And so Aggro Crab Games just launched PEAK. Timing-wise, it’s incredible because, on the very day of the long-gone-in-the-mist release of Hollow Knight: Silksong, the internet almost broke down. And respond to a simple tweet by Aggro Crab “peak is finally released” with such an anarchic cocktail of loyalty, memes, and gamer confusion.
For those who aren’t yet in the know, Aggro Crab brought the underwater souls-like Going Under and now this new game called PEAK. PEAK is a first-person mountain-climbing sim that has been hissing with a lot of hype. To drop your game on the same day as probably the most anticipated indie game sequel in categories!? Bold strategy, Cotton. Let’s see if it pays off.
The tweet is an announcement containing the game’s release, going higher than the glorious image of the cover art. The story, however, is in the comments. Players like @Rustallo say, “I dont have a controller yet and cant swap region till the 29th on steam to buy it SO IM STILL PLAYING PEAK TODAY 🗣️”. That is dedication! Holding it down for the newcomer while the big release is dropping.
But here’s the betrayal: @ki1abyte just says, “im sorry peak… but i have to grind silksong”. The truth hurts. Then there’s @Furry4Ever posting a GIF with the caption: “Sorry PEAK, be back in like 60 gameplay hours.” That’s probably how a very big chunk of the people in the industry are feeling. Silksong has been much mythologized for so long it’ll just be a giant, giant shadow.
The funniest thing is everyone is asking for a crossover already! @xNs0x gets into theorycrafting: “Peak interested in Silksong 🤔Imagine secret update that gives one ability or move from Silksong in Peak to help climb”. And @FinestMagnet04 is basically saying, “Peak x Hollow Knight collab when?”. As soon as two cool things are seen, the brain automatically thinks “put them together.” That’s the way we’re wired.
Some are even confused, with @alesuamor asking: “Soooo today was released Going Under 2?” Not exactly, but branding-wise could get mixed up. Then @ChickenyIce is posting a Steam store screenshot saying: “I think it’s been out for a bit.” Chaos is beautiful.
And amid the chaos brooding with aggro crab love, @g0dlygam3r just says, “You guys are awesome.” @BamBamRicky shares thanks: “Ty for releasing games that filled the wait, and will continue to fill that void for future games to come.” This should solidify the notion that while Silksong is big, other amazing games have room; players don’t just play one thing.
Other comments are pure hype for PEAK. @ibrazzman declared: “You guys made PEAK. They made peak.” @LuckyTabbyStuff’s meme game is strong: “PEAK who made PEAK is showing PEAK.” Then entries come from @hussay1982, reminding: “thats not peak its PEAK.” The hype is infectious and carries on into the day’s other release.
Real concerns too. @laulaurx is genuinely uncomfortable,” pls let me change my keybinds in peak my e key is literally broken”. Mood. Then wondering about platform availability @FrXst_o2 states: “I wonder if they released peak on the highly requested Xbox platform 🤔”. Those are the questions that really matter to a player.
Total. Perfect. Snapshot. Of. Gaming culture. The hype of the long-awaited title, small dev support, memes, feature requests, technical glitches-everything’s there. Aggro Crab unleashed their game, their “peak,” possibly on the worst day for visibility-but-best-day-for-creating hilarious and memorable moments.
Will PEAK make it through a launch during the Silksong hurricane? Most probably does. Good games will always find an audience. And judging from the players replying, there is definitely that small cluster of folks out there willing to start the climb very soon, with the possibility of a 60-hour detour to another game first. The general mood of the conversation is pretty positive, a lot of “sorry, I’ll be back” with inherent excitement. So, all in all, a good day for gaming. Two great games instead of zero. Always a win. Now if you excuse me, I gotta go… check one thing out. For research, of course.
