Summary
Braidcreator Jonathan Blow says that the game’s anniversary edition has unfortunately not been a huge success. The originalBraidcame out on multiple platforms in 2008 and received high praise across the board. Its current Xbox 360 Metacritic score sits at a nonnegligible 93 aggregate rating, with players praising the game’s beautiful presentation, unique storytelling, challenging puzzles, and soundtrack. Many developers in the years since have laudedBraidand cited it as a key influence for their own games.
So whenBraid: Anniversary Editionwas announced at the end of 2023, it seemed a given that the updated version of such a memorable game would be well received. Released on last and current-gen platforms, the anniversary edition features over 15 hours of developer commentary, along with several new levels and revamped visuals and audio. And being priced at only $19.99 seemed an ideal price point to entice a new generation of gamers to check out the award-winning indie classic that many have called a masterpiece.
Launched on Jul 24, 2025,Braid: Anniversary Editionagain received high praise; onOpenCritic, the revamped version has an average 89 review rating from critics. Despite all the positives, however, creator Jonathan Blow admitted a month after release that the game had “sold horribly.”YouTube channel Blow Fancreated a compilation of clips from the developer’s Twitch channel, tracking his opinion of the anniversary edition’s sales performance after release. Blow went from cautiously optimistic to openly disappointed. More than two months after launch, in response to a viewer’s inquiry if sales were okay, Blow responded frankly, “No, they are bad.”
Braid: Anniversary Edition’s Sales Numbers Aren’t Great
It’s unclearwhy precisely sales ofBraid: Anniversary Editionare not going well. There didn’t seem to be much marketing after the initial announcement, and it may simply be that some people forgot it was coming. Many fans who did remember to grab the overhauled version ofBraidhave expressed appreciation for the remaster, though others have said that the changes aren’t significant enough to warrant a replay and the anniversary edition might only appeal to newcomers. Currently, the game has only 637 reviews on Steam, though it boasts a Very Positive user rating.
The knock-on effect of the poor sales performance ofBraid: Anniversary Editionis that some of Blow’s other projects have been affected. The developer has contributed to a number of unique games over the years, includingFlow, Phase,and2016’s highly rated puzzle gameThe Witness. An experienced programmer, Blow has also been developing a new programming language called Jai. During a Twitch stream, he stated that no one is working full-time on the Jai compiler because, due toBraid’s poor sales, there are no funds to pay anybody. Hopefully, numbers will begin to pick up for the anniversary edition, which will enable Blow to comfortably continue developing innovative games.
Braid, Anniversary Edition
WHERE TO PLAY
Bend time to solve subtle platform puzzles in this update of the indie classic “Braid,” featuring refreshed artwork and seriously in-depth creator commentary. Travel from a city house through a series of interconnected worlds where time behaves strangely, searching for an elusive Princess. Along the way you’ll explore memories and regrets that still haunt you. This Anniversary Edition remaster of the award-winning platformer contains fully repainted high-resolution graphics, new sound effects and extensive audio commentary.MANIPULATE TIME TO MOVE FORWARDRewind, pause and use the strange properties of time in each world to run and jump through beautifully painted environments. Avoid hazards, unlock doors and collect jigsaw puzzle pieces to assemble. If you get hung up on a particular puzzle, feel free to move on and return later.A FRESH COAT OF PAINTThis is the game you remember, with all the original challenges and the same haunting, evocative score — but repainted pixel by pixel so that each carefully rendered world comes to life in high resolution. New visual details, animated brushstroke effects and revamped sounds add to the immersive experience.
