Things don’t have to be complex, either in the real world or in gaming. Sometimes all you want is to make a colored shape into another colored shape, and then toss that shape into a hungry maw. Simple. Where Shapez 2 makes its mark, however, is by taking that idea of combination, re-coloring, and transport and letting you expand it almost without limits – creating colossal creations that span huge distances. It turns out plenty also want to toss shapes into the void, because it has hit a huge sales milestone mere days after its release.
Building games have been big business for a while on PC, with titles like Factorio, Satisfactory, and less-intense games like Townscaper all staking strong claims on fans. What Shapez 2 does incredibly well is stripping the formula back, taking away limits on construction and resources, and making it all about the pure act of building, refining your builds, and watching it all come together.
We’ve already covered how its reception on Steam has been utterly magnificent. It’s still managing to hold to a 98% rating on the platform, something I don’t believe I’ve ever seen before. It seems that people do want something a little more relaxed than many building titles out there, but also still want a game that has clear goals for you to work towards rather than being totally freeform.
Today, Monday August 19 – just three days after the game launched – developer tobspr games has announced that Shapez 2 has sold over 150,000 copies so far. That’s an incredible number for an indie title, especially one that’s still in early access and is only just beginning its journey.
“We are thrilled and taken aback by the success of Shapez 2 over its launch weekend and are excited to see so many people jumping in to give it a go,” tobspr games CEO Tobias Springer says. “Rest assured that we are listening to all feedback from our players and working to make the game even more satisfying and enjoyable during Early Access.”
What’s clear is that from here the sky is quite literally the limit for Shapez 2, and there’s no telling how big it’ll get as it adds to the formula, fixes issues, and attracts more players in the months to come.
Shapez 2 is out now in Steam Early Access and you can save 20% on the game until Thursday August 29. Head over to the game’s page to check it out for yourself, and see what the fuss is all about.
If you want to spend your time elsewhere, our guides to the best management games and the best sandbox games will keep you busy for many moons yet to come.
You can also follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides, or grab our PCGN deals tracker to net yourself some bargains.
