No matter where you look on the internet, be it social media sites like TikTok or Twitter (I refuse to call it X, sorry), you’re bound to see countless clips of multiplayer games. But, in a surprising twist of fate, the days of MLG Compilations have long since passed, and now? We’re seeing mashups of Cynthia Erivo and Kanye West music as a small, colorful character ragdolls down the side of a mountain. I mean, I’m guilty of using this audio in my own TikToks for PEAK, one of the latest games to be hit with the FRIENDSLOP allegations. But, I have to ask a few questions first: when did cheap games become a bad thing? When did multiplayer apparently become the bane of our existence? And why are “friendslop” games becoming more and more popular? Well, it’s time for me to empty my brain and figure out why these types of games have completely taken over my friend group, and why they’ve subsequently become some of the best gaming experiences I’ve had in recent years. 

While most folks may look back at Among Us as the cultural starting point for “friendslop” games, titles that usually cost under $10 and provide groups of friends with something to do for their weekly get-togethers, I personally think that this has been one of the best things to happen in the age of modern gaming. Now, now. You can put down the pitchforks and torches. I’m no boogieman, I’m just a gamer on a budget who happens to have some other friends who happen to be in the same boat. 

Image Credit: Shaun Cichacki

Oh My God, It Truly Is PEAK, Isn’t It?

Bro, while I was rizzing up the huzz, she told me that she was friendfarming by playing Lethal Company, so I said FOH. Now that I’ve had an aneurysm, let’s dive into what makes a game “Friendslop”, shall we? Games like PEAK, Chained Together, Lethal Company, R.E.P.O., and a million other games that share some similarities have been dumped into this new, slightly derogatory descriptor. A goofy, silly little game that’s partially meant to get the attention of streamers for BIG NUMBERS, and partially created because these folks know a good time when they see one, “Friendslop” is easily one of the greatest things to happen to the indie scene in a long time. Why? Well, these types of games are attention grabbers. Sure, they may fly a little too close to the sun and burn out after a while, but during their highs, they’re some of the most played games on their platform. 

Taking a moment to look at SteamDB, Lethal Company reached an all-time peak of 240,817 players simultaneously. PEAK officially peaked with 170,759 players online at once. Among Us had 447,476 players trying to suss out the sus, only on STEAM. It’s wild to see how many people have been jumping into these games, playing together with friends and randoms all at the same time. It’s a testament to one thing, at least: people love these types of games. Their approachable style, their flair and panache, and their incredibly accessible cost of entry make them perfect for a one-time play or an incredible return on investment. They’re also much more memorable than most other multiplayer games, especially since the development teams behind them apparently realize that our tiny little brains love watching HA HA FUNNI moments unfold before our eyes. 

But to me, and seemingly hundreds of thousands of other people, these are the things that we love about friendslop. The memorable moments, the inside jokes that develop and evolve within Discord conversations. Using a soundboard to blast the opening riff of Bad to the Bone by George Thorogood and the Destroyers to make a friend jump out of their seat in Phasmophobia. It’s good, cheap fun that leaves an incredible impact. Look at something like Gang Beasts, for example. It’s a game that has been available since 2017, and folks are still hopping on for a good time with friends and other randoms. Compare this sub-$20 experience with a game that you spent $70 on a few years ago, and the servers have already been shut down. I’m looking at you, Babylon’s Fall. 

Image Credit: Shaun Cichacki

She Lethal on My Company Until I Zeekers or Something, I Don’t Know

Look, I’ll keep it real with all of y’all. I love friendslop. I enjoy friendmaxxing or friendfarming, or whatever other weird-ass term we want to come to agree on for being a fan of this particular genre. There’s something magical about sharing these kinds of moments, and I’m glad that whoever made the first Friendslop game was a maniac like I am. With the sheer number of video games being released daily, I’m glad that there are games like this that bring joy to a wide audience for not a ton of money. We need more things like that, especially with the way that the world seems to continuously feed us bad news. 

It doesn’t matter if it’s an upcoming Friendslop game or revisiting one that I’ve had in my library for the longest time, I’m always down to jump in for a few rounds of whatever weird game we’re going to be playing this week. I’d rather have my buddy convince me to drop like $4.99 for a game that we’re going to play once or twice than $50 or more for the same timeframe. I’ll never balk at the idea of an hours-long Abiotic Factor session, but on the same side of the coin? I’d be more than happy to try and scale to the top of a mountain in PEAK again or try to find out who the Dissident is in Lockdown Protocol.

There is more than enough room in the world of gaming for all types of games to happily coexist. I want smaller games with worse graphics made by people who are paid more to work less, and I’m not kidding. Some of the best games that I’ve played, be it if they follow the guidelines for what classifies as “Friendslop” or not have cost me less than $10. 

Imagine, if you will, someone at EA or Ubisoft pitching the game: BRAZILIAN DRUG DEALER 3: I OPENED A PORTAL TO HELL IN THE FAVELA TRYING TO REVIVE MIT AIA I NEED TO CLOSE IT. Yes, that’s the full title of the game. Yes, it’s $2.99 and runs on ID Tech 2, so a literal potato can run it. But it’s also fully co-op, and an absolute bargain at that price. No wonder the AAA market is starting to flounder when games like this and Friendslop games are dominating the charts. 

Image Credit: Zoroarts

I’d Gladly Paddle, Paddle, Paddle Instead of Pander, Pander, Pander to a Battlepass

From climbing mountains to trying to make it through a rage game with your friends, I hope this genre of games sticks around for years to come. No matter if you’re a singular developer who comes up with the idea for a paddleboat game in the shower like Mateo Covic did with Paddle, Paddle, Paddle, or you throw together a game in 4 weeks for a Game Jam entry like the folks behind PEAK did. There’s a reason why these games are so incredibly beloved by large portions of the internet. It’s just like Cozy Games, or Simulation Games, or anything in between. There’s always going to be an audience for these types of experiences, and I’m always happy to jump into any of them. 

Oh, also? Just for good measure, keep your eyes peeled for Yap Yap. That one is looking quite incredible.