Roguelikes Are More Popular Than Ever And It’s Becoming A Problem

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It’s a big accomplishment for any game studio to create a video game that’s popular enough to deserve a sequel. However, in crowded genres like roguelikes and roguelites, making a sequel can feel more like a requirement to stay competitive than a chance to build on something truly special.

The roguelike genre is incredibly inventive, and independent developers have built a strong fanbase over time. It’s become so popular that major game companies are now experimenting with the format. Some have added roguelike modes to existing games – like Prey: Mooncrash, God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla, and Hitman’s Freelancer mode. Others, such as Returnal and Elden Ring Nightreign, were designed from the start as large-scale, high-quality roguelike experiences.

Lots of developers are experimenting with new ideas – we’ve seen this with popular games like Balatro and Buckshot Roulette sparking a trend of gambling-inspired titles, and many studios trying to recreate the success of Vampire Survivors. However, there’s a growing issue: too many sequels are flooding the market, which can actually hinder innovation.

We’re seeing a lot of sequels in the roguelike and roguelite genres – games like Spelunky 2, Hades 2, and many others. This trend is even reaching bigger studios, as seen with Returnal developer Housemarque planning a new game called Saros.

It’s understandable why developers want to repeat what’s worked before, but constantly chasing trends can stifle creativity and lead to missed opportunities. Studios become hesitant to take risks on new ideas and genres, preferring the security of proven formulas. While it might seem like complaining about success, this approach actually has significant downsides.

Look, it’s awesome when you’re part of a team making something totally new, especially when a genre is starting to come back strong. Think about Slay the Spire – that map was a really fresh idea back then. But by the time we start working on a sequel, things have changed. Suddenly, there are a bunch of other games out there that took inspiration from what we did the first time around, and it’s a whole different ballgame.

Developers approach sequels in different ways. Some, like Rogue Legacy 2 and Hades 2, build on what worked before, making improvements to existing ideas. Others, such as Darkest Dungeon 2 and Risk of Rain 2, try something completely new right from the start. It’s generally safer for a small indie studio to make a sequel to a successful game than to create something entirely original. However, it’s tough to repeat that success, and developers face a lot of pressure, especially if they deviate from what fans want.

Darkest Dungeon 2 faced criticism from fans of the original game after its early access launch in 2021. The first Darkest Dungeon combined challenging dungeon exploration with some town building, but the sequel moved towards a more typical modern roguelite style. It primarily focuses on completing runs, where players choose different paths to advance as far as they can.

A year after the game’s release, Red Hook Studios listened to player feedback and shared a major update. Instead of sticking to their original plan, the developers decided to release updates more often, focusing on smaller improvements each time. They also spent time improving and refining several of the game’s core features and systems.

Big projects are often part of the deal when developing games that are released as ‘early access.’ Studios can easily spend years refining a game based on updates and player feedback. While revisiting original ideas with a sequel seems appealing – offering a fresh start – it can also lead to creative roadblocks and the challenge of meeting impossible expectations.

Despite Edmund McMillen, the lead creator of The Binding of Isaac, often stating that each new expansion would be the final one, the game continues to receive downloadable content – it’s become a running joke, like a band that keeps announcing its last tour. Meanwhile, a separate project McMillen revealed in 2012, called Mewgenics, has been consistently delayed.

Dead Cells, a highly successful roguelite game from the last ten years, received 35 updates and spent a long time in early access. Following its official release, the game expanded with four paid downloadable packs and continued to receive major updates. The original developer, Motion Twin, then handed over ongoing support to another studio, Evil Empire, who continued to provide updates for five years while Motion Twin began working on new projects.

Both development teams ended up in a good place. While it’s sad to see Evil Empire and Motion Twin move on, there’s a lot of enthusiasm for what they’ll create next, building on what they’ve already learned. Evil Empire’s final project, The Rogue Prince of Persia, is similar in style to Dead Cells, and the same can be said for Motion Twin’s Windblown. Although these new games are different, they still capture the essence of the studios’ previous work.

Not all game studios achieve the kind of success that makes them financially stable enough to try truly innovative ideas. For many, it’s simply safer to build on what’s worked before. While this approach reduces risk during development, it begs the question: how many developers would prefer to be creating something entirely original?

With 2026 shaping up to be another big year for games in the ‘rogue’ style, developers are facing a challenge. Making a sequel means living up to what players loved in the original, and also trying to stand out from the many other games in the genre. It’s becoming harder to create something truly new. Trying to copy ideas from other games can be risky, potentially losing what made the original game special in the first place.

Focusing too much on what players want can also create problems. As we’ve seen, it can limit the creative control of developers, leading to a final product that doesn’t match their original vision. Additionally, working on the same project for a long time can be draining. For example, the first Darkest Dungeon game launched in Steam Early Access in 2015, and the developers are still releasing updates for its sequel ten years later.

What makes roguelites fun is mastering their unique rules and worlds. The appeal lies in both familiarity and surprise – each playthrough feels fresh despite your growing expertise. However, developers now face a challenge: avoiding repetition while still delivering what players expect. They risk either becoming too safe and predictable, abandoning their creative ideas to follow feedback, or simply getting lost in a crowded market where the genre’s initial appeal might fade before their game is finished.

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2026-01-07 22:40