This Squid Game Clone Dominated Steam In November

This past November, one game dominated the Steam charts — and it wasn't the surprise release of "Halo Infinite" multipayer. "Crab Game" has risen to become one of Steam's top contenders, offering players a taste of a video game version of the ultra-popular Netflix series "Squid Game" at no cost. The tongue-in-cheek indie game has taken the digital storefront by storm, even attracting attention by getting XQC kicked off the internet, and delivering absurd, senseless fun. "Crab Game" started as little more than a cheap knock-off of "Squid Game," but between its player base and unique content, it's becoming something more. Here's everything players need to know about the "Squid Game" clone that dominated Steam in November.

"Squid Game" is a Korean-made survival drama series created for Netflix that portrays a secret invitation-only contest where hundreds of participants compete against one another for a large cash prize. The contest revolves around reworked childhood games modified to see eliminated players killed, with the prize increasing for each dead player. "Squid Game" attracted viewers with a unique premise, but fans have been drawn to "Crab Game" for seemingly opposite reasons.

"Crab Game" runs with the "Squid Game" idea, pitting players against each other in deadly yet simple games. "Crab Game" wears its inspiration proudly, blatantly replicating some of the same challenges as the show and even uses some near-identical set pieces. Players aren't drawn to "Crab Game" for its originality, though. They love it because it's absurd, free fun.

It's not too much of a surprise to see a title like "Crab Game" skyrocket to success. By its nature, a potential "Squid Game" video game always had the elements it needed to be popular. It was already a bizarre and captivating concept that could capitalize on one of the most popular trends in the game industry: battle royales. The battle royale genre has been popularized by titles like "Fortnite" and "Apex Legends," and there's no way a "Squid Game" video game could exist without also invoking similar gameplay elements. The same was seen when the series began making its initial video game debuts in "Roblox," and then later when MrBeast created a real-life "Squid Game." Gamers love competitive games, and "Crab Game" makes going head to head simple.

Importantly, "Crab Game" is a free battle royale that doesn't bog itself down with additional complexities like battle passes or cosmetics. There may not be much there in the way of originality or substance beyond the base experience, but "Crab Game" does precisely what it sets out to do: imitate "Squid Game." Players are having a blast competing against their friends or total strangers in the menagerie of mini-games available in "Crab Game." Though the title does introduce some of its own mini-games into the mix to keep things fresh, fans can be sure they're in for an action-packed, Korean-Netflix-series-inspired time.