Temtem

Lore & Background

Temtem is set in the Airborne Archipelago, a group of six floating islands. Players assume the role of a novice Temtem tamer who begins their journey across these islands while facing the threat of Clan Belsoto, an evil organization that plans to take over the islands by force. All battles in the game occur in a 2x2 environment, similar to double battles in the Pokémon series, and players capture and command the eponymous Temtem creatures against NPCs or other players.

The game was first announced on the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter in May 2018 with an initial fundraising goal of €61,000. It launched on Steam Early Access on January 21, 2020, and on PlayStation 5 in early access on December 8, 2020. The Nintendo Switch and Xbox Series X/S versions were released alongside the full release on September 6, 2022.

Temtem sold over 500,000 units on Steam in its first month, and by September 2022 had attracted over 1 million players. In June 2023, a free-to-play variant titled Temtem: Showdown was released with zero microtransactions. In March 2024, Crema announced it would stop developing new content for the game as of June, though the game will remain online and all season pass content will remain playable.

Reader's Guide

Temtem's significance lies in its successful crowdfunding and early access model, which allowed a Spanish indie studio to create a creature-collection MMORPG that directly competed with the Pokémon formula. The game's commercial performance—over 500,000 Steam sales in its first month and over 1 million players by September 2022—demonstrated strong demand for a multiplayer take on the genre. Its legacy includes the release of a free-to-play variant, Temtem: Showdown, in June 2023, which offered the core experience without microtransactions. Crema also released a bullet heaven spinoff, Temtem: Swarm, in 2024, inspired by Vampire Survivors. In March 2024, Crema announced it would cease new content development for the base game as of June 2024, though the game remains online with all season pass content accessible. An animated series adaptation was announced in June 2023, developed by Mediawan's Somewhere Animation alongside Temtem's developer Marla, with producer Josh Hamilton as showrunner. The game's use of the Unity engine and its Kickstarter funding (May–June 2018) highlight its indie roots, while its full release across multiple platforms in September 2022 marked a milestone for the studio.