'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Valheim is barely a fortnight old and has already done the impossible. Developed by Iron Gate AB and launched on the 2nd of February, the game has shot to fame in less than two weeks.
Valheim nearly broke the record of becoming the largest survival game on Steam, when it hit an all-time peak of 360,000+ players. Compared to other popular survival games on Steam, such as Rust, Escape from Tarkov and ARK, Valheim hosted a groundbreaking number of concurrent players just after launch - something that other titles have taken years to achieve.
In short, there's no other survival game on Steam that's had such a remarkable launch and rapid climb to the top. The game even managed to sell one million copies by February 10th - a mere nine days after its release, and two million a few hours ago.
The surge could also be partly due to the recent season finale of Vikings, a historical fantasy TV drama which tells of the epic saga of the legendary Ragnor Lothbrok and his sons.
What is Valheim and why is it popular?
Valheim, at the moment, is an early-access sandbox-survival type of game based on the popular PVE mechanics. This Viking-themed survival game allows up to 10 players to explore a specific world in Valheim.
The game has managed to earn an "Overwhelming Positive" review status on Steam, with over 46,000 players giving it 96 percertange postive ratings. Developers at Iron Gate AB, with a team of just five people, have done the near impossible by superseding all expectations and earning the trust of the gaming community. Very few games are this well received despite being in early-access.
The game has the rustic charm of the old world, where exploration was a key responsibility for civilization. Valheim is a massive open world experience at its core, which players can explore with friends. Strong references to Nordic lands and the infusement of Norse culture into the narration make Valheim a modern day Minecraft of a sort.
It's not hard to understand why gamers are flocking to Valheim en masse. The game is as simple as it gets: collect resources, build tools, refine said tools, build items of utility and explore. Apart from base building, players can also hunt monsters and spend time taking in the breathtaking scenery of the world.
With all that being said, Valheim is still only in early access. Players are yet to experience or witness the whole scope of the game. The developers are working closely with the community to implement changes and updates to ensure a seamless gaming experience.
With a detailed roadmap in place and a growing community, this hype-train is not going to be derailed anytime soon. Players can only expect good things to come in the future. Valheim has the potential to be the ultimate survival game of this generation.
