"Kenshi" is one of the strangest games I have ever played and holds a special place in my heart. It was also the game that led to my first published gaming article. In other words, you can blame this game, at least in part, for the fact that you have to keep reading my ramblings on this site. Thank you, Kensi. I will never forgive you.

But what makes Kenshi strange is that it is hostile. Its world doesn't need you, and its system is so layered that it's hard to get a firm grasp. It is not a sure-fire hit. I'll show you what I know: the developer just announced that it has sold 2.3 million copies on Steam alone since it hit in 2018.

This is a lot of people who signed up for a relentless series of trials in an open-ended sandbox, with no real story other than what your actions produce. In my experience, that story usually ends with the bandits breaking your legs and kidnapping you. Who would have guessed?

These are not the only numbers the Lo-Fi developers have to brag about. In addition to sales, Kenshi continues to average 39,000 survivors per day, with 10% of players accumulating over 500 hours of game time. The only game I have played more than 500 hours of is Crusader Kings 2, which is similar, a sandbox with a big system that invariably ends in tragedy.Kenshi has also received an "overwhelmingly favorable" score of 95% on Steam reviews and nearly 70,000 reviews. Of course, the number to be most proud of is the 84% earned by our Kenshi review.

Lo-Fi's flaunting of these numbers is not just an ego trip, but a celebration of Kenshi's arrival on the Epic Games Store. And indeed. There are surely people out there who have been waiting for it. It takes all kinds of people to make a world.

To be honest, I knew "Kenshi" was popular. It's a curious popularity for such an unforgiving game, but I was surprised (and pleased) to hear that its sales are in the millions. Congratulations, gamers. Let's all pat ourselves on the back.