This $5 Fishing Game Just Sold 1 Million Copies in Two Days on Steam

A bizarre little fishing game has become one of Steam's biggest surprises this week.

How to Fish, developed by Dazed Games, has sold 1 million copies in just two days, according to the developer. The game has also climbed Steam's Top Sellers list following its launch, putting a $5 fishing game in the middle of the platform's latest success stories.

The premise is simple; the execution, though, is anything but.

How to Fish Turns Fishing Into a Chaotic Co-Op Game

How to Fish is a multiplayer fishing game where you and your friends catch creatures, sell them for money, and upgrade your boat as you work your way back home. The twist is that you're not exactly practicing catch-and-release.

Players have access to an increasingly ridiculous arsenal of weapons, including brass knuckles, SMGs, and dynamite, which can be used to take down the creatures they catch. The more impressive the kill, the higher the creature's value can become thanks to the game's killscore multiplier.

That gives players plenty of room to experiment with trick shots and increasingly ridiculous ways of catching their next payday.

The basic loop is straightforward: cast your line, reel in a creature, take it down, sell it, and use the money to upgrade your equipment. As you progress, you'll travel to new islands where the catches become tougher and the bosses considerably harder to defeat.

It's a simple formula, but that's part of the appeal.