Test Drive Unlimited dev downplays low Steam player counts, claiming stronger support as a PS5 game

Whenever a multi-platform title releases, many gamers look to Steam player counts to measure its reception. However, a Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown developer argues against putting too much emphasis on the numbers. Speaking with Push Square, Nacon's Sebastian Waxin explained that the racer has been far more successful as a PS5 game.

According to the developer, the following for Test Drive Unlimited on Steam doesn't represent the game's popularity. Without accessible information, it's difficult to judge player counts for Xbox and PS5 games. As a result, he thinks gamers overly rely on resources like SteamDB. However, readers are skeptical, as there are no console statistics to back Waxin's claims.

Websites like SteamDB offer detailed data on all Steam games available on Valve's marketplace. Readers will find some abysmal statistics for Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown. The title reached a peak of 5,305 players on its debut in September 2024. Support for the game dwindled in the following months. Now, it rarely sees more than 300 concurrent players over the span of 24 hours.

Steam reviews for Nacon's contribution to the racing franchise are equally miserable, with an average rating of 37.26%. Despite a pre-release playtest, the game launched with unreliable servers. The issues added to resentment over its always-online requirements. Poor optimization is another common complaint, with lackluster framerates even on higher-end PCs.

Following numerous patches, recent mixed Steam reviews note persistent performance problems. While players can't leave comments, Test Drive Unlimited averages ratings of around 2/5 on the PlayStation and Xbox stores. Reddit posts describe choppy gameplay that also plagues the PS5 version. Notably, some players contend that the Xbox Series X provides a better experience. 

Nacon's roadmap for Test Drive Unlimited suggests that the fanbase is large enough to warrant future updates. Content planned through July 2026 includes the return of the casino and taxi missions, which will arrive first in Seasons 4 and 5.