PEAK cannibalism shocks even the half of devs team

Peak’s latest update brought chaos and dark humor, with the sudden arrival of cannibalism mechanics that let hungry players eat teammates. The feature caused trouble fast, so the devs made it optional — just in time for the game’s first major expansion.

In late July, the quirky survival co-op Peak crossed into grim territory. The new system let starving players see others as giant roast chickens and chow down to survive. Eating a friend came with a price — death for the victim and a curse for the cannibal — both reversible with specific items. It didn’t take long for things to get ugly. Players reported griefing tactics, like hoarding food to force others into cannibalism, turning what was meant as a joke into a toxic experience.

That’s when Landfall Games, co-developer of Peak alongside Aggro Crab, stepped in. Head of communications Hanna Fogelberg explained that the team decided to make cannibalism opt-in. After the patch, only those with the setting enabled will see the option early, and the penalties for eating allies are now heavier.

“Well, shockingly, not everyone is down to eat their friends,” Fogelberg joked. “We thought we were living in a pro-cannibalism society, but we were mistaken… Peak is inherently about cooperation and friendship, so we wanted to give players the option to opt out.”

While player complaints weren’t overwhelming, the request for an opt-out was considered fair. Ironically, the mechanic’s addition surprised half the dev team too — Landfall staff were on vacation when it was added, discovering it alongside the community. “We were both delighted and a bit shocked,” Fogelberg said.

This all comes right before one of the latest updates to the game — the Mesa expansion, which launches today. It brings a desert biome, dynamite, badges, and possibly dust storms. The teaser also shows a character wearing a flower crown, hinting at horror-movie-inspired events in the style of Midsommar. With Landfall’s Swedish roots, players are bracing for more creatively unsettling ways to meet their end.

But PEAK’s recent buzz isn’t just from its cannibalism. The game has already faced an unusual issue: a Roblox clone called Cliff. The knockoff mirrors Peak’s climbing challenges, co-op focus, and even visual style, and it’s racked up millions of visits. While the game’s listing claims inspiration, the resemblance is close enough to raise eyebrows.

Aggro Crab, never shy online, had a blunt response:

“tbh would rather you pirate our game than play this microtransaction-riddled @Roblox slop ripoff.”

The comment not only fueled discussions around game cloning but also sparked a wave of support from fans. Some saw it as a bold stand for indie game integrity, while others simply found it in line with Peak’s irreverent brand.

That stance — telling people to pirate the PEAK rather than play a cheap imitation — fits the game’s reputation for not playing by the usual industry rules. Peak has been a breakout hit of 2025, designed with bright visuals, chaotic mechanics, and constant random elements that keep players returning. Even with its silly tone, the developers clearly care about balancing the experience and protecting player enjoyment from bad-faith actors, whether inside the game or outside it.

And while the PEAK review landscape has been overwhelmingly positive so far, the developers’ willingness to add risky features — then roll them back if needed — shows they’re ready to experiment. The cannibalism episode might be remembered less for its shock factor and more as an example of a team listening quickly to its community.

With the Mesa update now live, Peak’s players are about to get even more hazards, tools, and maybe some twisted surprises hidden in the sand. If recent history is any guide, not all of them will be friendly.