Explore limitless chaos in Don’t Die, Collect Loot!
Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2025 4:20 pm
Don’t Die, Collect Loot Launches Right into Early Access on Steam
Part looter action, part scrolling bullet-hell, all mayhem in a fantasy ARPG
[United States] – September 19, 2025 – Dan Makes Video Games, in partnership with indie.io, is proud to share the latest video game he made: Don’t Die, Collect Loot! Now available in Early Access on Steam for $9.99 USD with a 20% launch discount, it is a roguelite RPG with a retro aesthetic, mixing scrolling gameplay from arcade games with the frenetic dodging of bullet hells and a generous helping of absurd loot collection, to create an experience where becoming absurdly overpowered through completely unhinged loot is a goal in itself.
While the title encourages players to not die, death is part of the game: Players fight through a world frozen in time, exploring procedurally generated memories of the world before a mysterious catastrophe and where death is merely a minor inconvenience on their loot collecting experience. Oh, and destroying hordes upon hordes of enemies dropping entire cartloads of loot that only grows stronger as the player's chosen hero gains experience.
Every run is a bullet hell style fight against an endless stream of enemies on a similarly endlessly scrolling screen. As the players defeat monsters they gain run-specific levels and abilities and global experience to spend on increasing their character's skills, tons of loot to sell off and sift through at their leisure, and uncover pieces of lore to put together the story of the shattered world.
Between runs, the player's chosen hero constantly grows in power. Don't Die, Collect Loot begins Early Access with three unique classes for heroes: The Adventurer focuses on defeating enemies by smashing, cutting, and otherwise tearing them apart real hard, the Arcanist blasts them into smithereens with arcane spells, while the Beastmaster spawns minions to do the hard work. Each of the classes has dozens of skills to choose from, allowing for an endless variety of builds when combined with the constant stream of high end items.
Powergaming, exploiting mechanics, and otherwise breaking the game is encouraged by the creator, who designed the complex systems so that it’s just as fun to play within the rules as it is to bend and break them. Two more classes will be added during Early Access—including rogue and archer archetypes—ensuring the only limit to player power is imagination. New biomes will also roll out across Early Access, each bringing formidable bosses, an “uber” endgame encounter, and a constant stream of unique items to discover, experiment with, and exploit.
But this ambitious vision isn’t being built in isolation. As a solo developer taking on a project of this scale, Dan knows that his imagination alone can’t anticipate every outcome. Early Access, and the feedback that comes with it, will be critical to making sure the mayhem stays fair, balanced, and endlessly entertaining. The interplay between hundreds of skills, thousands of item properties, and endless crafting options—capable of producing gear with over a dozen modifiers—should break the rules, not the players’ patience or the game itself.
Ready to push the envelope, explore the heights of power, then strap a rocket to them and fly off into the absurdly OP beyond? Don’t Die, Collect Loot is now available in Early Access on Steam. Follow Dan Makes Video Games on X/Twitter for updates, including the Early Access roadmap and upcoming content reveals.
ABOUT DAN MAKES GAMES
Dan Marchand is an industry veteran who started making games at 11 years old, when curiosity about the inner workings of the NES led him down the dark paths of computer science and software engineering. Don't Die, Get Loot is the result of a lifelong dream and an ambitious step in making it come true.
ABOUT INDIE.IO
indie.io is home to over 100 of the world’s best independent video games and developers. Our platform was built to provide independent developers with the resources, services, and management tools needed for success. Through collaboration and passion, we strive to cultivate a diverse and vibrant gaming landscape that resonates with players and creators alike!
Part looter action, part scrolling bullet-hell, all mayhem in a fantasy ARPG
[United States] – September 19, 2025 – Dan Makes Video Games, in partnership with indie.io, is proud to share the latest video game he made: Don’t Die, Collect Loot! Now available in Early Access on Steam for $9.99 USD with a 20% launch discount, it is a roguelite RPG with a retro aesthetic, mixing scrolling gameplay from arcade games with the frenetic dodging of bullet hells and a generous helping of absurd loot collection, to create an experience where becoming absurdly overpowered through completely unhinged loot is a goal in itself.
While the title encourages players to not die, death is part of the game: Players fight through a world frozen in time, exploring procedurally generated memories of the world before a mysterious catastrophe and where death is merely a minor inconvenience on their loot collecting experience. Oh, and destroying hordes upon hordes of enemies dropping entire cartloads of loot that only grows stronger as the player's chosen hero gains experience.
Every run is a bullet hell style fight against an endless stream of enemies on a similarly endlessly scrolling screen. As the players defeat monsters they gain run-specific levels and abilities and global experience to spend on increasing their character's skills, tons of loot to sell off and sift through at their leisure, and uncover pieces of lore to put together the story of the shattered world.
Between runs, the player's chosen hero constantly grows in power. Don't Die, Collect Loot begins Early Access with three unique classes for heroes: The Adventurer focuses on defeating enemies by smashing, cutting, and otherwise tearing them apart real hard, the Arcanist blasts them into smithereens with arcane spells, while the Beastmaster spawns minions to do the hard work. Each of the classes has dozens of skills to choose from, allowing for an endless variety of builds when combined with the constant stream of high end items.
Powergaming, exploiting mechanics, and otherwise breaking the game is encouraged by the creator, who designed the complex systems so that it’s just as fun to play within the rules as it is to bend and break them. Two more classes will be added during Early Access—including rogue and archer archetypes—ensuring the only limit to player power is imagination. New biomes will also roll out across Early Access, each bringing formidable bosses, an “uber” endgame encounter, and a constant stream of unique items to discover, experiment with, and exploit.
But this ambitious vision isn’t being built in isolation. As a solo developer taking on a project of this scale, Dan knows that his imagination alone can’t anticipate every outcome. Early Access, and the feedback that comes with it, will be critical to making sure the mayhem stays fair, balanced, and endlessly entertaining. The interplay between hundreds of skills, thousands of item properties, and endless crafting options—capable of producing gear with over a dozen modifiers—should break the rules, not the players’ patience or the game itself.
Ready to push the envelope, explore the heights of power, then strap a rocket to them and fly off into the absurdly OP beyond? Don’t Die, Collect Loot is now available in Early Access on Steam. Follow Dan Makes Video Games on X/Twitter for updates, including the Early Access roadmap and upcoming content reveals.
ABOUT DAN MAKES GAMES
Dan Marchand is an industry veteran who started making games at 11 years old, when curiosity about the inner workings of the NES led him down the dark paths of computer science and software engineering. Don't Die, Get Loot is the result of a lifelong dream and an ambitious step in making it come true.
ABOUT INDIE.IO
indie.io is home to over 100 of the world’s best independent video games and developers. Our platform was built to provide independent developers with the resources, services, and management tools needed for success. Through collaboration and passion, we strive to cultivate a diverse and vibrant gaming landscape that resonates with players and creators alike!