Summary

  • Core Keeper surpassed 3 million players in mid-September 2024.
  • The survival sandbox game celebrated this impressive milestone less than three weeks after leaving early access.
  • Seeing how it was a day-one Xbox Game Pass release, Core Keeper possibly received a substantial player count boost from Microsoft's subscription service.

Core Keeper has surpassed 3 million players, publisher Fireshine Games has announced. Core Keeper hit this impressive milestone less than three weeks after its full-fledged release.

Following nearly 18 months of early access, the 1.0 version of Core Keeper debuted on August 27. Developed by Linköping, Sweden-based studio Pugstorm, Core Keeper is a survival sandbox experience that can be enjoyed solo or in cooperation with up to seven other players.

online co-op xbox game pass games featured image
Best Online Co-Op Games On Xbox Game Pass

Looking to team up with a few friends? Then check out the best online co-op games on Xbox Game Pass.

By 

Core Keeper Celebrates 3 Million Players

Its addictive gameplay loop has so far turned quite a few heads, as underlined by the fact that Core Keeper celebrated 3 million players on September 16, 20 days following its 1.0 release. Publisher Fireshine did not provide a detailed breakdown of this figure by platform. That notwithstanding, seeing how Core Keeper was a day-one Xbox Game Pass release, it is plausible that Microsoft's subscription service meaningfully contributed to its lifetime player count.

Core Keeper Coming To Even More Platforms Soon

The game has a decent chance of experiencing at least one substantial player count boost in the near future, not least because it is presently only available on PC and the current-generation consoles from Sony and Microsoft. Meanwhile, the PS4, Xbox One, and Switch versions of Core Keeper were delayed back in early August, with Pugstorm initially rescheduling them for September 17. Six days ahead of that target, the developer announced another indefinite delay, saying that it needs more time to ensure that the last-gen versions of its survival sandbox game will live up to player expectations.

The studio promised to share an update on Core Keeper's Switch, PS4, and Xbox One availability details in the near future. While the game's eShop page currently has it listed as launching on October 29, that date is likely a placeholder, not least because the official Core Keeper Twitter account has recently explicitly stated that none of the release dates listed by third-party retailers are final.

And while the work on its last-gen ports carries on, fans and critics alike continue to praise Core Keeper as one of the best co-op games for more than two players in recent memory. The positive buzz surrounding this survival sandbox experience is reflected in its "Mighty" OpenCritic rating, based on an aggregate score of 87 and an 80% reviewer recommendation rate. Core Keeper has also managed to amass many player plaudits since its early access days, as underlined by the fact that it presently boasts nearly 30,000 "Very Positive" user reviews on Steam.

Rating block community and brand ratings Image
Core Keeper Tag Page Cover Art

Core Keeper
Display card tags widget
Survival
Sandbox
Display card system widget
Systems
super greyscale 8-bit logo PC-1 PlayStation-1 Xbox-1
Display card community and brand rating widget Display card open critics widget
Top Critic Avg: 87 /100 Critics Rec: 89%
Display card main info widget
Released
August 27, 2024
ESRB
E For Everyone // Mild Fantasy Violence
Developer(s)
Pugstorm
Publisher(s)
Fireshine Games
Engine
Unity
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer
Number of Players
1-4
Display card main info widget end Display card media widget start Display card media widget end

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info

Awaken as an explorer in a long-forgotten cavern teeming with untold secrets. In this award-winning, 1-8 player mining sandbox adventure, your choices shape an epic journey. Harvest relics and resources, craft advanced tools, build your base, and explore a dynamically evolving world waiting to be unearthed.

Level up your skills, defeat legendary Titans, and unveil the power of the Core. Grow your garden, fish in mysterious waters, master a vast array of recipes, raise and care for animals, encounter the Cavelings, and carve out your own unique world in an enchanting underground adventure.

MINE RESOURCES

Delve deep to harvest precious resources and unearth hidden gems. Craft tools to help you survive, from pickaxes, fishing rods, and shovels to traps, bombs, and mortars. Upgrade your arsenal and equipment with advanced tools like the mighty Obliteration Ray, and automated machinery to streamline mining, smelting, storage, and more. Level up your skills and unlock powerful weapons to conquer the depths.

Genre(s)
Survival, Sandbox
How Long To Beat
25 Hours
X|S Optimized
Yes
File Size Xbox Series
836 MB (September 2024)