Summary
In just under a week,Remnant 2has doubled the all-time peak Steam player count ofRemnant: From The Ashesand established itself as yet another surprise hit for Gunfire Games. As more and more players jump onRemnant 2to discover what the hype is all about and invariably find themselves getting hooked on its addictive blend of co-op shooter and Soulslike in the process, they’ll also likely discover the active and vocal community that the game has generated thanks in part to the cult following of the first game. And one of the best aspects of this community is the shared effort toward deciphering all the game’s lore and secrets.
Players who spent a considerable amount of time inRemnant: From The Asheson PC were known to peek into the game’s files and datamine secrets hidden within the title’s code. So well-known was the tendency ofRemnantplayers to do this that Gunfire Games went so far as to specifically hide instructions for how to unlockRemnant 2’s secret Archon archetypewithin files that had to be datamined. Between the tucking away of entire classes and some of the game’s best items behind secrets and hints,Remnant 2has inspired among its community the kind of secret-sharing and tip-giving reminiscent of the pre-Internet gaming era.
RELATED:Other Class-Based Co-Op Games Can Learn From Remnant 2’s Dual Archetypes
Uncovering the Many Secrets of Remnant 2 Harkens to an Age-Old Tradition
Long before the Internet made it easy to uncover any secret for virtually any game, players were reliant on more antiquated and obscure methods for deciphering secrets and unlocking rewards. For anyone that grew up during the heyday of the NES and the rebirth of the video game console market in the West, it was not uncommon to share graph papermaps of the worlds fromMetroidorLegend of Zeldawith friends at school or need to buy the latest issue ofNintendo Powerto see the map layout of that almost impossibleNinja Gaidenlevel. The way thatRemnant 2’s esoteric lore and obtuse secrets have reignited this tradition is ingenious.
Even though the majority of the secret sharing amongRemnant2’s community is facilitated by methods of communication that wouldn’t be possible without the Internet and the connectivity it provides, it still is reminiscent of the gaming days of yore. Players are finding themselves so immersed in the lore and carefully crafted secrets of the game that they are looking to forums and communicating with fellow players in co-op regarding how to uncover some ofRemnant 2’s many secrets. That the developers themselves had the intent for this to play out and were successful is the icing on the cake.
And while secret sharing and community formation is nothing new for massive co-op games with deep and complex lore (one only has to look at the massive community that has sprung up aroundDestinyto verify),Remnant 2’s current place in the gaming spotlightgives hope that other titles intent on building this kind of community will follow in its wake. It’s not a secret that gaming culture, specifically online gaming culture, can be a mixed bag and often a place for toxicity among players. To see a dedicated group of players come together and share secrets for the betterment of others is refreshing.
The unlocking of the Archon class being a well-hidden secret within the files of the game is just the beginning forRemnant 2, as there are likely dozens, if not hundreds, of other secrets to be uncovered in the coming weeks and months. The title shows no signs of slowing down, and Gunfire Games itself has even acknowledged that there’s easilyover 400 hours worth of content inRemnant 2for players to experience. Whether one has been playing since the early release or is considering picking up the game now after all the positive reception, it’s safe to say that there will be a welcoming and active community ready to help out when needed.
Remnant 2is available now for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
