Is “Friendslop” Really That Bad?

 Since games like Phasmophobia, Lethal Company, R.E.P.O., and PEAKhave enthralled the online space, I’ve been hearing a new term being thrown around. It’s about games more focused on creating funny moments, to play with your buddies, and maybe even stream it to the masses for everyone to enjoy: Friendslop. And I have no idea if it’s an endearing term or a derisive word.

The successes of the aforementioned games, thanks to streamers, have definitely made it a rather lucrative subgenre(?) of co-op games. It’s also… fleeting. Let’s be honest, the gaming industry is always changing, where the next big thing will eventually be overtaken by something else. Once a game has its time in the spotlight, it’s quickly forgotten unless something big comes out of it. I know Lethal Company isn’t as all-consuming as it used to be back in 2023. According to Steam Charts, it had over 240,000 players at its peak, but now in 2025, it has fallen to 5000.

However, you have to admit that the virality of these games tends to turn small teams and solo developers into household names; If the game is good enough, it gets eyes on whatever their next project is. The team behind PEAK, Aggro Crab, had modest success with Another Crab's Treasure, selling around 500,000 in a few months. But with their latest game (which was from a game jam and was made in a month in a Korean hotel room), it sold 2 million copies in its first two weeks. Although it is very much the result of the dev team’s hard work, effort, and somewhat self-inflicted 15-17 hour days, there wouldn’t be as many eyes on it if it weren’t for its core concept.\

But… I know how the game industry works. Once something gets popular enough, everyone and their dead grandmother will be churning out rushed and shallow copies, trying to strike lightning in the bottle. Thanks to the use of AI in game development rising in prominence, this is only getting worse. Have you seen the Nintendo eShop and the sheer amount of Supermarket Simulator clones there, while also using AI in their promotional images? These games, only given the bare amount of time and effort to be playable (if even that), are the very definition of slop. No heart, no soul, purely created to make a quick buck.

And it’s easy to fall into these sorts of pitfalls, especially when you see so many other people playing and having fun. It’s funny and exciting to see your favourite streamer scream and laugh as they inevitably cause some sort of disaster that kills the entire team. It turns people into voice actors out of instinct, screaming as if they are actually being murdered by some sort of monster. Once you get into it, it’s really funny hearing your friends panic and run.

That being said, though, it is unenjoyable without friends, and not everyone can gather enough buddies for a gaming session. These games are often balanced around multiplayer, so tackling these adventures by yourself makes it more frustrating than fun, maybe even making you feel more alone.

So, is friendslop really that bad? In my perspective, I think it’s something we need these days. They’re platforms for communication and enjoyment that no other medium can replicate. In a time where it feels like big companies are treating games as storefronts, pushing for live service games that almost never work out, while also ensuring no one can play the games they bought any time they want (please support endeavors like Stop Killing Games), experiences where it’s a platform for hanging out with your buddies is a nice change of pace in the multiplayer space.

When you’re so into gaming and keeping up with the misery of the games industry, it’s easy to forget that we play these games for fun. We need more games focused on that, rather than making it an addictive experience to spend more money. But I’d like second opinions on this. Do you think friendslop is good, or is it another fleeting trend? Make your voices heard in the comments below.