“On the Bright Side, Everyone Can Keep Busy Playing Silksong”: Slay the Spire 2 Delays Early Access

For a certain corner of the gaming world, a very specific kind of pain has just been re-awakened. After a highly successful and critically acclaimed early access period for its predecessor, fans of the deck-building roguelike genre have been waiting with bated breath for Slay the Spire 2. While the game was originally set to launch in late 2025, developer Mega Crit has announced a significant delay. The early access launch is now set for a “secret Thursday in March 2026.” The studio’s statement, a mix of honest communication and dry humor, directly addresses the elephant in the room: the recent launch of the other indie juggernaut, Hollow Knight: Silksong.

The Elephant in the Room and the “Neowsletter”

In the September edition of their “Neowsletter” on Steam, Mega Crit detailed the reasons behind the delay. While they acknowledged that the game “just needs more polish to meet our standards” and that some “personal life stuff hit the team,” they preemptively answered the most obvious question: “Is the real reason for the delay the timing of the Silksong release?”

The developers were quick to shut down the speculation. “We got together as a team to determine our new release window before Silksong’s date was announced,” they wrote. “The timing just worked out like that, but on the bright side, everyone can keep busy playing Silksong during the wait!” The humorous jab at the long-awaited metroidvania’s release is a perfect example of the transparency and community-driven approach that has made Mega Crit so popular.

The fact that they even addressed the issue shows a level of self-awareness that is rare in the gaming industry. The phenomenon of games delaying their release to avoid competing with a juggernaut like Silksong has become so common that it’s now a meme. Mega Crit is not only acknowledging the trend but is also playfully subverting it.

• More Content, More Polish: The developers have stated that the main reason for the delay is to add more content and polish the game to a higher standard. They have already teased new features like “Alternate Acts,” which will offer radically different environments, enemies, events, and bosses.
• The “Secret Thursday”: In another quirky move, Mega Crit announced that the game will be released on a “secret Thursday” in March. This is a deliberate and fun way to build hype and keep the community guessing.
• The Switch Exclusive: The delay also affects the timed console exclusive on the Nintendo Switch 2. While the game will be available on PC first, it will be a key early title for the new hardware, and fans who can’t wait will be able to play it on their existing Switch.

A Good Delay and a Promising Future

While a delay is never ideal, many fans in the community are taking the news in stride. The original Slay the Spire set a new gold standard for roguelike deck-building, and Mega Crit’s commitment to quality over speed is a testament to their dedication. A bad game is a bad game forever, but a delayed game has the chance to be great. The high CPC keywords for these discussions, such as “Slay the Spire 2 release date,” “Hollow Knight Silksong review,” “best roguelike games,” and “indie game delays,” all point to a passionate and ongoing conversation about the future of this iconic genre. With a little more patience, fans will soon get to experience a truly polished and content-rich sequel.