‘How To Fish’ Sells Over 1 Million Copies in Two Days On Steam, Another Success For ‘Friendslop’ Genre
by uGames Editors
'How to Fish' (Image: Dazed Games)
How to Fish, a chaotic co-op fishing simulator from developer Dazed Games, has become the latest breakout hit in Steam’s “friendslop” genre, selling more than one million copies within two days of its August 20 launch.
A Wild Take on Fishing
In the game, up to four players team up on a small island to catch fish together, but the game trades tranquility for chaos: players can use knives, pistols, and sniper rifles instead of conventional rods, earning bigger cash payouts for more absurd or aggressive kills, including aerial bird takedowns and trickshots. Cash earned from selling catches can go toward better gear or get gambled away on an in-game roulette wheel.
Launch Numbers That Stand Out
The game, published by Landfall Games, peaked at more than 266,000 concurrent players on Steam within days of release. It currently holds an “Overwhelmingly Positive” user rating. It’s priced at $7.99, with a launch discount bringing it down to $4.95.
Boss Fights and Dark Souls Influence
Beyond the core fishing loop, How to Fish incorporates Dark Souls-inspired boss battles against giant fish, requiring players to learn attack patterns and dodge accordingly, adding a surprising layer of mechanical depth to what otherwise reads as a comedy game.
Part of a Bigger Trend
How to Fish joins a wave of “friendslop” titles, an emerging label for co-op indie games built around wacky premises, physics-based chaos and accessible price points designed for playing with friends. The genre has produced several breakout hits on Steam over the past year, and How to Fish is quickly becoming one of its most successful entries.
Why It Matters
The game’s rapid sales and concurrent player numbers underscore the continued appetite for low-cost, high-chaos co-op experiences on Steam, especially ones that lean fully into absurdity rather than realism. No console ports have been announced yet.
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