Strayhas been one of the most highly anticipated indie games of the year, and its release has been a smash hit success as BlueTwelve Studios’ debut title. Not only a hit on PlayStation but also a triumph on PC,Strayhas broken publisher Annapurna Interactive’s record for concurrent players on Steam by a wide margin.
Since its reveal in 2020, the buzz surroundingStrayonly grew bigger as the game approached launch. The PlayStation and PC exclusive turned heads at its debut thanks to its unique concept and striking aesthetic that seemed to hit the right notes for what players expect from an Annapurna Interactive-published game. In the lead-up to yesterday’s launch,Straytopped Steam’s most wish-listed games listand even received a line of cat accessories themed around the game’s neon-soaked world. After its release, it appears that BlueTwelve’s cat-centric platformer is everything that fans wanted. The game has been receiving high praise and is reaching remarkable sales numbers.
RELATED:Travel Cat is Selling Accessories Based on Stray
Often used as a benchmark for a game’s success on PC, Steam’s top 100 most-played list is primarily dominated by long-standing free-to-play titles such asCounter-Strike: Global Offensiveor sales juggernauts likeGrand Theft Auto 5. Upon yesterday’s release,Straymanaged to climbits way to slot 13 on Steam’s top 100 list, peaking at 62,963 concurrent players. The game even managed to leap pastEldenRing’s peak player count by almost double. Furthermore,Strayhas comfortably surpassed the publisher’s previous player count peak of 8,021, attributed toTwelve Minutes, making BlueTwelve Studios’ first gamethe most successful PC launch for Annapurna so far.
Not only a commercial success but also a critical one,Strayhas been widely well-received by fans and reviewers alike. Currently, the game holds an “Overwhelmingly Positive” user review score on Steam, sporting a 97% player approval rating. Meanwhile,critic reviews forStrayshower the indie game with praise for its intuitive puzzling and authenticity to its feline main character. By multiple accounts,Stray’s success has been deemed well earned.
In recent years, Annapurna Interactive has been on quite a streak of releasing high-quality indie titles from many small-time studios. In June, Annapurna publishedNeon White, a surprise hit among the speedrunning and platforming crowd, even getting some nods as a potential Game of the Year contender. The publisher is set to follow up onthe success ofStrayandNeon Whitewith a showcase on July 28, promising reveals, announcements, and more.
Strayis available now for PC, PS4, and PS5.
MORE:Shadow Warrior 3 May Be a Clue to How Long Stray Will Be on PS Plus Extra
