The creepy yet cute aesthetic that Cult of the Lamb uses already allows Cult of the Lamb to tap into a wide audience of players, but its latest announcement should help increase the game’s playerbase significantly. This week the Devolver Digital-published game revealed that alongside its release on PC, Cult of the Lamb will also be available on major consoles - including the previous generation’s PS4 and Xbox One.
Cult of the Lamb likely would have performed well without the addition of consoles, but this decision should help the game reach even more people. Even though Steam is used by almost everyone that enjoys playing games on PC, and the recently launched Steam Deck has provided an opportunity for the marketplace to grow, it still doesn’t allow for as wide of a release as with consoles included. Cult of the Lamb also now has an opportunity to excel on devices that could serve the game well.
Cult of the Lamb on Console
The juxtaposition of horror with cute aesthetics in Cult of the Lamb is likely to draw in a very diverse crowd of fans. This grows even more on the major home consoles that a lot of people will own, and it opens up opportunities for promotions like inclusion with PS Plus and other services. This might not be major to some, but for many it’s a great opportunity to experience a new game like Cult of the Lamb.
It also joins the likes of Stardew Valley and other similar titles in filling the hole left by Animal Crossing’s lack of availability on non-Nintendo consoles. Not everyone wants to invest in a computer for gaming, or a Nintendo Switch to play titles like Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Cult of the Lamb expanding to meet players' needs past these options is a niche that has been serviced in the past, but there’s still a lot of potential for Cult of the Lamb to take advantage of.
However, looking past what Xbox and PlayStation provide Cult of the Lamb, it’s clear that the Nintendo Switch might be the perfect way to experience the game. Cult of the Lamb’s development had to adapt to the ongoing pandemic, and after different iterations one thing that’s continued to grow is its roguelike aspects. This style of gameplay can be rewarding and fun but tends to result in quick bursts of time spent. While Cult of the Lamb will be fleshed out by other aspects, roguelike gameplay works incredibly well for a mobile environment.
The Steam Deck might have provided an opportunity for this to be explored more, and other consoles likely have a wider fanbase, but there’s no denying that Switch is the premier console for gaming on the go. It can be a way to experience long-form, narrative-driven games like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt just as easily as it can be a way to get a few minutes in with titles like Cult of the Lamb. Since Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ support has ended, there’s also a growing market on the Switch that Cult of the Lamb can tap into.
It might not be a one-to-one of what Animal Crossing: New Horizons provides, but Cult of the Lamb brings fresh elements that allow it to stand out. As Cult of the Lamb gets closer to release sometime this year, its unique approach should be able to draw in even more prospective players. Cult of the Lamb should be able to benefit greatly from its expansion onto the Nintendo Switch and other consoles, but prospective players will just have to wait and see what they offer.
Cult of the Lamb is scheduled to release in 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.