Vampire Survivors was such a big hit it's getting a whole new engine
One of this year's breakout indie hits is Vampire Survivors, which not only met with wide success but responded to it: Developer Poncle quickly made ambitious plans to expand the game. Ever since launch it's seen a string of major and minor updates, and is now ready to throw off the early access label for good with its biggest change yet.
The version 1.0 update will arrive on 20 October and, since Poncle's already completed everything it put on an earlier development roadmap, the 1.0 content update «is a surprise and should hopefully offer a little something for everyone.»
This will include balance changes to items, mostly buffs in-line with the game's freewheelingly chaotic spirit, though the Santa Water is apparently too godly and needs a small nerf. There's also a bunch of official language support coming (full list here), and the news that a port to a new engine is ongoing. «We're aiming to release it by the end of the year,» Poncle says. «We're at the last pass at optimization and polish (plus adding the final bits of content that still have to be seen on the current version too). Once it's out, save data will carry over.»
The new engine will mean «the exact same game, with increased performance and compatibility for more machines, and like most new things in VS it will remain optional. So if you're happy with the current Electron version, nobody will force you to move to the new one.»
I'm not sure why you wouldn't give the new engine a try, but funnily enough Poncle and I discussed this element of the game's appeal shortly after launch. Yes Vampire Survivors gets slowdown and there are framedrops—but sometimes, only sometimes, these technical hiccups can be a part of a game's charm.
«I might like [slowdown],
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