The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy Peaks at 10k Concurrent Players on Steam

The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy, a narrative-driven tactical RPG from Too Kyo Games, has made a strong debut since its release on April 24 for Nintendo Switch and PC. Developed by industry veterans Kazutaka Kodaka and Kotaro Uchikoshi, known for Danganronpa and Zero Escape, the game has earned praise and achieved a significant milestone on Steam, peaking at 10,026 concurrent players.

Set in the dystopian Tokyo Residential Complex, The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy follows Takumi Sumino, an ordinary teenager thrust into chaos when monstrous “School Invaders” attack his city. Guided by a mysterious mascot named Sirei, Takumi and 14 other students are enrolled in the Last Defense Academy, tasked with defending the school for 100 days. The game blends visual novel storytelling with turn-based tactical RPG combat, offering 100 unique endings shaped by player choices.

Its anime-inspired art by Rui Komatsuzaki, atmospheric music by Masafumi Takada, and a mix of dark humor, psychological horror, and sci-fi conspiracy have drawn comparisons to Kodaka and Uchikoshi’s earlier works. The narrative’s depth, with branching routes spanning genres like mystery, romance, and occult, has captivated players seeking a complex, replayable experience.

The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy peak of 10,026 concurrent players on Steam, per SteamDB, is a strong milestone. It surpasses previous highs for Kodaka and Uchikoshi’s Steam titles, like Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony (4,691) and Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE Plus (527). Only Tribe Nine, a free-to-play game from Too Kyo Games, is close with 9,680 players, but The Hundred Line’s paid success stands out.

The game’s success is a big win for Too Kyo Games, a studio that bet everything on this project. In a December 2024 Noisy Pixel interview, Kodaka admitted the team was ready to “go bankrupt and retire” if The Hundred Line failed, a concern repeated in March 2025 posts about the studio’s financial risks. Developed over six years with loan funding, the game was a major gamble, featuring Uchikoshi’s 99 branching endings alongside Kodaka’s main “true route.”