Sad Socket

Sad Socket is an independent video game studio associated with São Paulo, Brazil, and New York City, United States. The studio was founded by childhood friends Rafael Melo and André Young and became publicly notable through 9 Kings, a strategy game combining kingdom building, deck-building, roguelike progression, and tower-defense elements. The available reference material does not establish a formal founding year, corporate ownership structure, or listed status. The studio developed 9 Kings over approximately two years. Its original ambition was to make a relatively accessible game for strategy players with limited time, rather than to create an especially large or complex production. The project began as an experimental prototype and was not initially expected by its developers to achieve major commercial success. After an early version received a nomination for Best Game at Gamescom LATAM, Sad Socket expanded the project and substantially reworked it for a broader release. An early demonstration called 3 Kings was released on itch.io on May 25, 2024. The prototype allowed players to interact with three of the game's kings and served as an early public representation of the concept. The demonstration page was later deactivated after 9 Kings entered early access. 9 Kings was published by Hooded Horse and INSTINCT3 and entered early access for Windows and macOS on May 23, 2025. The game places players in the role of an empire builder who develops a kingdom with a collection of distinct cards while confronting large-scale battles against nine kings. Its restrained visual presentation, replayability, and combination of strategic systems helped it attract attention beyond the studio's initial profile. The game's visibility increased significantly after a March Steam Next Fest appearance, during which it was reported to be the most-played strategy game at the event. The early-access release was also reported to have sold more than 250,000 copies in its first week and more than 400,000 copies during its first month. These figures are reported performance claims in the cited reference material rather than independently verified financial disclosures. 9 Kings subsequently received continued positive public reception and was nominated for Best Early Access Game at the 2025 Golden Joystick Awards. Sad Socket's documented brand identity is therefore closely tied to independent development, compact but systems-heavy strategy design, and the international distribution of digitally released PC games. Publicly available material supplied for this entry does not document additional released products, a broader corporate portfolio, or a separate consumer-facing product line.

Sad Socket is an independent game studio with documented operations in São Paulo and New York City. It was established by childhood friends Rafael Melo and André Young, although the available reference does not provide a confirmed founding year or a detailed account of the studio's corporate formation. The studio's public profile is centered on the development of 9 Kings, a strategy title that grew from a small experimental project into a commercially visible early-access release. According to the available account, development of 9 Kings lasted approximately two years. The initial design goal was to create a casual game for strategy enthusiasts who were also short on time. Rather than beginning as a production planned around major commercial expectations, the project was treated by its developers as an experiment. This approach appears to have shaped the game's concise presentation and its emphasis on repeatable strategic decisions. The project received an important early boost when its prototype was nominated for Best Game at Gamescom LATAM. Following that recognition, Sad Socket changed direction and increased the scale of development. The developers substantially revamped the game rather than simply polishing the original prototype, preparing it for a more complete public release. On May 25, 2024, Sad Socket released a demonstration titled 3 Kings through itch.io. The demonstration limited players to three kings and represented an earlier form of the concept. It was later taken offline after the release of 9 Kings in early access, so it should be understood as a predecessor and development milestone rather than a separate continuing product. 9 Kings combines several established strategy formats. Players build and expand a kingdom, use cards to develop their empire, defend against major battles, and progress through roguelike runs involving the game's nine kings. The game was developed by Sad Socket and published by Hooded Horse and INSTINCT3. It launched in early access on May 23, 2025 for Windows and macOS. The title's public reception expanded during a March Steam Next Fest appearance, where it was reported to have been the most-played strategy game of the event. Its early-access launch was followed by reported sales exceeding 250,000 copies in the first week and 400,000 copies in the first month. The game was also described as receiving sustained positive public reception and later earned a nomination for Best Early Access Game at the 2025 Golden Joystick Awards. These milestones established Sad Socket as a visible independent developer in the strategy-game market. Beyond 9 Kings and its 3 Kings prototype, the supplied sources do not identify other released games, acquisitions, investors, leadership changes, controversies, or a parent organization. The studio's present status is therefore best characterized as active, with its documented brand and product identity concentrated on independent development and the continuing early-access lifecycle of 9 Kings.

• 2025

  9 Kings enters early access

  [1]9 Kingsen.wikipedia.org

  9 Kings entered early access on May 23, 2025 for Windows and macOS, with Hooded Horse and INSTINCT3 serving as publishers.

• 2025

  Strong early-access reception

  [1]9 Kingsen.wikipedia.org

  The game was reported to have sold more than 250,000 copies in its first week and more than 400,000 copies in its first month, while reaching global Steam top-seller charts.

• 2025

  Golden Joystick nomination

  [1]9 Kingsen.wikipedia.org

  9 Kings was nominated for Best Early Access Game at the 2025 Golden Joystick Awards.

• 2024

  3 Kings demonstration released

  [1]9 Kingsen.wikipedia.org

  Sad Socket released 3 Kings on itch.io on May 25, 2024. The demonstration offered access to three kings and presented an early version of the concept that became 9 Kings.

An independent game studio focused on accessible, replayable strategy experiences with layered systems and a compact presentation.

• Strategy video game · 2025

  9 Kings

  9 Kings is a fast-paced kingdom-building strategy game that combines deck-building, roguelike progression, and tower-defense elements. Players expand an empire through a collection of distinctive cards and confront large battles involving nine kings. The game emphasizes replayability and strategic depth within a relatively minimal visual style. Developed by Sad Socket and published by Hooded Horse and INSTINCT3, it entered early access for Windows and macOS on May 23, 2025.

• Game demonstration · 2024

  3 Kings

  3 Kings was an early demonstration of the project that developed into 9 Kings. Released on itch.io on May 25, 2024, it limited the playable selection to three kings and provided an early public version of the studio's strategy concept. The demonstration page was later deactivated after 9 Kings launched in early access.

• 2025Steam Next Fest appearance

  Global digital game market

  Sad Socket promoted 9 Kings through a March Steam Next Fest appearance. The game was reported to have become the event's most-played strategy title, substantially increasing awareness ahead of or around its early-access release.

  Outcome. The appearance helped 9 Kings gain international visibility and contributed to strong public interest in the early-access launch.

  Source

• 2025

  Launching 9 Kings in early accessProduct launch

  Background

  After development and public testing through the earlier 3 Kings demonstration, Sad Socket prepared the expanded game for distribution on PC.

  Action taken

  The studio released 9 Kings in early access for Windows and macOS on May 23, 2025, with Hooded Horse and INSTINCT3 as publishers.

  Aftermath

  The launch was followed by reported sales of more than 250,000 copies in its first week and more than 400,000 copies in its first month.

  Source

• Expanding and redesigning the 9 Kings projectStrategy

  Background

  The project began as an experimental game intended to provide an accessible experience for busy strategy players. A Best Game nomination at Gamescom LATAM indicated that the prototype had greater potential than initially expected.

  Action taken

  Sad Socket increased development scope and completely revamped the prototype in preparation for a fuller commercial release.

  Aftermath

  The revised project became 9 Kings, which entered early access in 2025 and achieved substantial reported player and sales interest.

  Source

1. 19 Kingsen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Sad Socket official websitesadsocket.com