Asia-Pacific Fuels Souls-like Game Boom
▼ Summary
– The Asia-Pacific region, led by Japan, China, and Korea, is the dominant region for Souls-like games in terms of developers, publishers, and consumers.
– Between 2020 and 2025, Souls-like game development shifted heavily towards APAC, with growth in units sold driven by AA and AAA titles like Black Myth: Wukong and Elden Ring.
– Souls-like games became mainstream from 2022 onward, boosted by major releases and growing influence from Chinese developers, publishers, and players.
– The number of games tagged as Souls-like on Steam surged by 41% from 2023 to 2024, transitioning from AA-led innovation to widespread AAA adoption.
– Chinese gamers account for nearly half (47%) of all Souls-like players, making China a critical market for the genre’s long-term success.
The Asia-Pacific region has firmly established itself as the epicenter for Souls-like gaming, with Japan, China, and Korea collectively driving both development and consumption of this challenging genre. According to Video Game Insights’ analysis of Steam data, APAC dominates in developer presence, publishing activity, and player engagement for Souls-inspired titles. While these games enjoy worldwide appeal, the period from 2020 through 2025 witnessed a pronounced shift in development focus toward the Asia-Pacific market, particularly evident in unit sales performance.
Black Myth: Wukong leads regional sales with an impressive 20.3 million units, followed by Elden Ring at 15.6 million and Monster Hunter: World with 13 million. Dark Souls 3 and Hades complete the top five, selling 9.1 million and 8.4 million units respectively. The majority of Steam sales growth in APAC stems from AA and AAA productions, with premium titles accounting for nearly three-quarters of all Souls-like purchases in recent years.
The evolutionary path of Souls-likes reveals 2019 as the genre’s peak year, highlighted by releases including Hades, Code Vein, Blasphemous, and Sekiro. Development momentum slowed during 2020-2021 pandemic restrictions, with Nioh 2 standing as the sole major release during this period. From 2022 onward, Souls-likes transitioned into mainstream acceptance, propelled by Elden Ring’s massive success and Black Myth: Wukong’s record-breaking performance alongside growing contributions from Chinese developers and publishers.
Steam’s tagging system shows a dramatic 41% surge in Souls-like designations between 2023 (263 games) and 2024 (371 games). This expansion initially stemmed from independent studios, while AA and AAA releases maintained consistent output levels. Video Game Insights notes this pattern illustrates “a clear transition of Souls-like games from an AA-led innovation phase to widespread adoption and investment by AAA publishers.”
Player distribution data underscores China’s overwhelming influence, with Chinese gamers comprising 47% of the global Souls-like audience. The United States follows at 23%, with Germany, Russia, and Canada accounting for 5%, 5%, and 4% respectively. The remaining 15% of players are distributed across other global markets.
“What began as a niche subgenre defined by FromSoftware’s distinct vision has evolved into a global pillar of game design,” observed VGI analysts. “The genre has demonstrated remarkable staying power, surviving moments of stagnation and transforming into a mainstream category with breakout successes.”
The firm’s forward-looking assessment suggests sustained demand for challenging, skill-based gameplay will maintain Souls-likes as a creative proving ground, influencing combat mechanics, narrative approaches, and player engagement strategies throughout the broader gaming industry. Japan’s foundational role has been amplified by China and Korea’s rapidly expanding influence as both creative centers and vital consumer markets. With China representing nearly half the global player base, the long-term success of major Souls-like releases frequently depends on their ability to resonate with Chinese gaming audiences.
(Source: Games Industry)
