Forza Horizon 6, released in May, peaked at over 300,000 concurrent players on Steam days after launch. However, as of last month, it averaged a hair under 29,000 concurrent players, a tenth of its record.
Meanwhile, BeamNG.drive, a vehicle physics sandbox, notched an average of 20,660 concurrent players on Steam in July, an 8.45% rise.
BeamNG.drive has been playable for over a decade and enjoys a thriving community of modders. It recently received its biggest update ever, integrating Gran Turismo’s open-source tone-mapping system for more lifelike colors and lighting.
The game’s popularity is interesting, given its relatively low cost of $25 compared to triple-A games like Forza Horizon 6, which can cost up to $120 for premium versions.
Players may be getting tired of expensive games with upsells, and BeamNG.drive’s success could indicate a shift in consumer preferences. The game offers a billion different ways to have fun, as long as players are willing to get their hands dirty.
BeamNG.drive and Forza Horizon 6 are vastly different games, with the former being an in-the-weeds simulation sandbox and the latter a pick-up-and-play open-world racing game.
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They took the top two spots for the racing genre on Steam last month.
SteamDB’s data shows that BeamNG.drive’s popularity is not an aberration, with the game trending up over the past decade. Its concurrent-player peak occurred last month, with 47,424 users, immediately after the big update.
The game’s success is impressive, particularly given that it’s made by a modestly sized, independent team of 70 people located all around the world.
This could be a lesson for publishers who charge big money yet close studios.
BeamNG.drive’s community is active, with players creating and sharing mods, and the game’s developers continue to update and improve the game.
The success of BeamNG.drive and Forza Horizon 6 shows that there is still a strong demand for racing games. However, the difference in their approaches and business models may indicate a shift in consumer preferences towards more affordable and customizable games.
