Highly Anticipated Beat ‘Em Up Is Off to a Strong Start as Steam’s Top-Selling New Release

The last few weeks have been a strong showing for new releases on Steam, bringing quite a few shake-ups on the best seller list. Early Access pirate game Windrose continues to sell well, as does wild west shooter Far, Far West. Yesterday, Conan Exiles made a surprise comeback with Conan Exiles Enhanced. But with today’s latest highly anticipated new release, those games have taken a backseat.

On May 5th, highly anticipated rhythm brawler Dead as Disco finally made its Early Access debut. Quite a few fans of arcade beat ’em ups and rhythm games alike have been looking forward to this one. But the somewhat unique rhythm combat angle, along with the game’s release in Early Access, made it hard to predict how that hype would translate to sales. However, Dead as Disco currently sits as the best-selling paid game on Steam this week, topped only by free-to-play titles. And the reviews look good, too.

Dead as Disco Tops Steam Charts After Launching in Early Access

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Dead as Disco combines two popular genres with its “martial arts meets music video” premise. In this unique take on a classic spectacle fighter, players step into the dancing shoes of a fallen icon, striving to reclaim the spotlight. Brain Jar Games brings an eye-catching neon color scheme to its 3D brawler action. The game’s combat is designed to sync to the music, giving players the feeling of playing their way through a series of music videos.

In Early Access, Dead as Disco gives gamers a taste of what’s to come through battles with 7 of the game’s boss Idols and plenty of unique challenges to complete. At launch, the game features over 25 tracks for players to battle it out to their custom setlist, including the option to bring your own music into the game. While there’s much more to come throughout the game’s Early Access run, it’s clear that many players didn’t want to wait to experience the new indie beat ’em up.

Since it released at 10 AM on May 5th, Dead as Disco has climbed its way to the #3 spot in the weekly Steam bestseller charts. Its concurrent player peak currently sits at just under 8,500, which is a pretty strong start for an indie game in Early Access. But while the sales and player counts indicate overall interest in the game, they don’t always line up with the actual in-game experience. Luckily, Dead as Disco looks to be living up to its promises so far.

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After just over a day in Early Access, Dead as Disco has achieved a Very Positive rating with over 1,000 reviews so far. So far, reviewers are impressed with the game’s ability to deliver on rhythm-driven combat and the solid improvements over the popular demo. From here, the game is only going to get better, with a roadmap full of new boss battles, new arenas, new music, and a co-op multiplayer game mode. As of now, Brain Jar Games is targeting a 1.0 release in 2027 following improvements driven by player feedback.

Dead as Disco is $24.99 on Steam in Early Access, with an introductory 20% off discount until May 19th.

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