In the media and on gaming communities of late, there’s been a humongous emphasis on Steam concurrent player numbers.
This data is often used to deduce whether a game is selling well or not, even though it only reflects the total number of players logged into a game at any given time on a single platform.
Now Nacon has hit back at the idea that this data is representative of a game’s overall success, noting that for Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown, the vast majority of its players are on PS5.
Nacon’s Sebastien Waxin told us as part of a developer Q&A:
“A lot of players are watching Steam [concurrent] numbers because they’re the only statistics available. But the Steam community for Test Drive Unlimited is not the biggest, and the difference can be very big between PS5, which is the most active platform for our game. So, we know people are looking at Steam because it’s the only numbers available, but trust me it’s not representative at all.”
Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown had a peak player count of 5,305 concurrents on Steam, but we obviously don’t know how many people have been playing on PS5, because Sony doesn’t surface that information.
This is perhaps the first time we’ve actively seen a developer come out and explain that its game is performing better elsewhere, because it’s often assumed that if a title is underperforming on Steam, it must be doing so on all platforms. Waxin is disputing that in this statement.
Whatever the true nature of the numbers, the developer will be hoping that its Year 2 roadmap will bring more players to the racer, which it admits released in a disappointing state.
Here’s just a brief glimpse of what it’s got in store, courtesy of the game’s official press release:
- Season 4 (July, 2025)
- It will include new content like Casino, Stock Races, a new currency called Diamonds, and enhancements, including the ability to customize the HUD in-game, add up to four routes to the GPS, and invite the group to consult the route plan. This season also introduces 5 new cars, including the Aston Martin DB11 Volante, the DeLorean Alpha5, the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series, the Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato and the Porshe 911 Carrera Coupe Virtual Pair WideBody.
- Season 5 (October 2025)
- It will mark the return of taxi missions from the original game and introduces an online store, new vehicles, a rebalanced in-game economy, and an upgrade to the KT Engine, enhancing both performance and graphics.
- Season 6 (January 2026)
- With a focus on community-driven features, players are invited to vote online now to decide which new mission type will be added in the future. The four options are: Detective, Delivery, Photography, and Adrenaline.
- Season 7 (April 2026)
- It will introduce Official Racing Centres, dedicated venues on Hong Kong Island and Ibiza city, designed to enrich players' multiplayer and PvP experience through an advanced search system for both ranked and unranked races. Live Events and the Solar Pass will also be revamped.
- Season 8 (July 2026)
- It will mark the return of the Housing / Real Estate, the emblematic feature of the first two Test Drive Unlimited games, and the one most eagerly awaited by players. It will also add Extreme missions and Passenger mode. More information on these new features will be shared at a later date.
And you can learn more in a big behind-the-scenes video uploaded by the publisher, outlining the future of the racer. You can watch it in full below:
How do you feel about this roadmap? Do you think the developer’s investing energy and attention where it matters most? And what do you make of its comments on concurrent players? Let us know in the comments section below.