steam sales charts

Investors balked at early Crimson Desert reviews, sending Pearl Abyss stock temporarily downwards. Since its release date, developers have addressed complaints and convinced many skeptics. Nevertheless, Alinea Analytics data shows that indie favorite Slay the Spire 2 was the best-selling Steam game for March.

How an indie game slayed the competition

Mega Crit’s deckbuilder sequel burst onto the scene, attracting a peak player count of over 574,000. Not surprisingly, Alinea estimates that the game beat all fiscal projections. The 5.3 million copies sold are more than double the 1.9 million mark of Crimson Desert. Strong support for the early access title contributed to $108 million in sales.

Slay the Spire 2 built momentum through word of mouth, rather than well-funded marketing. Its devoted following returned for a fresh batch of cards, new characters, and a co-op mode. The newsletter also notes its popularity in China, with regional pricing enticing buyers in the giant Asian market.

Boosted by furious pre-orders, Crimson Desert Steam sales impress as well. Unlike many single-player projects, it may build on that success in the months to come. The Pearl Abyss open-world game didn’t see its highest player count until more than a week after its debut. It has maintained interest levels, as developers tackled performance shortcomings and clunky controls.

A slow-burn in Crimson Desert

Head of Market Analysis, Rhys Elliott, highlights how buyers eventually become obsessed with exploring Pywel. If gamers aren’t overwhelmed by the experience, they remain loyal for potentially hundreds of gameplay hours. With each well-received patch, Steam reviews have risen to very positive after a shaky start.

Of course, the indie game competitor had the advantage of releasing earlier in the month. Even so, at a higher price point, Crimson Desert will accumulate revenue more rapidly.

Rounding out the top 5 for March Steam sales are Climber Animals: Together, Resident Evil Requiem, and Resident Evil 3. The more affordable Slay the Spire 2 is in position to leapfrog the Capcom survival horror title’s $112 million in revenue.