Fast-paced roguelike kingdom builder by Brazilian developer Sad Socket Games, 9 Kings, reached 13,800 concurrent players on Steam just 10 days after its Early Access launch on May 19, 2025. This makes it one of the biggest PC game debuts ever for a Brazilian studio. Publisher Hooded Horse announced the milestone on X, thanking players for supporting the “underdog hit.”
In 9 Kings, you start with a small village and build it into a powerful kingdom by playing cards to summon units like knights, warlocks, or imps. The game shines with its chaotic deck-building, letting you create wild combos, such as explosive wizards or necromantic sheep, to defeat enemy kings. Each of the nine kings has a unique deck, and looting enemies unlocks their cards, offering endless strategies.
Sad Socket was founded by childhood friends Andre Young and Rafael da Silva Melo. Young, a YouTube star with around 800k subscribers and creator of Latin America’s largest Game Jam, brought experience from games like Seraph’s Last Stand. Melo, a creative director with a background in film and advertising, shaped the project’s vision. They also shared on Steam: “We’re just two guys chasing a dream”, crediting the community’s 170,000 wishlists for their success.
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