Saros launched in April to solid critical reception, but the sales numbers tell a quieter story than what Housemarque saw with Returnal. The Finnish studio isn't panicking, though. If anything, they're leaning into the idea that the best is still ahead.
The slow burn that Returnal already proved works
Here's the thing: Returnal didn't explode out of the gate either. Mikael Haveri, Housemarque's brand director, pointed out that Returnal took time to find its audience. "A lot of the community got to unlock it a little bit more and then that tends to trickle down and people get more interested in it," Haveri explained. The implication is clear: Saros is on a similar trajectory, and the studio is betting on word of mouth doing the heavy lifting over time.
Saros also launched during a particularly crowded release window, which didn't help visibility. Bullet hell roguelikes with challenging combat loops aren't exactly the easiest sell to a broad audience on day one. They need players to spread the word, clips to circulate, and communities to form around shared suffering and breakthroughs.
What Housemarque actually wants to build
Ilari Kuittinen, co-founder and studio head, framed the current moment as the opening chapter rather than a verdict. "This is just the start of the discussion and conversation with the gaming community," he said, adding that the studio plans to keep patching, tweaking, and adding content as long as they can.
The key here is that Housemarque isn't just hoping sales improve. They're actively positioning themselves as educators for a genre that still needs to win over players. "We have two unique games out: Returnal, Saros. It's kind of a new thing that you need to educate the market as well, say, 'Hey, these flow states, this bullet ballet are really cool,'" Kuittinen said.
That framing matters. The studio isn't chasing the mainstream. They're trying to pull the mainstream toward them, one converted player at a time.
The FromSoftware comparison that actually holds up
FromSoftware spent over two decades making uncompromising games before Demon's Souls put them on the map. Dark Souls built the momentum. Elden Ring, 13 years after that, became a genuine cultural phenomenon. Housemarque sees that arc as a blueprint.
"FromSoftware's journey from King's Field to what they are today. We're not presuming that we would be anywhere close to that, but we will keep our core, keep educating the market that these are the coolest games you can play. That's our goal," Kuittinen said.
The comparison isn't arrogance. It's a philosophy about patience and genre-building. FromSoftware never chased trends. They refined their vision until the market caught up. Housemarque is betting the same approach works for bullet hell roguelikes.
Staying independent in a market that punishes patience
Haveri was careful to separate ambition from recklessness. The studio has "been able to forge our own direction in the industry" and wants that to continue, whatever form it takes. That's a pointed comment from a first-party PlayStation studio navigating a market where slow starters can get quietly shelved before they find their audience.
The studio's plan is to keep the conversation alive through ongoing updates and community engagement, trusting that Saros has enough depth to reward players who give it time. For anyone who wants to go deeper on the mechanics while that community builds, the Returnal strategy guides cover the systems that Saros shares DNA with.
Housemarque has two games that speak the same language now. Whether Saros follows Returnal's eventual trajectory depends on how long the studio can keep the lights on and the updates coming. For a team that has already proven once that patience pays off, that's not nothing. If you want to explore more of what the genre offers while Saros finds its footing, the gaming guides hub has you covered across the board.
