DragonSword: Awakening Defies the Odds, Soars Up Steam’s Trending List

When you think about the current lull in big‑budget open‑world RPG releases—Fable won’t see the light until 2027 and GTA 6 is still on the horizon—it’s easy to feel a little bored. That’s why spotting a fresh, sprawling RPG popping up on Steam’s trending page caught my eye. The game in question is DragonSword: Awakening, and its road to launch was anything but smooth.

At first glance, DragonSword: Awakening wears the bright‑colored, anime‑inspired coat that you’d normally associate with free‑to‑play titles like Genshin Impact. That wasn’t an accident. Back when it was first announced in 2022 under the name “DragonSong,” the plan was to roll it out as a typical gacha‑driven experience, complete with the usual micro‑transactions and loot‑box mechanics.

However, the developers at Hound13 grew uneasy about that model. Not every gamer is comfortable with the gambling‑like feel of gacha systems, and the studio wanted to give players a more straightforward, one‑time‑pay experience. The idea was simple: strip away the constant monetisation prompts, keep the vibrant aesthetic, and let the combat and story speak for themselves.

Enter the legal drama. Hound13’s partnership with South‑Korean publisher Webzen soured over disagreements about revenue sharing from the free version that had already launched in Korea earlier this year. The two sides went to court, each trying to protect what they felt was rightfully theirs. Webzen even attempted to block the Steam launch of the paid version, but a judge dismissed the case just in time for the game’s scheduled release.

On July 22, the non‑gacha edition finally appeared on Steam at a price of $29.99 USD—a price point that feels almost generous for a brand‑new, open‑world adventure. And the market responded. Within the first 24‑hour window of its debut weekend, the game recorded a peak of 20,605 concurrent players. For a title from a relatively unknown developer, that’s a solid indicator that gamers are hungry for a polished, anime‑style JRPG that doesn’t constantly ask for more money.

Numbers are nice, but the real story is the reception. While many free‑to‑play games spike on the charts only to drown in a sea of negative reviews, DragonSword: Awakening is currently sitting comfortably in the “Very Positive” bracket. Players are repeatedly praising the decision to ditch the gacha mechanic. One reviewer on Steam wrote, “Turns out if you remove the gacha monetisation and turn it into a single‑player game with an addictive combat loop, you end up with a really good game.” Others describe it as “Genshin‑like without the gacha,” which, frankly, hits the nail on the head.

Don’t get me wrong—I still love Genshin Impact and the excitement that gacha games can bring. But the controversy surrounding those monetisation tactics is real, and it’s refreshing to see a developer take a different path. The success of DragonSword: Awakening suggests there’s a sizable audience that wants the gorgeous art style and deep RPG systems without the endless micro‑transactions.

At the moment, the game is available for PC via Steam, and while there’s no official word on Steam Deck compatibility, the community is already buzzing with hope. Whether you’re a fan of sprawling open worlds, a lover of anime‑styled graphics, or just someone curious about a fresh RPG experience, DragonSword: Awakening looks worth a look.

So, will you be checking it out this weekend? Drop a comment, share your thoughts, and let’s see where this unexpected underdog goes next.