When Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon officially launched its 1.0 version on Steam in May 2025, few expected the Arthurian-inspired RPG to explode in popularity the way it did. Developed by Questline, a subsidiary of Polish publisher Awaken Realms, the game went from a steady but unremarkable early access run to one of Steam’s most talked-about RPG releases of the year.
Tainted Grail Sees 700k Sales
From Early Access Modesty to Major Launch
An analysis by GameDiscoverCo shows that during early access, Tainted Grail sold around 25,000 copies in its first month after debuting in April 2023. But when the full version arrived two years later, sales spiked dramatically, crossing 200,000 copies in its first month after 1.0 and eventually reaching over 550,000 units on Steam alone. Combined with its PlayStation 5 and Xbox versions, total lifetime sales have surpassed 700,000 units worldwide.
According to data shared by Awaken Realms CEO Marcin Świerkot, console platforms now account for about 30% of total post-launch sales, with the PS5 version significantly outperforming Xbox. On Steam, player engagement has been strong, with an average playtime of 25 hours and a median of just over 13 hours per user.
This success story is notable not only for its numbers but for the method behind them - a combination of clear communication, strategic patience, and an understanding of the market’s current gaps.
Tainted Grail Sees 700k Sales
Building on a Board Game Legacy
Awaken Realms isn’t new to building engaged communities. The company has a strong background in tabletop gaming, having raised more than $40 million through crowdfunding since 2015 and launching the Gamefound platform. The Tainted Grail IP itself began as a board game before expanding into digital spaces. Questline’s first video game was a roguelike deckbuilder set in the same universe, released in 2021, before the studio shifted focus to develop The Fall of Avalon, a full-scale RPG in the vein of Oblivion and Gothic.
This background gave Awaken Realms a foundation in community engagement and a proven fan base to build upon. However, translating a complex, lore-driven world from tabletop to open-world RPG required a different level of design and production depth.
Tainted Grail Sees 700k Sales
Finding Space in a Crowded RPG Market
Świerkot noted that the decision to pursue a first-person, story-rich RPG came from observing a lack of similar titles in development at the time. While games like Avowed, Kingdom Come II, and Bethesda’s Oblivion remaster have since entered the conversation, Tainted Grail occupied a unique space in a genre that often sees long gaps between major releases.
The development team started small (about 20 people at the project’s beginning) before scaling up to around 50 for the final release. Questline’s goal was to create a focused RPG that felt deep and deliberate, drawing inspiration from older titles like Morrowind and Gothic. The studio wanted to recapture the slower, more immersive style of RPG that had largely disappeared from the mainstream.
Tainted Grail Sees 700k Sales
How Early Access Shaped the Final Game
Unlike some early access projects that launch nearly complete, Tainted Grail’s early version was intentionally limited. Players were told upfront that the initial release would only include around 10 to 15 hours of content and that saves would be wiped at 1.0. This transparency led many potential buyers to hold off until the full version was ready.
By the time 1.0 launched (with a complete 50–70-hour experience) the game was ready to meet that delayed demand. The result was an enormous jump in player activity, with peak concurrent Steam users hitting 25,600, compared to only around 1,000 during early access.
Świerkot credits the early access phase for teaching valuable lessons about prioritizing gameplay quality over marketing flash. The team focused on technical optimization, balance, and pacing rather than visual fidelity, acknowledging that Tainted Grail was never intended to compete graphically with large-scale Unreal Engine 5 releases.
Tainted Grail Sees 700k Sales
The Power of Streamers and Word-of-Mouth
One of the biggest drivers of Tainted Grail’s launch momentum was community visibility. At its peak, more than 260 Twitch channels streamed the game daily, bolstered by prominent content creators like WolfheartFPS, Luality, CohhCarnage, Mortismal, and The Spiffing Brit. YouTube coverage helped sustain awareness, with many influencers labeling the game “the indie Skyrim,” a comparison that resonated with viewers looking for new open-world RPGs.
Despite the successful campaign, Świerkot admitted that the team might have underestimated how long reviewers and streamers would need to cover such a long game. Review copies were distributed only a week before launch, leaving limited time for in-depth coverage.
Tainted Grail Sees 700k Sales
The Console Market and Long-Term Lessons
While PC sales exceeded expectations, console performance was described as “fine, but not amazing.” GameDiscoverCo estimates suggest PlayStation and Xbox combined have sold between 100,000 and 150,000 units since launch. Świerkot speculated that competition and discoverability remain tougher on consoles, especially for new IPs without strong brand recognition.
Still, the overall trajectory for Tainted Grail remains impressive. The game’s success reinforces the idea that long-tail development, community transparency, and delivering a complete experience at 1.0 can still pay off in a crowded market.
And as many players have pointed out, quality remains the biggest factor. One Steam user with over 70 hours logged summed it up best: “Often described as an ‘indie Skyrim,’ Tainted Grail might be rough around the edges, but its combat and worldbuilding are more thoughtful than most.”
Source: Simon Carless, GameDiscoverCo
Here’s a list of all the games mentioned:
- Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon
- Avowed
- Kingdom Come II
- Oblivion
- Morrowind
- Gothic
- Skyrim
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon? It’s a first-person, open-world RPG set in a dark Arthurian universe. Players explore Avalon as it falls into decay, completing quests, managing resources, and uncovering a narrative inspired by classic fantasy and mythology.
Who developed Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon? The game was developed by Questline, a studio under Polish publisher Awaken Realms, which is also known for its board games and the crowdfunding platform Gamefound.
When was the full 1.0 version released? The game’s 1.0 version launched on Steam and consoles in May 2025, following an early access period that began in April 2023.
How many copies has the game sold? Combined across PC and console platforms, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon has sold over 700,000 units worldwide as of 2025.
Is Tainted Grail available on PlayStation and Xbox? Yes, the game is available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox consoles. PlayStation currently accounts for a larger share of sales.
Why did the game perform so well after 1.0 release? The success was driven by a complete and polished 1.0 version, strong influencer coverage, and an underserved demand for immersive first-person RPGs similar to Oblivion and Skyrim.
