In the realm of deckbuilding roguelikes, few titles have achieved the acclaim of Slay the Spire. Since its debut in 2019, it has captivated audiences and critics alike, securing a remarkable 92% review score from PC Gamer’s strategic director, Evan Lahti. As anticipation builds for its sequel, set to enter early access on March 6, the gaming community is abuzz with excitement. This sequel promises to elevate the experience, with developers claiming that “everything is bigger.” For the PC Gamer team, it was rightfully crowned as their Most Wanted game last year, but this news presents a challenge for other deckbuilders launching in the same timeframe.
Strategic Timing in Game Releases
In a recent post on X, the studio 58BLADES shared their thoughts on the matter, revealing their initial plan to release Handmancers during the #TurnBasedThursdayFest. The strategy was straightforward: unveil the game during the showcase and make it available immediately. However, the announcement of Slay the Spire 2 the following day prompted a reassessment.
The studio expressed their enthusiasm, stating, “You’ll be playing it, we’ll be playing it, everyone will be playing it. We’re huge fans and insanely excited.” Yet, they acknowledged the reality of launching a deckbuilder in the same week as such a legendary sequel could lead to overshadowing. “Yeah… we’d get absolutely crushed,” they candidly admitted.
By opting to delay their release, 58BLADES aims to enhance Handmancers with additional content, including an extra boss, along with more polish and balance work. They emphasized their preference for launching the game at its best rather than being buried beneath the weight of a highly anticipated sequel.
This strategic avoidance of prominent launch dates has become increasingly common in the gaming industry. A notable example from 2025 saw titles like Demonschool pivoting away from the surprise release of Silksong. The rationale is clear: steering clear of major competitors can significantly impact a game’s visibility and success. In fact, data from 2025 reveals that nearly half of the almost 19,000 games released on Steam garnered fewer than 10 user reviews throughout the year, with over 2,000 titles receiving no reviews at all.
