"It's so hard to balance a game for 14 million players ok": Peak devs ask for mercy after overpowered zombies rip players apart

Peak mesa biome
(Image credit: Aggro Crab / Landfall)

Shortly after nerfing Peak's overtuned zombies, the developer is asking players for patience as it works out how to balance a game with as many as 14 million players.

Team Peak dropped zombies into the climb as part of the co-op game's new Roots update this week, which sounds like great fun, but there was a ton of backlash from players who felt like they spawned too often, moved too quickly, and generally felt overpowered. Team Peak was quick to give zombies "a slight nerf," but in a video update, the developer candidly opened up about how hard it is to keep everyone happy with everyone includes 14 million players.

about the ROOTS update - YouTube about the ROOTS update - YouTube
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In the above video at around the :39 mark, an on-screen banner reads: "Guys its so hard to balance a game for 14 million players ok. Seriously some people got so mad at us in forums guys it was insane."

It's probably a good time to note that Peak started life as a small side project created in collaboration between the devs at Aggro Crab and Landfall, and they almost certainly weren't expecting the level of viral success Peak has seen in the five months since launch. That's all to say, if you're one of the people being mean Team Peak, maybe remind yourself you're playing a video game. They aren't real zombies. They can't hurt you.

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Jordan Gerblick

After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.

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