Or have you fallen off?
There’s no two ways about it, Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout is one of the major successes of 2020. While the lead-up to Mediatonic’s madcap multiplayer title was somewhat subdued, Fall Guys absolutely exploded onto the scene come launch day, even going as far as to crash its own servers under the incredible weight of players eager to get their bean on.
Fall Guys became a household name practically overnight, many of my friends and relatives – including those who generally don’t play video games – asked me about it. Hell, even the staff at my local coffee shop were chatting to me about their crown-grasping escapades over the counter (and through plexiglass dividers – mask up, folks). There is that magical zeitgeist that comes around once so often, the zeitgeist where your mum suddenly starts asking you about video games. And Fall Guys had it.
This week saw the launch of Fall Guys‘ second season, bringing with it new rounds, new costumes, and a few wild gameplay tweaks, all dressed up in a fun medieval vibe. This refreshing new content will no doubt keep Fall Guys regulars running up that hill like Kate Bush well into the fall season.
But I can’t deny I have definitely noticed a drop-off in people talking about Fall Guys. In fact, all the people who would casually reference it to me daily have since made this unpredictable side-step into playing InnerSloth’s suspicion simulator Among Us. One day it was all Slime Climb and cactus costumes, and the next it was all Crewmates and ghosts. The world moves fast.
That isn’t to say that Fall Guys is a “dead game.” Of course not. It’s still one of the most successful releases of the year and is still entertaining over 30,000 players a day on the Steam version alone. But it does feel like the buzz has dropped off a little, and that it dropped off rather suddenly. I guess that’s an inevitability, hype can’t last forever.
As for myself, I’ve slotted Fall Guys into an occasional “just before bed” slot. When it’s too early to hit the hay, but too late to start a long gaming session, that’s when Fall Guys comes to play. It’s a nice bit of catharsis after a long day, and a delightful mood booster as the cold October nights draw in. Ultimately, Fall Guys is still harmless, stake-free fun, and that remains one of the best platitudes you can level at any video game.
