Most Played Racing Games On Steam In December 2024

FH4 Second Image.jpg
Forza Horizon 4 tops the list for December with 16,640.50 average players. Images: Turn 10 Studios
With the final month of 2024 in the books, it is time to look at the most-played racing games on Steam in December 2024.

Note: This is not a definitive list of the games' players. Most are available outside of Steam on platforms such as EA Play, Epic Games, and others, and many on consoles as well, for which the data is not readily available. As a result, this list is based exclusively on the numbers relevant to Steam.

BeamNG.drive
finds itself knocked down a step in favour of Forza Horizon 4 after being delisted from Steam. Outside of the Turn 10 Studios titles, the big winners are Le Mans Ultimate, Automobilista 2, Need for Speed Heat and Unbound as well as The Crew Motorfest.

CI.jpg


Each of these titles saw more than a 100% gain in average players compared to their November numbers; the Steam winter sale will have had a significant role to play in the Need for Speed franchise numbers, especially as some of the entries were discounted by upwards of 90%.

At the end of November, there was a free-to-play weekend surrounding the Las Vegas Grand Prix within F1 24 which soared the player numbers. We expected them to crash in December, but with the final race of the actual season being so late in the year, the title has had a further increase of 26.43% for December. The title has had a somewhat unexpected strong finish to 2024, regardless of the split opinions on how the game drives.

TitleAverage Player CountPeak Player NumberGain / Loss %
Forza Horizon 416,640.5045,930+45.77%
BeamNG.drive16,424.6029,827+14.59%
Assetto Corsa10,504.5019,780+16.57%
Need for Speed Heat4,384.6011,756+148.73%
Need for Speed Unbound3,709.68,170+164.02%
F1 243,399.606,775+26.43%
Assetto Corsa Competizione2,471.35,214+9.29%
MX Bikes2,464.74,143+6.60%
CarX Drift Racing Online1,767.602,976+20.00%
The Crew 21,553.702,745-24.92%
My Summer Car1,467.303,654-6.19%
F1 Manager 20241,464.702657+21.31%
Automobilista 21,325.73,855+132.77%
Trailmakers1,248.502,790+21.07%
DiRT Rally 2.01,2482419+1.89%
Asphalt Legends Unite1,140.601778+3.17%
The Crew Motorfest1,140.002,296+107.13%
F1 23916.51857-7.78%
Trackmania868.32,209-3.54%
CarX Street866.11,865-4.08%
Le Mans Ultimate6652290+133.99%
RaceRoom Racing Experience602.11,414+8.06%
Forza Motorsport599.6988+26.89%
EA Sports WRC593.91245+15.08%
Wreckfest460.81,307+9.79%
Need For Speed Payback459.41,006+46.49%
Uncrashed: FPV Drone Simulator432888+14.77%
Liftoff418.2727+2.24%
Motorsport Manager315.8559+7.69%
rFactor 2315.1775-3.87%
F1 22285.1553+1.53%
Disney Speedstorm259.1436-16.96%
Most Played Racing Games on Steam in December 2024 (cap at 250 avg. players; top values in bold). Source: steamcharts.com

With both Automobilista 2 and Le Mans Ultimate having significant updates, it is only right that both of these titles are fighting near the top of the pile when it comes to popularity. Automobilista 2's 1.6 update was revolutionary for the title, and Le Mans Ultimate's new content and structure have brought a wave of new and returning players to the official title of the World Endurance Championship.

It was to be Forza Horizon 4's month with a staggering 16,640.50 average players. With the title being delisted from stores and marketplaces worldwide, expect to see the numbers start to drop off as 2025 rolls through. For December, however, it beats out BeamNG.drive and its own younger brother, Forza Horizon 5, to take that top step on the theoretical podium. With a peak of 45,930 players, Forza Horizon 4 also vastly overshadows another in that category on this list.

Engine Shot.jpg


**After a slight misunderstanding with last month's figures, this is the newly updated list of the most-played racing games on Steam. Thank you all for pointing out the errors and mistakes.**

What do you make of the most-played racing games on Steam in December 2024? Let us know in the comments below, and join the discussion on our forums!
About author
Connor Minniss
Website Content Editor & Motorsport Photographer aiming to bring you the best of the best within the world of sim racing.

Comments

Premium
The ams2 figures look off. Peak was close to 4K concurrent when 1.6 dropped and it’s been hitting 2.3k most evenings according to steamdb. How are these numbers generated ?
Ah I just checked back , the 3800 peak was at end of November . My bad .
 
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I know the site needs news but this article monthly is pointless. Every month it causes arguments between fanboys. In my opinion it would make more sense to do it quarterly.

Arguments, more like harmless banter.

My definition of fanboys is someone bags anything for no better reason then they can.

Online is like a pimple on a Polack's arse, if studios relied on it they would go broke.

Full of their own self importance and I am one :coffee:
 
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Premium
I suspect there's one just about to rise to the top....

NEW DRIVING PHYSICS?!?!?!?!?

How Can You Live With Yourself GIF by The Bachelor Australia


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FWIW, Race Room not being far ahead of forza dumpster fire makes me really question these numbers. I suspect alien manipulation.

lying keeping up with the kardashians GIF by E!
 
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Premium
Oddly, I consider a fanboy to be someone that thinks if they have a favorite title, that makes it better then all the others, and every opportunity must be used to let people know.

This doesn't require the bagging of any other title, Just the delusion around the status they have given something because they like it.
 
Oddly, I consider a fanboy to be someone that thinks if they have a favorite title, that makes it better then all the others, and every opportunity must be used to let people know.

This doesn't require the bagging of any other title, Just the delusion around the status they have given something because they like it.
But then, it also involves twisting the definition of what a fanboi is, so it somehow does not fit them.
 
Premium
But then, it also involves twisting the definition of what a fanboi is, so it somehow does not fit them.

Well, it fits the bald one on youtube, and a couple that have posted in this thread.

And that's who I was aiming at.

My definition leaves it open for them to bash other titles, but then it just gets to be trolling.

Not that I have any real world opposition to fanboys or trolls as long as its entertaining and they are good at it.
 
Premium
Loving all Sims on my PC, and as always some more than others, BeamNG's increased popularity could be due to, amongst other things, the lastest update as there is a substantial amount on You Tube promoting it.

CarX Street, another I personally enjoy for that slight variation to the seriousness of Sims Racing.

As long as everything is enjoyed, whatever is available can be savored.

CARX STREET 31 d.jpg


Some Sims allow more creativity with the functions they provide as well as the usual driving / racing about...each to their own I suppose;)
Below image is a composite with BeamNG and Daz3D...no AI used in the creation of this image

Title - 'SO...You Want Some of This!'

0 BeamNG SO You Want Some of This crop copy.jpg


...and the awesome AMS2 below.

5 AMS2 v1 6 copy.jpg
 
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Premium
A few things I consider contribute to beamng's success

  1. Easily playable with a game pad
  2. Works well in third person which suits "gamers"
  3. Cheap price
  4. Ongoing content expansion with no attempt to charge for it
  5. Youtube videos.
  6. Can be used as a casual time waster
  7. Its ugly so it doesn't confuse console gamers
 
Premium
A few things I consider contribute to beamng's success

  1. Easily playable with a game pad
  2. Works well in third person which suits "gamers"
  3. Cheap price
  4. Ongoing content expansion with no attempt to charge for it
  5. Youtube videos.
  6. Can be used as a casual time waster
  7. Its ugly so it doesn't confuse console gamers
..A far better list of...errr...positives:p
 
AC still the most popular sim racing game by far. With the constant improvements with CSP and Pure, and excellent pay mods regularly coming out from VRC, RSS and URD, it will stay on the top for at least this year. AC EVO may claim that top spot… in a few years, but that will depend a lot on how mod support will work out.
 
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