How to Fish sells 1 million copies in two days, becomes Steam's latest indie hit
A quirky fishing game that costs less than five dollars has become an overnight sensation on Steam. How to Fish, the debut project from developer Dazed Games, sold 1 million copies within its first two days on the platform, according to an announcement from the studio.
The game launched on 20th August and has quickly climbed the platform's Top Sellers list. Its developer shared the milestone in a brief Steam post, confirming the 1 million sales figure and adding that more content and bug fixes are on the way. Two patches have already been released since launch to address bugs and make balance adjustments.
How to Fish is a physics-based co-op fishing game for up to four players. The premise is straightforward: players catch and sell fish to earn money, which they use to upgrade their boat so they can return home. But the game's twist lies in how players dispatch their catches. Instead of a simple reel-in, players can use an array of weapons — from brass knuckles to SMGs and dynamite — to kill their prey. A creature's value increases based on a killscore multiplier, which rewards impressive trick shots performed during the kill.
As players accumulate more money, they progress to islands with increasingly difficult catches. While the core loop is simple — cast the line, reel in the creature, execute it, sell it, repeat — some of the game's bosses pose a genuine challenge, adding a layer of difficulty to the otherwise relaxed premise.
The game's success is all the more notable given the competition it faced. How to Fish launched in close proximity to several high-profile releases, including Mortal Shell 2, the Modern Warfare 4 beta, and the Wardogs closed beta. Despite this, it has been one of Steam's most played games since its release, peaking at 268,101 concurrent players according to SteamDB data — a figure that has grown several times since launch day.
A key factor in the game's rapid adoption is its price. How to Fish is currently available for $4.95, a 38 percent launch discount that runs until 27th August. After that, the price will increase to $7.99. The game has nearly 12,000 reviews on Steam and currently holds a "Very Positive" rating.
The game fits into a growing trend of inexpensive, easy-to-join co-op games that have become increasingly popular in recent years, often referred to as "friendslop" or "friendcore" titles. These games are affordable, quick to jump into, and provide hours of entertainment among friends, with unusual themes and a self-aware sense of humour. How to Fish follows this pattern, with its fun and quirky mechanics catching the attention of players worldwide.
The game also draws inspiration from other genres beyond the recent co-op renaissance. Its trick shot mechanic, which rewards players for landing difficult shots such as no-scopes, nods to the Call of Duty community's terminology. Players can also gamble some of their in-game earnings, adding another layer of risk and reward.
For those looking for more games in a similar vein, there are plenty of other friendslop titles available on Steam. Yapyap is another option that has broken into Steam's Top Sellers list, offering a similar blend of quirky, co-op fun.
How to Fish's rapid success demonstrates the continued appetite for affordable, unpretentious multiplayer experiences on PC. With a price point that encourages impulse purchases and a gameplay loop that rewards creativity and cooperation, Dazed Games has delivered a hit that shows no signs of slowing down.