Okay, so there’s this new free game called FragPunk – it’s a hero shooter, if you’re into that kind of thing. Made by Bad Guitar Studio and bankrolled by NetEase, it’s been making some serious noise on Steam. Launched on PC just last week, March 6th, 2025, and get this – the number of people playing it has more than doubled in just a few days! That’s a pretty impressive jump and suggests a lot of folks are digging this 5v5 first-person shooter, even though some early reviews were a bit mixed, mostly about the in-game purchases and a few techy problems at the start.
This FragPunk game, all bright colors and fast action, shot up the Steam charts like crazy. By Sunday, March 9th, it peaked at over 113,000 players online at the same time! SteamDB says that made it the 17th most-played game on Steam that day, sitting right up there with mega-hits like GTA V and Tencent’s Delta Force. Not bad company to be in, right? This kind of quick climb from launch definitely puts FragPunk on the map as a real contender in the crowded hero shooter genre.
Now, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows at first. While players seemed to really click with the basic gameplay – especially the shooting and this cool card system that changes things up each round – FragPunk initially got a “Mixed” rating on Steam. The main gripes? Server issues, some other technical glitches, and the way the game tries to get you to spend money. Apparently, some people felt the game was a bit too pushy with its multiple currencies and pricey microtransactions.
But here’s the thing – those early reviews seem to be turning around. FragPunk’s user score on Steam has actually climbed to “Mostly Positive,” with a solid 72% of over 12,000 reviews being thumbs up. That’s a good sign! It looks like a lot of players are finding the core game really fun and addictive, and maybe they’re willing to overlook or just put up with the downsides. Player comments are highlighting how quick and varied the matches are, how the card system adds some real strategy, and the cool, unique look of the characters and the game world itself.
Compared to other games NetEase has put out in the past, especially those live service ones, FragPunk’s launch is interesting. NetEase’s “Once Human” and “Marvel Rivals” actually had even bigger player numbers right at launch, with “Marvel Rivals” hitting a crazy 644,000 peak players. Still, FragPunk’s steady growth and those improving user reviews hint that it’s building a pretty strong base for the long haul.
Good news is, Bad Guitar Studio seems to be listening to players. They’ve already put out an FAQ addressing some of the concerns, like the Battle Pass and login problems. That kind of quick response to community feedback suggests they’re serious about polishing the game and fixing what’s bugging people. The big challenge now is keeping this initial buzz going and turning those early players into a solid, long-term community. If they keep working on it, squashing bugs, and maybe tweaking the money stuff, FragPunk could definitely become a popular free-to-play hero shooter on Steam.
So, as FragPunk keeps evolving and reacting to what players are saying, its early success on Steam really shows that new games in the hero shooter world can still grab attention and make their mark, even in a super competitive market.