Steam surprise hit: This quirky scratch-off idle game is delighting thousands

Scritchy Scratchy has quickly become a small surprise hit on Steam. The idle game from Lunch Money Games and Funday Games – with developers of Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor among the people behind it – revolves entirely around scratch-off tickets. Released on March 18, 2026, the game has already collected more than 16,000 reviews with a 94% positive rating and that without a prior Early Access phase.

Scritchy Scratchy relies on a simple but apparently very effective principle: the constant urge to scratch off just one more ticket. What starts as a small gambling loop gradually develops into a classic idle pull built around upgrades, automation and prestige systems. According to players, new cards, permanent improvements and helpers such as a Scratch Bot give the otherwise lighthearted concept a surprising amount of long-term motivation.

Besides the core concept, players also praise the music, the charming ticket designs and the good value for money. Scritchy Scratchy normally costs $6.99 on Steam and is available at a 20% launch discount until April 1, bringing the price down to $5.59. According to player impressions, however, anyone picking up the idle game should be prepared for a fair amount of grind, especially in the mid and late game. Quality-of-life features and automation tools are also unlocked relatively late. One plus point is that Scritchy Scratchy also works well on the go. On the Steam Deck, the game is listed as “Playable.”