When Vampire Survivors was initially released on PC as an Early Access title in December 2021, it saw a similar, yet less severe, rise in popularity as Among Us. It took months until it made its way into the mainstream limelight, growing in popularity thanks to Twitch streamers and other content creators. Vampire Survivors ultimately became an Indie hidden gem and one of 2022’s biggest sleeper hits. While Vampire Survivors may not have ended up winning the award for Best Debut Indie Game at The Game Awards 2022, its nomination alone signifies its accomplishments.
RELATED: 5 Big Games Missing from The Game Awards 2022
Vampire Survivors Demonstrates the Power of Simplicity
The gameplay of Vampire Survivors is deceptively simple for the first few play sessions. In this top-down 2D action game, players must survive ongoing hordes of monsters while obtaining XP to level up for stronger weapons and gear. The only actions required from the player is moving around the level and choosing a weapon or upgrade each time they level up. There isn’t even an attack button, as the character attacks on its own with upgrades available for stats such as attack speed, damage, and range. However, after experimenting with a few weapons and upgrades, the long-term appeal quickly becomes apparent.
The gameplay loop of Vampire Survivors may be minimalist in its design, yet the rogue-like formula and addicting “just one more” premise allow it to be infinitely replayable. Because of these roguelike elements, death is not as big of a deal, as currency acquired during each session remains and can be spent on permanent upgrades. Its approachable gameplay format bodes well for the mobile market. Simple gameplay opens the door for a wide range of audiences and forgiving progression allows players to not feel penalized for having to cut a play session short.
Vampire Survivors on the Mobile Market
Vampire Survivors has already demonstrated its appeal to a market that’s on the go thanks to the Steam Deck. When the Steam Deck was released, the player count for Vampire Survivors saw noticeable growth, and since then, many fans have crowned it as the perfect game for the handheld gaming platform. This type of pick-up-and-play experience is exactly what appeals to the iOS and Android markets.
Having already garnered recognition from its existing release, Vampire Survivors can convert its fanbase over to the mobile platform and capture new audiences. For those who may have been hesitant to purchase the game or pay for Game Pass to play it, now they can easily access the game as a free download. This has proven to be successful with some of the most popular mobile games that were ported over after already being released on other platforms, such as PUBG Mobile, Among Us, and Minecraft. Now, Vampire Survivors has a chance to dominate the mobile market thanks to its accessible gameplay and mobile-friendly progression systems.
Vampire Survivors is available now for Mobile, PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
MORE: Every Award Elden Ring Won at The Game Awards 2022
