Slay the Spire 2, the sequel to the popular video game released in 2019, is set to be available next year via Steam Early Access. Developed by Mega Crit, based in Seattle, the announcement was made during the Triple-i Initiative Showcase. The original Slay the Spire is a unique combination of collectible deck-building card games and a roguelike dungeon crawler in a dark fantasy setting. Players navigate a randomized dungeon, battling enemies by playing cards, and earning rewards in the form of more cards and relics. The goal is to create a winning strategy in real-time to survive the game’s challenges.
Initially released for PCs in 2017, Slay the Spire spent two years in Early Access on Steam before its full launch in January 2019. Despite a slow start, the game sold over 1.5 million copies by the following March. Co-creator Casey Yano, a former Amazon employee, and his co-founder Anthony Giovannetti, who previously worked at Cequint and Ernie’s Games in Woodinville, left their jobs in 2015 to work on what would become Slay the Spire. The game has since been ported to mobile devices and all major consoles, solidifying its position as a critically acclaimed title in the indie game scene.
Since the release of Slay the Spire, card-based games similar to it have gained popularity in the indie game market. Titles such as Deck of Ashes, Monster Train, Griftlands, Throne of Bone, Rogue Lords, and Richard Garfield’s Roguebook have followed in its footsteps, cementing the sub-genre’s popularity. With the announcement of a sequel, Mega Crit has the opportunity to further innovate and shape the genre it helped define. While no specific details about Slay the Spire 2 have been revealed yet, Mega Crit promises more information will be released throughout the year.
Further game announcements from the Triple-i Initiative Showcase included updates to existing titles and new releases from Pacific Northwest developers. Red Hook Games announced a free content update for Darkest Dungeon 2, introducing a new standalone campaign mode called Kingdoms. Thorium Entertainment, based in Vancouver, B.C., released its debut title, UnderMine, in 2019 and is currently working on a sequel, UnderMine 2, which will feature 2-player co-op gameplay. Bellevue, Wash.-based indie publisher, tinyBuild, showcased a new trailer for Streets of Rogue 2, an open-world game centered around overthrowing a corrupt mayor. Additionally, tinyBuild released Broken Roads, an RPG set in post-apocalyptic Australia, available today for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation platforms.
