The Game Census
Mainframe Defenders cover art

Mainframe Defenders

Synthetic Domain · 2020-02-25

SteamGOGPlayStation StoreMicrosoft Store

IndieRPGStrategy

Modes: Single player

Releases: Feb 25, 2020 (PC (Microsoft Windows)), Oct 22, 2021 (Nintendo Switch), Oct 22, 2021 (Xbox One), Feb 25, 2020 (Linux), Oct 21, 2021 (PlayStation 4)

MAINFRAME DEFENDERS - Turn-based tactics centered around gear and unit customization. It offers simple combat, high replayability, and tons of loot. Items don't just provide stats boost, but also offer distinct mechanics that can be combined into powerful builds.

3
playing now
88%
positive of 786 reviews
Very Positive
steam rating
200,000–500,000
owners (SteamSpy est.)
70/100
IGDB user rating (1 ratings)
pending
deck/linux tier (ProtonDB)
$0.59
steam price (US)

3 players in-game as of 2026-08-30 04:00 UTC (census sample)

Microlink Dynamics is leader in AI research area, who built first research complex fully ran by AI. But during one of the OS updates, most of networked units started to behave erratically, attacking everyone on sight. You control 4 prototype units left intact and help the AI to protect the complex.(Storyline via IGDB)

Health check

Quietly active
  • · 3 players in-game at the last census sample.
  • · 52 reviews in the last 8 weeks (~7/week).
  • · Review velocity down 19% vs the prior 8 weeks.
  • · Top 29% of 17,990 Indie games in the census by review count.
Estimated sales: 16k–35k copies

Review-multiple estimate from 786 total reviews — how this is computed.

Current store prices

GOG$0.59-90%
Microsoft Store$11.99

Deal snapshots via CheapShark, refreshed daily.

All-time low: $0.53 at Humble Store (2024-12-19) · bundled 1×via IsThereAnyDeal

12-month high $5.99 · on sale 42 of 69 observed days · $0.06 above the all-time low (census price snapshots)

Review momentum

PositiveNegative
727220202026Week of 2020-03-01: 15 positiveWeek of 2020-04-01: 4 positiveWeek of 2020-05-01: 2 positiveWeek of 2020-06-01: 7 positiveWeek of 2020-07-01: 3 positiveWeek of 2020-08-01: 1 positiveWeek of 2020-09-01: 5 positiveWeek of 2020-10-01: 28 positiveWeek of 2020-10-01: 1 negativeWeek of 2020-11-01: 72 positiveWeek of 2020-11-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2020-12-01: 52 positiveWeek of 2021-01-01: 61 positiveWeek of 2021-01-01: 1 negativeWeek of 2021-02-01: 39 positiveWeek of 2021-03-01: 15 positiveWeek of 2021-03-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2021-04-01: 3 positiveWeek of 2021-04-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2021-05-01: 16 positiveWeek of 2021-05-01: 4 negativeWeek of 2021-06-01: 7 positiveWeek of 2021-06-01: 2 negativeWeek of 2021-07-01: 11 positiveWeek of 2021-07-01: 4 negativeWeek of 2021-08-01: 17 positiveWeek of 2021-08-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2021-09-01: 11 positiveWeek of 2021-10-01: 5 positiveWeek of 2021-10-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2021-11-01: 14 positiveWeek of 2021-11-01: 2 negativeWeek of 2021-12-01: 3 positiveWeek of 2021-12-01: 7 negativeWeek of 2022-01-01: 11 positiveWeek of 2022-02-01: 3 positiveWeek of 2022-03-01: 17 positiveWeek of 2022-03-01: 2 negativeWeek of 2022-04-01: 7 positiveWeek of 2022-04-01: 2 negativeWeek of 2022-05-01: 4 positiveWeek of 2022-06-01: 7 positiveWeek of 2022-06-01: 1 negativeWeek of 2022-07-01: 5 positiveWeek of 2022-07-01: 1 negativeWeek of 2022-08-01: 2 positiveWeek of 2022-08-01: 1 negativeWeek of 2022-09-01: 1 positiveWeek of 2022-09-01: 2 negativeWeek of 2022-10-01: 3 positiveWeek of 2022-11-01: 4 positiveWeek of 2022-12-01: 3 positiveWeek of 2022-12-01: 1 negativeWeek of 2023-01-01: 8 positiveWeek of 2023-01-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2023-02-01: 5 positiveWeek of 2023-02-01: 1 negativeWeek of 2023-03-01: 15 positiveWeek of 2023-03-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2023-04-01: 7 positiveWeek of 2023-05-01: 1 positiveWeek of 2023-05-01: 1 negativeWeek of 2023-06-01: 5 positiveWeek of 2023-06-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2023-07-01: 2 positiveWeek of 2023-08-01: 4 positiveWeek of 2023-09-01: 2 positiveWeek of 2023-09-01: 1 negativeWeek of 2023-10-01: 5 positiveWeek of 2023-10-01: 2 negativeWeek of 2023-11-01: 6 positiveWeek of 2023-12-01: 4 positiveWeek of 2024-01-01: 3 positiveWeek of 2024-01-01: 1 negativeWeek of 2024-02-01: 4 positiveWeek of 2024-03-01: 7 positiveWeek of 2024-03-01: 4 negativeWeek of 2024-04-01: 3 positiveWeek of 2024-05-01: 3 positiveWeek of 2024-06-01: 2 positiveWeek of 2024-07-01: 3 positiveWeek of 2024-07-01: 2 negativeWeek of 2024-08-01: 2 positiveWeek of 2024-08-01: 1 negativeWeek of 2024-09-01: 5 positiveWeek of 2024-09-01: 1 negativeWeek of 2024-10-01: 7 positiveWeek of 2024-10-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2024-11-01: 4 positiveWeek of 2024-11-01: 2 negativeWeek of 2024-12-01: 2 positiveWeek of 2024-12-01: 2 negativeWeek of 2025-01-01: 4 positiveWeek of 2025-02-01: 3 positiveWeek of 2025-02-01: 2 negativeWeek of 2025-03-01: 9 positiveWeek of 2025-03-01: 1 negativeWeek of 2025-04-01: 8 positiveWeek of 2025-05-01: 5 positiveWeek of 2025-06-01: 8 positiveWeek of 2025-06-01: 4 negativeWeek of 2025-07-01: 4 positiveWeek of 2025-07-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2025-08-01: 8 positiveWeek of 2025-08-01: 1 negativeWeek of 2025-09-01: 6 positiveWeek of 2025-09-01: 1 negativeWeek of 2025-10-01: 5 positiveWeek of 2025-10-01: 2 negativeWeek of 2025-11-01: 8 positiveWeek of 2025-11-01: 1 negativeWeek of 2025-12-01: 7 positiveWeek of 2026-01-01: 10 positiveWeek of 2026-01-01: 1 negativeWeek of 2026-02-01: 6 positiveWeek of 2026-02-01: 2 negativeWeek of 2026-03-01: 4 positiveWeek of 2026-03-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2026-04-01: 2 positiveWeek of 2026-05-01: 5 positiveWeek of 2026-06-01: 6 positiveWeek of 2026-06-01: 1 negativeWeek of 2026-07-01: 5 positiveWeek of 2026-08-01: 1 positive
Weekly review counts (Steam review histogram). Positive above the line, negative below.

Players online

2802026-08-07 00:00 — 2 players2026-08-07 08:00 — 5 players2026-08-07 16:00 — 5 players2026-08-08 00:00 — 7 players2026-08-08 08:00 — 5 players2026-08-08 16:00 — 2 players2026-08-09 00:00 — 9 players2026-08-09 08:00 — 5 players2026-08-09 16:00 — 6 players2026-08-10 00:00 — 2 players2026-08-10 08:00 — 2 players2026-08-10 16:00 — 4 players2026-08-11 00:00 — 4 players2026-08-11 08:00 — 2 players2026-08-11 16:00 — 26 players2026-08-13 00:00 — 2 players2026-08-14 07:00 — 2 players2026-08-15 15:00 — 4 players2026-08-17 14:00 — 5 players2026-08-18 21:00 — 18 players2026-08-20 05:00 — 1 players2026-08-21 12:00 — 10 players2026-08-22 20:00 — 3 players2026-08-24 03:00 — 1 players2026-08-25 11:00 — 3 players2026-08-26 19:00 — 0 players2026-08-28 03:00 — 4 players2026-08-29 11:00 — 2 players2026-08-30 04:00 — 3 players
Concurrent players, hourly average, last 30 days (census samples).

Price history

$9.99$0.532020-02-252026-08-302020-02-25 — best price $9.992020-12-01 — best price $9.992021-05-17 — best price $9.992021-10-25 — best price $9.992022-01-24 — best price $9.992022-05-10 — best price $9.992022-07-19 — best price $3.992022-09-23 — best price $5.992023-01-06 — best price $0.772023-03-23 — best price $5.992023-06-02 — best price $0.592023-07-28 — best price $5.992023-09-12 — best price $5.992023-11-07 — best price $0.592024-01-05 — best price $5.992024-03-01 — best price $5.992024-04-19 — best price $5.992024-06-14 — best price $1.192024-08-26 — best price $0.592024-10-14 — best price $5.992024-11-18 — best price $5.992025-01-10 — best price $3.592025-03-20 — best price $5.992025-05-11 — best price $5.992025-07-10 — best price $5.992025-09-23 — best price $5.992025-10-29 — best price $0.592025-12-17 — best price $5.992026-02-03 — best price $5.992026-03-19 — best price $0.592026-05-10 — best price $5.992026-08-12 — best price $5.992026-08-30 — best price $0.59
Lowest recorded price across tracked stores, per day (census snapshots).

Completion

14
achievements tracked
4.5%
earned "Mainframe Defenders"
1.9%
median achievement earned by

Global achievement rates from Steam.

Details

WindowsLinuxSingle-playerSteam AchievementsSteam Trading CardsAdjustable Text SizeCustom Volume ControlsAdjustable DifficultyKeyboard Only OptionMouse Only OptionPlayable without Timed InputSave Anytime

13 supported languages: English, Russian, Hungarian, German, Portuguese - Portugal, French, Italian, Spanish - Spain, Polish, Simplified Chinese, Korean, Japanese…

Console footprint

PlatformPlayers trackedCompletionTrophies/achievements
Steam (Steam)2329%14
Xbox One (Xbox)50%14
PS4 (PlayStation)2100%15
PS4 (PlayStation)250%15
Switch (Nintendo)0—0

Players tracked by Exophase (achievement/trophy trackers) — a sample of the player base, not total sales.

Player tags

2DRPGMechsSandboxMilitaryStrategyIsometricRogue-likeRogue-liteExploration

Census log

Computed from census-recorded observations only — dates are observation dates.

Recent updates

Players also track

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Similarity via IGDB.

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