Peak boss doesn’t mind us calling it friendslop: ‘Why not make a game where the point is to hang out with your friends?’
In 2025, a new gaming trend emerged called “friendslop”—bite-sized, inexpensive games built around cooperative gameplay and proximity voice chat, designed primarily as a vehicle for socializing, humor, and shared experiences. Peak, developed by Aggro Crab, has become one of the most successful titles in this emerging genre.
The term “friendslop” is inherently derogatory, but Aggro Crab studio head Nick Kaman embraced the label rather than reject it. Speaking at GDC (Game Developers Conference), Kaman challenged both players and developers who take issue with the term, suggesting they lean into it instead. “Why not?” he asked, defending the philosophy behind these games. “It’s fun. It’s technically derogatory. But why not lean into that? Because that’s what people are saying.”
Kaman’s stance reflects a broader acceptance of the genre’s casual, social-focused design philosophy. Rather than view “friendslop” as an insult, he positioned it as a celebration of games designed with a simple but powerful goal: creating experiences where friends can gather, hang out together, and enjoy silly, scary, or slapstick moments. The studio head’s candid response exemplifies the indie gaming community’s growing confidence in catering to niche audiences and rejecting traditional AAA gaming expectations in favor of accessibility and social connection.