Fragpunk surpasses 113 thousand players on Steam and consolidates NetEase as the new powerhouse of hero shooters

After Marvel Rivals, the Chinese giant scores another success in the genre

If anyone still doubted the strength of NetEase Games in the global market, Fragpunk has arrived to make everything clear. Launched on March 6, 2025 for PC (via Steam), the new free-to-play hero shooter from the Chinese giant has already surpassed the mark of 113 thousand simultaneous players, showing that the company is not kidding when it comes to competing with established names in the genre.

The debut, however, came with a small setback: the versions for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, which were also scheduled for the date, were postponed at the last minute, with no confirmed new date. Still, this did not prevent the title from becoming an immediate success on Steam, joining the also recently launched Marvel Rivals, another phenomenon from NetEase, which reached impressive peaks of over 238 thousand simultaneous players on the same platform.

"With Fragpunk, NetEase seems to have found the right formula: fast shootouts, charismatic heroes, and a card system that revolutionizes gameplay in each match," point out preliminary community reviews.

Impressive Numbers and Chinese Domination on Steam

In the last 24 hours, Fragpunk has remained strong with peaks of 114 thousand simultaneous players, while Marvel Rivals sustained a base of 74 thousand online players. In other words, even though the new title has not yet completely surpassed the Marvel phenomenon, the numbers show that both games are sharing the top of the ranking, positioning NetEase as the current leader of free hero shooters on Steam, alongside giants like Overwatch 2.

Interestingly, this rise coincides with the growing dominance of Chinese players on Steam, who now represent 50% of the total platform base, according to recent data. Thus, Fragpunk seems to be riding two waves at the same time: the success of the genre and the increase of the Asian audience on the platform.

Intense Dynamics: Cards, Heroes, and Weapons

But what explains such success? The answer may lie in the game's differentiated proposal. In Fragpunk, each match lasts about 2 and a half minutes, forcing players to adopt an extremely aggressive and dynamic stance. In addition, the game features:

• Over 70 Shard Cards that can completely change the rules of the match, adding elements of strategic randomness.
• 10 playable heroes, each with unique abilities ranging from shields to teleportation.
• 15 distinct weapons, which combined with heroes and cards allow for an immeasurable amount of gameplay combinations.
   

"Each round, the game changes. One moment you're dominating the field, and the next, a card turns everything upside down," comments one of the players on the game's official forum.

NetEase solidifies position with aggressive strategy

It's no wonder that, after the initial success of Marvel Rivals, NetEase decided to bet big again. With Fragpunk, the company strengthens its position in the West, where it has been aggressively expanding, and shows that its dominance in hero shooters is not just a stroke of luck.

"NetEase Games showed with Marvel Rivals that it can compete with the big ones. Now, with Fragpunk, they prove they know how to maintain success, even in a saturated market," says an industry analyst.

Expectations for the future

Although the versions for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S do not have a definitive date, the future arrival on console platforms will certainly increase the number of players and the active player base of the game. If it follows the pace of Marvel Rivals, Fragpunk can easily establish itself as one of the biggest hero shooters in the global market.

Meanwhile, expectations are high for updates and new content, as the game model with modifier cards opens up space for thematic events, new heroes, weapons, and cards that can keep the community active for years.

And you, have you tried Fragpunk? Are you ready for the fast-paced rhythm and unpredictable matches?