Steam is often seen as the pioneer of creating new genres. We've seen plenty of trends over the years, with indie and AAA developers jumping to make the next big thing: Roguelike Deckbuilders, auto-battlers, and everything in between. There's always something wildly interesting and creative hitting the Steam storefront. But one that we've seen jump in popularity, especially in recent years, is a wave of "Bullet Heaven" games. Sometimes referred to as "Survivors-likes" or "Wave Fighters", these types of games pit a singular hero against increasingly difficult waves of enemies, plopping down power-ups like they were made out of candy.

The wildest part of all of this, however, isn't even their popularity. Or the increasing number of similar games that are flooding storefronts. We've seen massive hits like Megabonk, Soulstone Survivors, and Yet Another Zombie Survivors hit the front page of the Steam shop, all without the help of the storefront itself. That's right: even after all this time, even after all of these games, there is still no proper tag for this type of game on the Steam storefront. Let's talk about it.

It’s Hard to Come up with a Definitive Name for a Genre That Wears So Many Faces

The "Bullet Heaven" genre really took off in 2022 with the release of a little game called Vampire Survivors. It's a game that proves that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Looking like little more than a Castlevania fan-game in reality, it took off seemingly overnight, becoming one of the most popular games of all time. As with any game that reaches the monumental success that Vampire Survivors has seen, a wave of games following the same premise has not slowed down since its release. But as these games continue to build momentum, there's one thing that fans, and even developers, can't seem to agree on. A proper name for the genre, which could help build even more positive momentum on storefronts like Glizzy or Steam.

Funny Enough, There’s a ”Bullet Heaven” Festival on Steam, but No Official Tag? What Gives?

So, since 2023, there's been a proper Bullet Heaven Festival that is ongoing on Steam. Yet, we are still waiting for the folks behind the veil to add an actual, proper tag for the genre. What gives? I've always heard, seen, and read that Steam will eventually add a new tag if enough people add it to a particular type of game. But as we've seen up to this point, that doesn't seem to be the case with Bullet Heaven games.

Maybe it's because there hasn't been a specific, proper name given to the genre, so folks are adding whatever types of tags they'd like to games? Or maybe it's just because we haven't been pushing hard enough. That's why I'm here to try and help push this cause in the right direction: It's time we see an official tag added to Steam and other online marketplaces to promote these types of games.

The Folks behind ‘Soulstone Survivors’ Are Also behind the Push for Bullet Heaven Tags

As much as advertising helps, word of mouth seems to be the way to keep indie games growing. Seeing the smash success of games like Megabonk, mostly from virality, prospective players may be interested in playing more games in the genre. But seeing as larger storefronts like Steam have yet to implement a proper tag, visibility can be difficult. When asked about the Bullet Heaven movement, Allan Smith of Game Smithing Limited said;

Regardless of what the genre is eventually properly called, there needs to be a way for fans to sort through waves of them. Roughly 50 games are released on Steam every day. Many of these games go under the radar of prospective fans, unless there is a wave of viral marketing that follows alongside it. The simplest answer? A proper tag to give fans what they're looking for. So, Valve... what's the holdup here?

Some Indies Take a Detour, and Even Struggle To Find Their Footing With a Loyal Fanbase

Sometimes, a developer wants to try something different with their existing IP. I'm always here for things like this, and that's how I discovered Temtem: Swarm. Taking a creature-collecting MMORPG and turning it into a Bullet Heaven seems like a wild swing from left field, but after jumping into the demo, I was surprised to see how solid it is. Even with a massive fanbase and following for the original game, however, this Bullet Heaven offshoot hasn't gained as much traction. But why?

It seems like a recipe for success, but with the limited coverage that Steam has offered games in the genre, it can be hard to find your niche. Chatting with the development team behind the game, Alex Pratt stated;

Wait, How Did Temtem Become a Bullet Heaven Game in the First Place?

If you're anything like me, you may have been surprised to see something like Temtem go this route. After diving in, I think that Lucía Prieto, Communications Director, said it best: "It started out as a little joke between friends after Vampire Survivors launched their mobile version. A bunch of us from Crema and GGTech were playing it together, and someone said, "What if there was a Vampire Survivors but with Temtem?" And lo and behold, we eventually turned it into a reality. "

Prietro also stated: "Although they are two very different genres, putting them together was easier than one might think: we had a wide array of lovable creatures to serve as enemies and main characters, an already-established world full of detail and wonder, and a very plausible setting to justify the genre change. The bullet-heaven genre is very versatile and can hold multitudes, so it was a super welcoming genre to try out."

At first, I wasn't sure if Temtem Swarm would live up to my lofty expectations. This is a packed genre, full of wonderful and interesting games that are sure to keep players coming back for more. It's also the perfect example of why the Bullet Heaven tag would benefit everybody. I always like to say I've been diagnosed as Terminally Online. But even checking out as many of the latest indies as possible, I didn't even know Temtem: Swarm existed until I started writing about this cause. In my eyes, that should be a wake-up call for Steam to get moving on adding a proper tag. Many games, many even smaller than this, are losing out on proper visibility because of their lack of tags.

Erabit Supports Small Teams, as Well as the Bullet Heaven Movement

One of the first Bullet Heaven games that I actually played was Brotato. The idea was far too silly for me to ignore, and I learned something about myself that day. These seemingly simple, wave-based action games really had something for everyone. The publishing team at Erabit also sees the vision, as they've helped solo developers publish their games, Brotato included. When asked about why visibility is a key metric in the success of games like Brotato, Soulstone Survivors, and others in the Bullet Heaven genre, Daisy Suo had this to say;

You know what? I couldn't have said it better myself. Seeing games like Megabonk get nominated for Debut Indie of the Year at the Game Awards is massive. Honestly, the sheer number of quality games in the Bullet Heaven genre is confusing, confounding, and strange. I've yet to play one that really didn't have the sauce. But as with any popular type of game, there are more new titles coming out daily, and the lack of visibility is causing more harm than good. For example, one of the best games I've played in recent memory is Atomic Picnic, a third-person Bullet Heaven title. It's EXACTLY the type of game that I've been searching for, but one that has been buried underneath countless new releases. Maybe now that the pressure is mounting, Steam can do something about it. But we need your help.

If We Want to See a Change, the Community Can Chip in and Help

So, you may be asking yourself, "Shaun, I see that this is a worthy cause. What can I do to help?", and I'm glad that you asked. The biggest thing that you can do, at least right now, is make your voice heard. Diana Biszczanik, Head of Marketing with Awesome Games Studio, put together a lovely Google Forms sheet for developers, fans, players, and everybody in between to fill out. You can easily access the form here, and with enough traction, maybe we can convince Steam that it's high time to add whatever the community deems best for this particular genre.

When asked about her thoughts on the Bullet Heaven genre, Diana stated, " Even without an official Steam tag, the community can already take several steps to help the genre gain clarity and visibility.

For players, the simplest but most impactful step is using Steam’s user-defined tags consistently and talking openly about the genre they enjoy - through reviews, recommendations, and social media.

For developers and publishers, clarity and consistency matter. Using the same language across store pages, trailers, press materials, and events helps reinforce a common identity for the genre. Participating in themed festivals like Bullet Heaven Festival, cross-promoting similar titles, and supporting shared initiatives (like our survey😌) also strengthens visibility."

At the End of the Day, the Community and Those Involved in It Can Make the Biggest Impact

Outside of trying to come up with a creative, interesting, and unique name, the hardest part of ensuring games like this have a future is visibility. Community is what made Megabonk an overnight sensation. Community is what made Soulstone Survivors the game that it is now. And by all means, community is what can make these games thrive far into the future.

Biszczanik also stated, "Content creators and journalists play a crucial role as well. Covering these games under a consistent genre label, explaining the core mechanics rather than inventing new names, and highlighting smaller titles alongside breakout hits all help solidify the space.

In short, our movement isn’t just about one tag; it’s more about alignment. When players, devs, creators, and media start speaking the same language, the genre becomes easier to find, understand, and grow.

Survivors-like, bullet heaven, reverse bullet hell, horde survival, wave fighter, auto-shooter, multi-directional shooter - we joke that the naming issue is now part of the brand, haha. But the lack of a real Steam tag isn’t that funny. For years, Bullet Heaven devs have watched their games disappear under mismatched tags. Overshadowed by action roguelikes and drowning in bullet hell categories.

So, if you love games like Megabonk, Brotato, 20 Minutes Till Dawn, Yet Another Zombie Survivors, Death Must Die, Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor, or HoloCure, then you can genuinely help the next wave (pun intended) of creators. Many devs are excited to make similar games, but worry their work will disappear without the right Steam tag. Join the survey, pass it along, and help make sure great games don’t get lost!