Vampire Survivors' developer has provided an update on a potential sequel. 2022 was a great year for indie games, with multiple award-nominated titles filling out the year, pushing the industry forward with innovative ideas, but few made as big an impact asVampire Survivors, which went on to become one of the highest rated Steam games of all time. The game was primarily developed by Lucas “Poncle” Gualante, who has now revealed the reason why fans should not expect a sequel to the breakout indie darling.
Vampire Survivorsinitially launched in early access on PC in December 2021. The game blends rogue-like elements with shoot-em-up gameplay, while the player’s main input revolves around maneuvering their character around the screen filled with enemies while trying not to take damage, auto-attacking as they receive new power-ups. The simple but effective gameplay loop, and the extremely low price point, made the game a cult classic only a few months after launch andthanks to the release of Valve’s Steam Deckand its inclusion in PC Game Pass. The game launched fully in September 2022 after months of content updates, where it was quickly followed with iOS, Android, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S ports.
RELATED:Vampire Survivors Mobile Ports Released to Fight Clones
Despite only releasing fully six months ago, Poncle has continued to supportVampire Survivorswith free content updates and paid DLC since release. Most recently, the gamereceived an update titled “The Chaotic One,“which added 3 new achievements and a new challenge map. It’s for this reason that Poncle is in no rush to develop a sequel toVampire Survivors. “With the wayVampire Survivorsis designed, we can deliver both new content and new game mechanics on the existing game, so why make a sequel?” Gualante claimed, while speaking to GameSpot. “I think that if we make a sequel or a spiritual successor, then we should offer something radically new.”
One of the biggest surprises surroundingVampire Survivorssince its release has been the game’s approach to monetization, surrounding both the game itself and its DLC. The game currently only costs $4.99 USD on Steam, while also being available on Game Pass for PC and Xbox consoles. The iOS and Android versions are free, but feature two optional ads, and the main game’sLegacy of the MoonspellDLC only costs $1.99.
For this reason, it makes sense why Gualante is hesitant to restart production andmove fans to a completely newVampire Survivorstitle, instead of simply adding on and improving upon the title that is already so successful. Especially whenVampire Survivorsis one of the most easily addictive indie games ever made, with Gualante using his experience in developing titles in the gambling industry to develop the game’s mechanics and dictate its monetization schemes. For the time being, it seemsVampire Survivorsis here to stay.
Vampire Survivorsis available now on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
