The Ascent

StreamerHouse peaked at 1,319 viewers in 2021 for The Ascent, Neon Giant's cyberpunk shooter that launched messy but looked stunning. The July 2021 launch was day one on Game Pass, and the house dove into the 12-person indie studio's debut—gorgeous neon-soaked visuals, satisfying gunplay, and co-op that straight-up didn't work at launch. The streams captured the frustration of a game "billed as cooperative for up to four players" where the co-op was broken on arrival. Critics praised the dual-reality aesthetic and shooting but slammed the emphasis on grinding and the game-breaking bugs. The house documented The Ascent's messy first impression, generating over $5 million opening weekend despite the issues, proving that stunning art direction and Game Pass exposure could overcome technical disasters.