Highly rated business sim finally leaves Early Access and gets 20% Steam discount

Hovgaard Games' popular business simulator has finally left Early Access. Big Ambitions version 1.0 officially debuted on August 28 after two years in Early Access. To mark the occasion, Hovgaard Games has discounted the game from $25.99 to $20.79 on Steam, with the promotion running until September 4.

The game combines a business management simulator with elements of a life sim. Players start with modest resources, and the objective is to build an empire spanning shops, restaurants and larger companies across New York City. Running those businesses involves much more than watching numbers go up, though the dopamine spike you get when they do is tangible.

In Big Ambitions, players can rent premises, renovate stores, manage inventory, hire employees and managers, establish warehouses and logistics networks, and physically travel around the city to purchase supplies or vehicles. The player's lifestyle grows as their business grows. Big Ambitions allows players to buy apartments and other property, invest in real estate and investment funds, purchase increasingly expensive cars and furniture, and even gamble at casinos. The character also has basic needs such as sleep, health and happiness to manage alongside the corporate empire.

Version 1.0 expands Big Ambitions with The Hamptons, the game's seventh neighbourhood. It adds a new residential area and more retail locations. New furniture, activities and minigames are also included with the full release. Hovgaard Games says development will continue after 1.0, with further updates planned over the coming months followed by the game's first DLC.

The full release has also given Big Ambitions a substantial second wind on Steam. According to SteamDB, concurrent player numbers have surged from roughly 1,000 before version 1.0 landed to 7,895 at the time of writing. That is also its current 24-hour peak and puts the game within striking distance of its all-time record of 10,961 concurrent players.

At the time of writing, 92% of its roughly 5,600 English-language Steam reviews are positive, earning it a "Very Positive" rating. Recent reviews are similarly favourable, with around 90% giving the game a thumbs-up.