Peak’s Developers Created the Game Out of Jealousy
▼ Summary
– Peak, a co-op climbing game, became a sleeper hit, selling over one million copies in under a week and ranking in the top 40 most-streamed games recently.
– The game was developed collaboratively by Aggro Crab (Another Crab’s Treasure) and Landfall (Content Warning) during a month-long jam session in Seoul.
– Aggro Crab’s studio head Nick Kaman admired Landfall’s fast development approach with Content Warning, contrasting it with his team’s burnout from a three-year project.
– The initial concept for Peak was pitched a year earlier as an open-world survival idea but evolved into a macabre slapstick game about lost scouts on an island.
– Development was intense but fun, with the team fully immersed in the project, and the game’s humor-driven design reflects memorable moments from its creation.
The unexpected success of Peak, the cooperative climbing game, has taken the gaming world by storm. Surpassing one million sales in less than seven days and securing a spot among the top 40 most-streamed games, its rapid rise is nothing short of remarkable. Developed through a collaboration between Aggro Crab, the team behind Another Crab’s Treasure, and Landfall, creators of Content Warning, the project came to life during an intense month-long development sprint.
In a candid discussion, Nick Kaman, head of Aggro Crab, revealed the surprising inspiration behind the game: sheer envy. Watching Landfall’s lightning-fast approach with Content Warning, which defied conventional development timelines, left his team questioning their own methods. After pouring over three years into Another Crab’s Treasure, the contrast was impossible to ignore. “Their success was massive, achieved in a fraction of the time,” Kaman admitted. Fortunately, the studios already shared a strong rapport, making it easy to propose a joint creative venture in Seoul.
What followed was a whirlwind of productivity. The team relocated to an Airbnb in Hongdae, transforming it into a makeshift workspace. “We raced to IKEA, assembled desks and chairs, and dove straight into work,” Kaman recalled. Though the core idea, conceived earlier by creative director Caelan Rashby-Pollock, had initially leaned toward open-world survival, it quickly evolved into something far more chaotic and entertaining. The premise of stranded scouts navigating absurd, darkly humorous scenarios became the driving force.
The development process was relentless yet exhilarating. “Every waking moment was spent either building the game or brainstorming over meals,” Kaman shared. The team’s enthusiasm bled into the final product, with gameplay moments often reflecting their own chaotic energy. “We kept asking, ‘Wouldn’t it be hilarious if this happened?’ Now, seeing players recreate those moments on TikTok brings it all full circle.”
Peak is currently available on Steam, inviting players to experience the same unpredictable fun that defined its creation.
(Source: GAMESPOT)
