The Backrooms: Deluxe 2 is currently climbing Steam’s free-to-play charts, but the game’s early reception has been anything but welcoming. While thousands of players rushed in to try the new co-op horror roguelite after launch, the Steam review score has landed in “Mostly Negative” territory, with many calling the experience unfinished and frustrating.
Released on December 24, 2025, The Backrooms: Deluxe 2 quickly attracted attention for a simple reason: it costs nothing to download and promises a chaotic co-op horror run through multiple eerie environments. That combination helped it surge fast, with the game reaching an early peak of 2,805 concurrent players on December 25, 2025. But as its player count spiked, so did complaints.
A major source of the backlash appears to be server-related. Players have reported difficulty getting online features to work properly, and the developer acknowledged scaling issues, explaining they weren’t prepared for the sudden jump in concurrent users. According to messages posted to the game’s community space, online mode may not function as intended while upgrades are being rolled out. The developer also shared a temporary emergency fix designed to reduce server load, and encouraged players who had a rough first session to try again later.
Under the hood, Deluxe 2 is positioned as a revamped take on the original The Backrooms Deluxe, shifting the structure toward a roguelite-style format. Runs are influenced by Modifiers that can help or hinder you, and those effects also impact how many Deluxe Coins you earn at the end of a session. The game also advertises features like permadeath, improved multiplayer replication, and a larger achievement list. However, many early reviews suggest the current state of the game doesn’t yet deliver the smooth multiplayer experience players expected.
There’s also a monetization angle to be aware of. The base game is free-to-play, but there’s a paid add-on listed as The Backrooms Deluxe 2: Founder’s Edition, presented as optional extra content alongside the main download.
One more detail that may matter to some players: Steam currently indicates it’s still “learning about this game,” which typically means platform labels and compatibility signals—such as controller support or Steam Deck-related details—may not be fully confirmed yet.
Right now, The Backrooms: Deluxe 2 looks like a familiar kind of Steam launch story: a free release with strong curiosity and perfect timing pulls in a crowd, but technical issues and a rough first impression push many players away just as quickly. If you’re interested in the concept of a co-op Backrooms horror roguelite, waiting until the servers stabilize and updates roll out may lead to a much better experience.
