PEAK is a small indie game that was launched back in June this year. In only a few months, it has managed to attract a large player base and is currently one of the most popular games on Steam. And now, thanks to a big new update and decent discount, the game has taken over the Steam Deck charts.

If you head over to the Steam Deck Top Played charts, you’ll find PEAK sitting in the number one spot. This is a huge achievement, considering it has dethroned Stardew Valley, which was at the top of the charts for a long time. But now, PEAK is sitting above games like Cyberpunk 2077, Baldur’s Gate 3, and even Balatro. It’s also one of the few games in this upper echelon that isn’t officially Steam Deck Verified.

There are two major reasons behind PEAK’s sudden surge in popularity on the Steam Deck: a huge new update and a limited-time discount. First, the game recently got a 38% discount on Steam, encouraging many new players to give it a try. Second, and more importantly, the developers released a big new update named The MESA on August 11. This update didn’t just add a few changes, as it brought a whole new biome, tons of new features, quality-of-life improvements, and bug fixes.

The biggest highlight of the update is the new Mesa biome, which has replaced the Alpine setting for now. This new desert-like area features sandy landscapes, strong sunlight, and hidden secrets. The Mesa will appear in every run for a week, and after that, it will randomly switch with the Alpine in future maps.

The update also added 10 new badges to collect and new cosmetics as rewards. Players can unlock them by completing in-game tasks, giving a fresh reason to dive back into the game. New items have also been added, including Scout Cannon, Balloons, Parasol, Sunscreen, Aloe Vera, and Dynamite.

About the Author

Abdul Haddi

Abdul is a tech writer and Editor for PC Guide, specializing in all things tech, gaming, and hardware.