Elin has hit 350,000 copies sold on Steam. The indie sandbox roguelike moved 200,000 copies in its first two months after launching into Early Access, with another 150,000 sales following through 2025.
Regional sales break down to 35% in Japan, 24% in the United States, and 16% in China. The geographic spread shows appeal across different markets for what’s traditionally been a niche subgenre.
Elin is the successor to Elona, a long-running cult classic known for deep systems and chaotic sandbox gameplay. Solo developer noa has been updating the game monthly with substantial patches, including recent additions like vampire content.
The game’s complexity is a major talking point. Players describe getting lost in overlapping mechanics while still staying hooked. It sits in the same space as Caves of Qud, Dwarf Fortress, and other simulation-heavy RPGs that prioritize systemic depth over accessibility.
Permadeath is optional at character creation. The developer actually recommends against enabling it for new players, citing the many absurd ways to die while learning the systems.
The Early Access advantage
A playable demo exists on Steam for anyone curious about jumping in. The game also runs on Steam Deck, though the UI-heavy interface works better with touchpad controls for inventory management and base building.
Monthly updates have kept the community engaged and brought in new players steadily. For a solo developer working on a niche RPG, crossing 350,000 sales in Early Access is a significant milestone that funds continued development.
