Mega Crit says it is “totally blown away” after Slay the Spire 2 rocketed to a new peak of 526,793 concurrent players on Steam during launch weekend on Thursday March 5, 2026.
That figure puts Slay the Spire 2 well ahead of Marathon, which reached a peak of 88,337 over the same period, and within reach of Hollow Knight: Silksong’s record of 587,150. The original Slay the Spire had its lifetime high of 57,025 reached three months earlier, and it still showed a 24 hour peak of 36,207 even after the sequel released.
On launch day Mega Crit posted that the team was “totally blown away by the amount of people who have been playing and sharing their love for the game we’ve been working on for the past half decade.” The studio added a tongue in cheek line referencing Silksong, writing “Also obligatory joke: we’ll getcha one day, Silksong.”
The studio’s comment arrived as Steam struggled under a cluster of big new releases, including Marathon and Poker Night at the Inventory. Mega Crit also congratulated the Marathon team in a playful post and later co-founder Casey Yano flagged the joke, admitting on his personal account that “This seems a bit meaner than it was intended” and that he did not expect to actually pass Marathon in concurrent users.
Early access impressions note visible changes from the original. Players point to improved artwork and animations, a rethought run structure, and a number of new mechanics. Mega Crit has kept established characters, cards, and trinkets that worked while introducing fresh additions that reshape how runs play out. Some balance choices were weird, but hey,
Co-op is another headline feature. Players report that cooperative runs feel natural and social, and that teamwork can either soften individual mistakes or require extra coordination depending on how partners approach strategy. With the sequel pulling such strong numbers during launch, attention on the Steam charts is high as observers watch whether Slay the Spire 2 will surpass Silksong’s record.
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Slay the Spire II
Developed by Mega Crit Games
