Slay The Spire 2’s release date announcement sparked numerous indie titles to delay their launch. Check out which titles will reschedule their release and which ones will continue to drop within that window.
Slay The Spire 2 Release Sparks Multiple Launch Delays
Indie Titles Move Out The Way
Slay The Spire 2 (StS2) recently announced its early access release date of March 5, prompting numerous indie titles to move their supposed launches. Much like what happened when Silksong unveiled its release schedule, many indie developers are steering clear of StS2 to ensure their titles aren't overshadowed.
Among these games is Handmancer, a roguelike deckbuilder developed by 58Blades. As announced on its official X (Twitter) on February 21, Handmancer will be moving its release date to a later date to make way for StS2’s launch.
"You'll be playing it, we'll be playing it, everyone will be playing it. We're huge fans and insanely excited. But launching a deckbuilder the same week as Slay the Spire 2? Yeah... we'd get absolutely crushed," 58Blades wrote.
While the developers initially planned to launch Handmancers during Steam’s #TurnBasedThursdayFest (March 9–12), they will now use the event to announce a new release date instead. They stated that they will take the extra time to polish and further balance the game, and will now add a new boss that was originally slated for its first post-launch update.
Another roguelike deckbuilder that got rescheduled is Algorocks’ Mini Tank Mayhem. Although the developers haven't officially confirmed the reason for moving the launch to April 29, a Reddit user claiming to be a playtester suggested that the delay was a strategic move to avoid the StS2 release window.
Ahead of everyone else was SchuBox Games, which preemptively shifted the chaotic cozy roguelike Omelet You Cook to an earlier launch window to steer clear of the crowded spring schedule. In an interview with GamesRadar+ on January 29, even co-developer Dan Schumacher admitted that he will play StS2 when it goes live.
"There was no way we could release at the same time as an absolute juggernaut in our own genre. Every streamer we'd reach out to will be playing it. Every roguelike enjoyer will be checking it out. Even I'll be playing so much that I won't have time to finish our game!" he stated.
Other Devs Are Staying Strong
Despite many developers choosing to delay their planned releases, others plan to stick to their original release dates and will face StS2 head-on. Grimslair developer ThunderRam Studios noted on X (Twitter) on February 23 that they prefer "violence" and will not be "hiding in the bushes until the hype train passes."
The Soulword-driven roguelike deckbuilder is scheduled to release on March 6, just a day after StS2’s expected arrival. According to ThunderRam Studios, they would rather launch Grimslair confidently than wait around "asking the calendar for permission."
Similarly, Trials of Valor is rolling out on March 5, albeit developer bermrad has some reservations about the impending collision with StS2. In a post on the r/gamedev subreddit on February 20, the developer asked fans for their opinion on releasing Trials of Valor the same day as StS2.
He noted that although Trials of Valor is an action-roguelike, it shares enough DNA with StS2 to make him reconsider his launch timing. As of writing, Trials of Valor looks to keep its March 5 debut, and even released new updates for its Steam demo today.
Industry stances on competing with "juggernaut" titles remain divided. While some developers embrace the challenge as a bold marketing strategy, others simply refuse to blink. Even major publishers like Devolver Digital have adopted this fearless mindset, famously planning to launch a title alongside Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto VI.
As the March 5 launch of StS2 approaches, it remains to be seen whether more indie developers will shift their release windows or stick to their original course despite the looming competition.
Slay The Spire 2 is set to launch for Early Access on March 5, 2026, on PC via Steam. To stay up to date with the latest information about the game, check out our article below.
Source:
Handmancer X (Twitter) post on Release Date Changes
r/Games | Slay the Spire 2 release date announcement forces Handmancers devs to delay the release
Slay the Spire 2 pulls a Silksong, scares indie devs into releasing roguelike ahead of schedule in fear of losing players to "an absolute juggernaut in our own genre"
ThunderRam Studios X (Twitter) on Grimslair’s Release Date
r/gamedev | We're releasing the same day as Slay the Spire 2. Are we cooked?
