# Loop Hero

> 2021 video game developed by Four Quarters

**Wikidata**: [Q105683340](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105683340)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loop_Hero)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/loop-hero

## Summary
Loop Hero is a 2021 roguelike video game developed by the Russian studio Four Quarters and published by Devolver Digital. Instead of direct combat control, players strategically place landscape cards to create the world and challenge an automatically walking hero. The game is a commercial and critical success, having sold over one million copies and receiving nominations for major industry awards.

## Key Facts
- **Developer:** Four Quarters (Russian video game developer)
- **Publisher:** Devolver Digital
- **Release Date:** March 4, 2021 (Worldwide)
- **Genres:** Roguelike, post-apocalyptic, fantasy, existentialist
- **Platforms:** Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X and Series S
- **Game Engine:** GameMaker
- **Sales:** Exceeded 1,000,000 units sold on Steam as of December 8, 2021
- **Critical Reception:** Average score of 84/100 on OpenCritic (Top Critic Average)
- **Awards:** Won the Pégase Award for best international mobile game (2025); Nominated for The Game Awards − Best Indie (2021)

## FAQs
### Q: What is the core gameplay mechanic of Loop Hero?
A: The player does not control the hero directly. Instead, the hero automatically walks along a looped path, and the player uses collectible cards to place enemies, terrain, and buildings to shape the world and manage the hero's survival and loot.

### Q: On which platforms is Loop Hero available?
A: Loop Hero is available on Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series X and Series S.

### Q: Is Loop Hero a multiplayer game?
A: No, Loop Hero is strictly a single-player video game.

## Why It Matters
Loop Hero matters for its innovative subversion of standard role-playing and roguelike tropes. By removing direct agency over the protagonist, it forces players to engage in high-level strategic planning and resource management, blending genres such as deck-building, city-building, and auto-battlers into a cohesive experience. Its commercial success—selling over a million copies rapidly—demonstrated the viability of experimental game design in the indie market. Furthermore, its recognition at major ceremonies like The Game Awards and the D.I.C.E. Awards highlights its significance in the modern gaming landscape as a standout title in strategy and game design.

## Notable For
- **Innovative "Auto-Battler" Strategy:** Uniquely tasks the player with building the world rather than controlling the character.
- **Critical Acclaim:** Received "Generally Favorable Reviews" with an OpenCritic score of 84/100.
- **Indie Success Story:** Developed by a small Russian team (Four Quarters) and published by Devolver Digital, achieving over 1 million sales.
- **Award Recognition:** Won the Pégase Award for best international mobile game (2025) and was nominated for the D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Game Design.
- **Cross-Platform Availability:** Successfully launched on PC, Mac, Linux, and current-gen consoles (Switch, Xbox Series X/S).

## Body

### Development and Release
Loop Hero was developed by the Russian video game developer Four Quarters. It was announced on December 10, 2020, during The Game Awards 2020. The game officially launched worldwide on March 4, 2021, for Microsoft Windows, macOS, and Linux. It later arrived on consoles, specifically the Xbox Series X and Series S on April 4, 2023.

### Gameplay and Design
Created using the GameMaker engine, Loop Hero is defined by its roguelike and existentialist themes set in a post-apocalyptic fantasy world. The gameplay is strictly single-player. The primary inputs are the computer keyboard and mouse, though it also supports gamepads. The player's role is to manipulate the environment using cards to spawn enemies and resources to equip the hero, who fights automatically.

### Commercial and Critical Performance
The game was a significant commercial success. By December 8, 2021, sales on Steam had exceeded 1 million copies. Critics responded positively, with OpenCritic reporting a Top Critic Average of 84/100 and 90% of critics recommending the game. Specific scores include an 8/10 from Gameblog.fr and an 85/100 from Kritikanstvo.

### Awards and Nominations
Loop Hero has received numerous accolades. It won the Pégase Award for best international mobile game in 2025. In 2021, it was nominated for The Game Awards − Best Indie and the Steam Award for Most Innovative Gameplay. In 2022, it received nominations for the Independent Games Festival Award - Seumas McNally Grand Prize and multiple D.I.C.E. Awards, including Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year and Outstanding Achievement in Game Design.

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "VideoGame",
  "name": "Loop Hero",
  "description": "2021 roguelike video game developed by Four Quarters where players use cards to build the world rather than directly controlling the hero.",
  "url": "https://loophero.com",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loop_Hero"
  ],
  "gamePlatform": [
    "Microsoft Windows",
    "macOS",
    "Linux",
    "Nintendo Switch",
    "Xbox Series X and Series S"
  ],
  "author": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Four Quarters"
  },
  "publisher": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Devolver Digital"
  },
  "genre": [
    "Roguelike",
    "Post-apocalyptic video game",
    "Fantasy video game"
  ],
  "datePublished": "2021-03-04",
  "playMode": "SinglePlayer",
  "applicationCategory": "Game"
}

## References

1. Microsoft Store
2. [Category:Post-apocalyptic video games - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1073535554#Pages_in_category)
3. [« Prince of Persia » s’impose à la cérémonie des Pégases, les « Césars » du jeu vidéo. 2025](https://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2025/03/06/prince-of-persia-s-impose-a-la-ceremonie-des-pegases-les-cesars-du-jeu-video_6576851_4408996.html)
4. [Loop Hero Changelog](https://loophero.com/changelog)
5. [Российский рогалик Loop Hero выйдет на Nintendo Switch. 2021](https://www.igromania.ru/news/107590/Rossiyskiy_rogalik_Loop_Hero_vyydet_na_Nintendo_Switch.html)
6. OpenCritic
7. [2021](https://www.gameblog.fr/jeu-video/jeux/tests/test-de-loop-hero-le-rogue-like-qui-a-toutes-les-cartes-en-main-pour-vous-rendre-accro-95086)
8. Kritikanstvo
9. [Q131917281](https://criticdb.com/games/loop-hero)
10. Steam
11. [Source](https://www.ign.com/articles/the-game-awards-2021-nominations-announced)
12. [Source](https://www.thegamer.com/valve-steam-awards-nominees-2021/)
13. [Source](https://gdconf.com/news/unpacking-and-inscryption-lead-igf-2022-nominations/)
14. [Source](https://www.interactive.org/awards/25th_annual_dice_awards_finalists_revealed.asp)
15. [Pégases 2025 du jeu vidéo: "Prince of Persia" et "Caravan Sandwitch" en tête des nominations. 2025](https://www.bfmtv.com/tech/gaming/pegases-2025-du-jeu-video-prince-of-persia-et-caravan-sandwitch-en-tete-des-nominations_AN-202502030448.html)
16. [Продажи Loop Hero в Steam превысили миллион копий — Индустрия на DTF. 2021](https://dtf.ru/gameindustry/974500-prodazhi-loop-hero-v-steam-prevysili-million-kopiy)
17. [Loop Hero on GOG.com](https://www.gog.com/game/loop_hero)
18. [How long is Loop Hero? | HowLongToBeat](https://howlongtobeat.com/game?id=86112)
19. [Loop Hero for PC Reviews - OpenCritic](https://opencritic.com/game/11017/loop-hero)
20. [循环英雄（游戏） - 知乎](https://www.zhihu.com/topic/21675743/hot)
21. [reddit.com: search results - loop hero](https://www.reddit.com/r/LoopHero/)
22. [Loop Hero - Twitch](https://www.twitch.tv/directory/game/Loop%20Hero)
23. [Buy Loop Hero from the Humble Store](https://www.humblebundle.com/store/loop-hero)
24. [Loop Hero (Game) - Giant Bomb](https://www.giantbomb.com/loop-hero/3030-81738/)
25. [Loop Hero - IGN](https://www.ign.com/games/loop-hero)
26. GameSpot
27. [Loop Hero - дата выхода игры, обзоры и оценки, описание, трейлеры](https://www.igromania.ru/game/381982/Loop_Hero.html)
28. [Loop Hero system requirements |  Can I Run Loop Hero](https://systemrequirementslab.com/cyri/requirements/loop-hero/20528)
29. [Loop Hero | Rock Paper Shotgun](https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/games/loop-hero)
30. [Source](https://www.grac.or.kr/Statistics/Popup/Pop_StatisticsDetails.aspx?e26ee8d37de4598313ce7ad68c0014baa6c813a6a053e8e5ec12581d53453bb0)
31. [Source](https://www.grac.or.kr/Statistics/Popup/Pop_ReasonInfo.aspx?e26ee8d37de4598313ce7ad68c0014baa6c813a6a053e8e5ec12581d53453bb0)
32. Game World Navigator
33. [Loop Hero | GameMAG](https://gamemag.ru/games/loop-hero)
34. [Loop Hero - Game Informer](https://www.gameinformer.com/product/loop-hero)
35. Game Informer
36. Trovo Live
37. Q110996436
38. Giant Bomb
39. [Loop Hero - MobyGames](https://www.mobygames.com/game/160063/loop-hero/)
40. Q124398839
41. GamesMeter.nl
42. VGChartz
43. Source
44. Q131917281