A lesser-known physics simulation game is attracting nearly as many players as Forza Horizon 6 on Steam.

      BeamNG.drive

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      It’s fair to say that Forza Horizon 6 is the largest racing game of the year. Launched in May, it achieved a peak of over 300,000 concurrent players on Steam just days after its release. And keep in mind—that number only reflects Steam usage, excluding console and PC players on the Xbox platform, for which Microsoft doesn't publish player counts. However, the initial excitement eventually fades, and as of last month, FH6 saw an average of just under 29,000 concurrent players, a mere tenth of its peak. You might be surprised to learn that another game is gaining momentum and could soon catch up.

      BeamNG.drive, the vehicle physics sandbox that has been available in various forms for over a decade, averaged 20,660 concurrent players on Steam in July, a growth of 8.45%, according to data noted by Overtake. Although still technically in early access, the game boasts a vibrant modding community and has just launched its largest update, which incorporates Gran Turismo’s open-source tone-mapping system for enhanced realism in colors and lighting.

      I must admit, my personal experience with BeamNG.drive is quite limited; honestly, I wouldn't know where to begin if I started it up right now. I am mostly familiar with it from TikTok videos where players launch various vehicles off ramps under different gravitational forces. If you've ever wondered what would happen to a Cybertruck subjected to 30 times Earth’s gravity, BeamNG is the game for that.

      If you can drive it—or crash it—it’s in BeamNG.drive.

      Nonetheless, this is an intriguing development that goes beyond mere industry chatter. High-budget games costing $80 have become increasingly common, and even those that cost less to enter, like FH6, often encourage players to upgrade to premium editions with additional features for as much as $120. Notably, Grand Theft Auto VI will debut at an $80 standard price that restricts character and vehicle customization, which is a significant attraction for many players. To access those features, you’ll need to spend $100 on the “Ultimate Edition.”

      Are players growing weary of this trend? I don’t have the data to back it up, but it seems likely that most consumers wouldn’t be fond of it. Therefore, it could be significant that a game priced at $25, offering countless ways to enjoy yourself—provided you're willing to engage deeply—is attracting a comparably sized audience, at least on PC.

      It's also important to note how entirely different these two games are. BeamNG is a deep simulation sandbox where users customize their setup for a unique experience; Horizon is a pick-up-and-play open-world racing game that is remarkably user-friendly but also more structured in its design. Additionally, FH6, like many modern, expensive games, exploits a FOMO loop, offering limited-time rewards to those who invest the most time to maintain a high active player count.

      These titles couldn’t be more dissimilar, yet they topped the racing genre on Steam last month, leaving a significant gap between them and Assetto Corsa in third place.

      Data from SteamDB since BeamNG’s launch suggests that this attention is not a fluke. Over the past decade, the game has experienced consistent growth, particularly picking up steam around mid-2020 and into 2021. Its peak concurrent player count was just last month, following that major update, when it reached 47,424 users. It’s evidently thriving at the moment, which is quite impressive, especially considering it's developed by a small, independent team of 70 people spread across the globe. Perhaps publishers charging high prices while closing studios could learn something from their success.

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