CloverPit could’ve been just another roguelike with slot machines.
Instead, it became one of this year’s most talked-about indie games, grossing over $14M in just five weeks and selling more than 1.6M copies.
Let’s see how a two-person team, together with Future Friends Games, turned a risky gamble into a sure-fire win.
Game Design: Bread & Butter Done Right
On paper, it’s simple. Spin a slot, pay your debt, or fall into the abyss. But the game nails the dopamine curve. The slot machine is the bread. It’s repetitive and grounding. And the butter? Stacking charms for outrageous cherry percentages and watching it all explode into chaos.
And by blending Luck Be a Landlord’s slot progression, Buckshot Roulette’s PS1-style grit, and Balatro’s roguelike rhythm, the game transforms familiar mechanics into something instantly recognizable, yet undeniably fresh.
Marketing: Here’s the Game — Try It Now!
The reveal wasn’t just an announcement. It was an invitation to play. The team dropped the reveal during Triple-I showcase, alongside a fully playable demo with no gates, no signups and no waiting. That single move helped send the demo viral, with influencers picking it up organically and fueling massive early momentum.
The Lucky Delay
The game was originally set to launch on September 3rd, but the release was delayed due to Silksong’s surprise appearance. But the delay became its own jackpot as the delay announcement quadrupled the reach of the original reveal, pulling in more press coverage and millions of views
Takeaway
Was CloverPit a lucky break? Maybe.
But luck favors those who stack their odds through sharp design, audience understanding, and years of iteration on previous titles, as Panik Arcade did with Yellow Taxi Goes Vroom and even Project Starship X
Because in both CloverPit and game development, every spin’s a risk. Sometimes you win big, sometimes you fall. But you always play again