Hooded Horse revealed on social media that the roguelike simulation 9 Kings, developed by Brazilian studio Sad Socket Games, has sold 500,000 copies just six weeks after launching into Early Access on Steam on May 23, 2025. Set in a dark fantasy world, the game blends strategy and deckbuilding elements as you build your kingdom on a nine-tile grid.
With only seven of the nine kings currently available in Early Access, 9 Kings offers strong replayability thanks to diverse cards, events, and customization options. According to SteamDB, the game reached a peak of 13,905 concurrent players ten days after launch.
With an impressive 92% positive rating from 8,528 user reviews on Steam, players praise its addictive gameplay loop, deep strategic options, and charming pixel-art style. Sad Socket is actively working on bug fixes and balance tweaks, delivering regular updates based on player feedback.
According to earlier data from Hooded Horse, the game sold 250,000 copies in its first week and generated $2.2 million in revenue. 9 Kings has also been featured at the Latin American Games Showcase and won awards at Gamescom LATAM 2024, while its demo was the most-played strategy title at Steam Next Fest in February 2025.
