30 December 2025

Sequel to Popular Survival Sim Gets Rave Reviews on Steam

By newsgame

My Winter Car, the sequel to Steam’s popular open-world survival sim, My Summer Car, has just launched and is already among the platform’s most-played games. Widely regarded as one of the best indie survival sims on Steam, My Summer Car has built a dedicated fanbase that has eagerly awaited a follow-up. That anticipation appears to have paid off, with the new game already receiving rave reviews.

Concurrent player count is often an early indicator of a Steam game’s success, especially when a title attracts a large player base soon after release. A recent example is ARC Raiders, which quickly reached hundreds of thousands of concurrent players, signaling its potential as one of 2025’s best games. While My Winter Car‘s concurrent player count may not match ARC Raiders‘, it is still strong enough to suggest that many fans of the open-world survival sim are eager to try it.

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My Winter Car Reaches Over 20,000 Concurrent Players Shortly After Launch

According to SteamDB, My Winter Car on Steam drew over 20,000 concurrent players just hours after its early access release. Its popularity is partly fueled by the success of its predecessor, widely regarded as one of the best automobile simulator games with permadeath mechanics on Steam. For context, My Summer Car has 94% positive reviews from nearly 100,000 players, which helps explain how My Winter Car has built such an impressive player base so quickly.

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My Winter Car Features at a Glance

Detailed engine assembly simulation with over 200 parts
Immersive driving mechanics
Life sim and survival elements, including thirst, hunger, temperature, and stress
Various job opportunities to earn money
Choice-driven missions with unique outcomes
Realistic law enforcement that responds to player actions
Permadeath system
Optional races and driving competitions
Expansive open-world map with snowy weather

My Winter Car Receives Overwhelmingly Positive Reviews

Shortly after its early-access launch on December 29, My Winter Car also earned an Overwhelmingly Positive rating, with 97% of players recommending the game. Most users seemed pleased with their purchase, noting that the long wait was worth it. As expected for an early-access Steam game, players have encountered several bugs and issues, which developer Amistech Games has promised to address with regular patches and hotfixes. Despite this, the game’s momentum remains strong, and the outlook for My Winter Car is very positive.

What Makes My Winter Car a Successful Survival Sim

While survival simulation games are generally popular on Steam, a few titles like My Winter Car manage to appeal to a broader audience despite their niche premise. In My Winter Car, a core objective is assembling a car, including putting together a full engine with over 200 parts. The game manages to make this otherwise painstaking process engaging and even fun, turning a Sisyphean task into an enjoyable challenge.

Unexpected problems and events can arise, disrupting progress or steering the narrative in new directions.

The tried-and-true formula of My Summer Car helps the sequel keep players engaged: while building an engine from scratch may be the ultimate goal, it is only one part of the player’s daily life. Much like real life, unexpected problems and events can arise, disrupting progress or steering the narrative in new directions. This keeps the gameplay fresh and unpredictable, on a level comparable to Steam’s most successful life simulation games.

The Future of My Winter Car

My Winter Car‘s strong concurrent player count is promising for fans, indicating that the developer has already achieved early financial success and can continue developing the game without setbacks. The future of this driving, survival, and life-sim hybrid looks bright, and it appears poised to match or even surpass the success of its predecessor, with a concurrent player count nearly 255% higher than My Summer Car.

Players interested in My Winter Car should be aware that the developer has cautioned newcomers, noting that this sequel may be too challenging for those who haven’t played the first game. According to Amistech Games, “This game is for players who already master the challenge of My Summer Car. Definitely not recommended for any player not familiar with the original installment.” Fortunately, Steam currently offers both games as a bundle at a 33% discount, giving new fans an affordable way to experience the full series. The bundle costs around $20 USD for both titles, while purchasing the new installment on its own is priced at roughly $15 USD.