Last Updated March 19, 2024: Here are answers to frequently asked questions about our fourth game, Hades!
What is Hades?
Hades is a rogue-like dungeon crawler in which you defy the god of the dead as you hack and slash your way out of the Underworld of Greek myth. We think it combines the best aspects of our previous games, including the fast-paced action of Bastion, the rich atmosphere and depth of Transistor, and the character-driven storytelling of Pyre.
It’s never the same experience twice: Each time you play, you'll combine the divine might of various Olympian gods with your own in new ways, brave a wide variety of different challenges, and unravel more of the story featuring our award-winning art, audio, and narrative. You may play for not just dozens of hours, but hundreds of hours, while still discovering new character builds and story events.
What has the response to the game been like?
Hades is our fastest-selling, most critically acclaimed game to date. It was named 2020's Game of the Year by more than 50 publications, including IGN, Polygon, TIME Magazine, and The Washington Post.
Where can I get Hades?
Hades is now available on:
· Steam· Nintendo Switch
· Epic Games Store
· Xbox · PlayStation · App Store (Netflix Games)
In addition to these digital versions, look for physical versions for the Switch, Xbox, and PlayStation in retail stores worldwide.
Release History: Hades originally launched in Early Access on the Epic Games Store on December 6, 2018; then on Steam in Early Access on December 10, 2019. Version 1.0 of the game simultaneously launched on these platforms as well as Nintendo Switch on September 17, 2020. Hades then launched on Xbox and PlayStation on August 13, 2021. A mobile version for iOS devices and available through Netflix Games launched on March 19, 2024.
What are the computer versions' minimum system requirements?
Hades for PC requires at least Windows 7 SP1, with a Dual Core 2.4 GHz processor, 4 GB RAM, 1GB VRAM with DirectX 10+ support, and 15 GB disk space.
Hades for Mac requires at least macOS 10.13.6+ on a system that supports Metal API, with a Dual Core 2.4 GHz processor, 4 GB RAM, Intel HD 5000 or better, and 15 GB disk space.
What are the differences between the PS5 & Xbox Series X|S versions vs. PS4 & Xbox One versions of Hades?
The PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions of Hades feature 4K visuals at a target 60 frames per second, while the PS4 and Xbox One versions are 1080p at a target 60fps. In addition, Hades features enhanced controller vibration and lighting on the PlayStation 5 DualSense controller.
If I purchase Hades on PS4, do I get a free upgrade to PS5?
Yes! Both the physical and digital PlayStation 4 versions of Hades include a free upgrade to the digital PlayStation 5 version.
If I purchase Hades on Xbox One, do I get a free upgrade to the Xbox Series version?
Yes! Hades uses Smart Delivery allowing access to both the Xbox One version and the Xbox Series version on one disc. Additional information on Smart Delivery can be found at xbox.com/smart-delivery.
What languages does the game support?
Hades features English-language text and voiceover, and full text translations in the following languages: French, Italian, German, Spanish, Russian, Brazilian Portuguese, Korean, Polish, Simplified Chinese, and Japanese.
I love the music in your games. Is the Hades soundtrack available?
Yes! Music has always been a big part of our games, and Hades is no exception! We’re eager for you to hear the blood-pumping musical score by our award-winning composer, Darren Korb. The original soundtrack features two and a half hours of music created especially for the game.
The soundtrack is now available on Steam and the Epic Games Store.
You can listen to the music free on our YouTube channel or our Bandcamp page. We offer it on vinyl and compact disc in our online store. You can also find it on Spotify and other music services.
Does Hades support PC cloud saves?
Yes! Hades supports cloud saves on Steam and the Epic Games Store. You may also find local copies of your saves in Documents\Saved Games\Hades.
Does Hades support cross-saves between PC and Nintendo Switch?
Yes! Our Cross-Saves feature lets you transfer your Hades PC save data to and from the Nintendo Switch version. It's easy to use, and you can learn more about it from the Cross-Saves submenu on the Nintendo Switch version of the game.
Note: The Xbox and PlayStation versions of Hades do not support PC cross-saves like the Nintendo Switch version.
I ran into a technical issue with the game. What should I do?
We’ve done our best to launch Hades in a high-quality, problem-free state. However, you may run into problems we didn’t find. If you experienced any problems running the game and need technical support, visit our Knowledge Base, or have a look in #hades-tech-fixes in our official Discord server, which should help get you sorted.
What is a rogue-like (or rogue-lite), anyway...?
The rogue-like is a cousin of the action RPG genre that put us on the map with our best-selling titles, Bastion and Transistor. Rogue-likes are combat-oriented games where you get stronger as you fight, (almost) inevitably dying at some point, then carrying that knowledge forward into your next randomized run. What's so enthralling about them is how they can be completely different from one run to the next!
While Hades is very much an action game, rogue-likes traditionally are turn-based, strategic games -- so, the term 'rogue-lite' is also sometimes used to describe games that take influence from the genre without strictly adhering to the original format. We love the sense of challenge, player expression, and replayability inherent to such games. With Hades, we wanted to create our own take on this style, with a real sense of place and story to it, much like how we infused a sense of narrative purpose into the action RPG with Bastion, way back when. See it in action here:
Some rogue-likes are brutally difficult... is Hades?
Don't worry! Rogue-like games can be known for their steep difficulty, and indeed, Hades can present a considerable challenge. However, one of our foremost design goals on the project was to open up the thrills of rogue-like games to more players. To that end, and knowing that challenge is relative from player to player, the game offers a wide range of difficulty modifiers as well as permanent progression systems... alongside plenty of characters to interact with when you're not trying to battle out of hell. A feature called God Mode is always available to make you more resilient to damage (and a little tougher still each time you die). We also have Hell Mode for the ultimate challenge, and a late-game system called the Pact of Punishment, which makes things really interesting.... Overall, you'll be able to play Hades your way.
Now that Hades has launched, what's next?
We've always wanted to stick together as a small team and keep making games for as long as we can, one big project at a time! We're excited to figure out what's next and to share whatever that is once we think we're far enough along.
Who are you folks, again...?
We’re Supergiant Games! We're a small independent studio in San Francisco, founded in 2009 and best known for our critically acclaimed games Bastion, Transistor, Pyre, and now Hades.
All seven of our original staff are still working together here in their respective roles, now bolstered by more than twice as many talented individuals who complete our team. Our ambition has remained the same through the years: to make games that spark your imagination like the games you played as a kid.
I heard Hades was an Early Access game. What is Early Access? Is it over?
Hades did launch as an Early Access game, originally in December 2018. In September 2020, we officially completed our Early Access development and launched v1.0 of the game.
Early Access meant you could play Hades while it was still in active development.
We designed Hades as an Early Access game from the ground up. Our foremost goal was to see if we could create something great in partnership with our community -- a game that was true to our values about design, worldbuilding, and storytelling, and could naturally evolve based on the feedback we'd get along the way. Every aspect of the game, from its modular structure to its approach to narrative, flowed from this idea.
How long was Hades in development?
We got to work on Hades less than a month after our previous game, Pyre, launched on July 25, 2017. Each time we’ve completed a project, we’ve found ourselves eager to dive into something new. This time around, we wanted to make something that combined aspects of all the best ideas we’d picked up over the course of working on our three previous games, as well as delve into Early Access development for the first time. All told, Hades took a little over three years for us to get to v1.0.
Your past games have had wholly original settings. Why the change?
Hades is our first game adapted from an existing mythology -- the world of Greek myth. We felt we had a unique perspective on this theme, and saw the adaptation process as a new and exciting creative opportunity to explore. Our take on Greek mythology assumes no prior knowledge of or interest in the subject. Yet, those familiar with Greek myth should find our take on it to be true to the spirit of the source material, from Homer to Hesiod. Greek myth comes from stories of ancient gods and heroes filtered through new points of view; we’re excited to share ours.
Your games are known for characters and story. How did that fit with Early Access development?
The opportunity to deliver story in a serial fashion during Early Access was one of the many reasons we were excited to go this route with Hades. In the full game, you can look forward to meeting 30 different fully voiced characters, and experiencing the story through thousands of unique events and interactions.
You can engage with the narrative as much as you like, so if you just want to dive in for a quick hack-and-slash session, Hades has you covered. We're eager for you to experience our unique approach to storytelling in this format, where you'll inhabit a living world with characters you'll really get to know, and who remember you time after time.
Why was Hades initially available only via the Epic Games store?
Hades first launched on December 6, 2018 on the Epic Games Store. We had never launched a game into Early Access before, and our players had come to expect complete, self-contained games from us ever since Bastion’s debut in 2011. With Hades, we knew we really wanted to create a game we could develop in partnership with the community, and from talking to the folks at Epic, we realized their store would be the perfect place to conduct our experiment.
Is Hades a multiplayer game, or are there any plans for multiplayer?
Hades is a single-player game. We have no plans to add multiplayer, as we created the gameplay and narrative of Hades with a solo experience in mind.
Does Hades include DRM of any kind?
No. The computer versions of Hades are DRM-free.
I have more questions!
Please feel free to reach out with questions or feedback via our Contact page or Discord.
