110,000 concurrent users, 600,000 wishlist members… breaking genre records
It worked without early access… Minimizing marketing, maximizing word-of-mouth.
Another major name has been etched into the history of indie gaming. Mewgenics , a turn-based strategy roguelite developed by Edmund McMillen and Tyler Glaiel , surpassed 1 million copies sold in just one week after its Steam launch on February 10th. The industry is paying close attention to the fact that this achievement was achieved by a small indie studio without the large-scale marketing efforts of a major publisher, relying solely on a developer-led promotional strategy .
Explosive early box office success proven by numbers
From the first day of its release, sales were pouring in. The game recovered its entire development cost within three hours of launch , and 250,000 copies were sold within 12 hours . After 36 hours, sales reached 500,000 copies , and by day seven, it had finally surpassed one million copies . Co-developer Tyler Glael candidly shared his feelings on social media, saying, “We’re both a little taken aback by these numbers.”
History was also made in concurrent player counts. On the weekend of February 15th, Steam concurrent players peaked at 115,428 . This surpassed the all-time record of 112,947 for Hades 2, a legend in the roguelite genre, and Mewgenics took the title of the most concurrently played roguelite game in Steam history .
Steam user review scores currently stand at 92% (“Overwhelmingly Positive”) , and Metacritic has a “Must Play” rating of 89. OpenCritic also has an 89, with 95% of critics recommending the game.
14 years of waiting, 3 hours of recovery
Mewgenics wasn’t born overnight. Edmund McMillan first announced the project in 2012, but development was halted while other projects like Super Meat Boy Forever and The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth took over. After a roughly 12-year hiatus, he teamed up with Tyler Glael and announced full-scale development would resume in 2025, and the game was finally released in February 2026.
“I knew this game would see the light of day, and I knew it would be my greatest work,” MacMillan said shortly after its release. His confidence was borne out by the numbers. MacMillan’s previous game, The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth, set a record for the highest single-day sales of 40,000 copies on its release day. Mewgenics sold more than six times that number in the same timeframe.
Without early access, the game will be a ‘complete’ version.
One of the key factors in the game’s success was the decision to forgo Early Access. Tyler Glael explained, “We felt Early Access wasn’t appropriate for a game with a story campaign.” This allowed gamers to experience a complete game from the start, which played a crucial role in generating positive word-of-mouth.
The launch price is $29.99 (about 40,000 won), but with a 10% launch discount (until February 24th), you can purchase it for $26.99.
183 Cat Cameos… Memes as a Strategy
The game’s ingenious marketing strategy also contributed to its success. The game features a staggering 183 meowing celebrity cameos, including actor David Harbour, YouTuber Markiplier, rapper Logic, and streamers MoistCr1tikal and Emiru. McMillan met with various content creators before launch to guide them through the gameplay and discuss the development process, creating a natural viral effect.
The wishlist figures are also interesting. According to Glare, the number of wishlists before the review was released was around 400,000, but that number skyrocketed to 600,000 after the review was released. He said, “Typically, sales in the first few weeks are only a fraction of the wishlists, so it’s surprising even for us that we’ve already surpassed a million.”
What kind of game is this?
Mewgenics is, in a nutshell, a “cat genetic breeding strategy roguelite.” Players form teams of cats with distinct genetic traits and engage in strategic turn-based battles through combinations of classes, items, and genes. The system of inheriting abilities through breeding, and the permanent consequences that impact future generations, maximizes the replayability inherent in roguelites.
The soundtrack, produced by the band Ridiculon, is available for separate purchase on Steam or streaming platforms. Localization into Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Korean, and Russian is currently underway.
The best games of 2026 are already out.
The media response has been enthusiastic. IGN called it “the most refined strategy game I’ve played in a long time,” while French media outlet Jeuxvideo paradoxically praised it, saying, “2025 isn’t even over yet, and we’ve already played the best game of 2026.”
The developers have stated their intention to produce DLC in the future, but they are taking a cautious approach, saying they will first thoroughly analyze user feedback before deciding on a direction.
After a staggering 14 years, a small project finally made its debut, and now it’s setting a new standard for the indie game market. Mewgenics’ success, surpassing one million copies sold in just one week, speaks volumes beyond mere numbers. It proves that a game can move the market with a clear concept, high quality, and the sincerity of its developers, without the need for large-scale marketing or early access .
Of course, the real test begins now. Whether this game can sustain long-term success and how much future updates and additional content expand its reach will determine whether it’s just a passing fad or establishes itself as a sustainable IP.
