Task Bar Hero had over 500,000 simultaneous players online this weekend, but reviews are still mixed

Task Bar Hero is the latest indie hit to climb the Steam charts, easily surpassing mainstays like Path of Exile 2, Apex Legends and Marvel Rivals. Now it has achieved another impressive feat: gathering more than half a million players simultaneously over the weekend.

On Sunday, Task Bar Hero hit a new concurrent player peak of 526,596. It's barely dropped since then, comfortably staying within this range as we enter the week, making it clear that Task Bar Hero isn't a dying fad just yet.

Task Bar Hero isn't slowing down, but it's already facing controversy

Task Bar Hero, or TBH, launched on May 27. It saw a steady increase in players until it reached the heights we see now, and quickly became the idle game for many. Judging by its current trajectory, it hasn't even peaked yet and could surpass another milestone next weekend.

However, it may be held back by controversy. As we previously reported, there are concerns about how much data it collects from its players, and this was recently expanded in an attempt to curb the problem of cheaters. Additionally, some claim they have been falsely accused of cheating, meaning their entire Steam profile is flagged for cheating despite their claims to the contrary.

Right now, Task Bar Hero has mixed reviews on Steam. Most of the complaints are about bugs and server issues, resulting in players losing loot and progress. They complain that the game gets worse with updates, especially when the developers try to crack down on cheaters.

If you're wondering why anyone would cheat in an idle game, you probably won't be surprised to learn that it's all about money. Basically, the loot you earn can then be sold on the marketplace for real money, which explains why the game is so popular in the first place. Of course, the developers want to make sure people don't cheat, as that could disrupt the market, but it sounds like legitimate players are getting caught up in this too.

At least Task Bar Hero has 513,272 players at the time of writing, so this hasn't been enough to fire up the masses. It remains to be seen how long the game can last on this player base.