In an unexpected turn of events, recent data reveals that the indie sensation Cult of the Lamb has significantly outperformed The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt in player engagement on PS Plus Extra this month. Both titles were introduced to the service’s August 2024 lineup, yet Cult of the Lamb—a 2022 roguelike developed by Massive Monster and published by Devolver Digital—has eclipsed the 2015 Game of the Year winner in popularity among subscribers.
Despite its release nearly a decade ago, The Witcher 3 remains a staple of the gaming world with its vast open-world experience and intricate narrative. The game’s continued relevance is underscored by its devoted fanbase, which frequently pays homage to it through recreations of its iconic settings and characters. As a result, the addition of The Witcher 3 to PS Plus Extra in August was met with great anticipation, as players either sought to revisit the game or experience it for the first time.
However, new figures from TrueTrophies show that Cult of the Lamb has made a notably larger impact. The indie title has seen a remarkable 338.81% increase in player numbers on PS4 and PS5 since being added to PS Plus Extra. In contrast, The Witcher 3 experienced a more modest 130.93% boost in player count. Although these percentages are not directly comparable due to their different scales, Cult of the Lamb attracted 55.4% more players than The Witcher 3.
The impressive performance of Cult of the Lamb not only highlights its appeal but also establishes it as the most notable addition to PS Plus Extra for August 2024. The game now ranks as the fifth most popular debut on the service this year. Meanwhile, The Witcher 3 achieved a notable rise to 32nd place on TrueTrophies’ most played charts, a significant improvement from its previous position at 79th.
This trend indicates that August has been a particularly successful month for PS Plus, with a general increase in player engagement. A prior report had already revealed that PS Plus player counts had risen compared to the previous month, suggesting that the new game additions have been particularly compelling for subscribers.
It is worth noting that TrueTrophies’ data is derived from a sample of 3.1 million PlayStation Network accounts, which represents a small fraction of the 120 million-strong PlayStation user base. Thus, while these statistics offer valuable insights, they should not be viewed as definitive measures of overall game popularity.
As August draws to a close, the gaming community eagerly awaits the announcement of PS Plus Extra’s September 2024 line up. With recent trends highlighting a strong preference for fresh and innovative titles, it will be intriguing to see which games will capture attention in the coming month. For now, the surprising success of Cult of the Lamb serves as a reminder of the ever-changing landscape of gaming preferences and the dynamic nature of player interests.
