For a few days now, the Steam Summer Sale has been running, and the survival game Raft stands out as a big winner among the many offers. The player numbers for this ocean adventure have literally exploded and shattered the previous record. But what kind of game is it, and what do players say about the title?
What do the current player numbers look like? Raft has been able to significantly increase its player numbers on Steam in recent days and set a new record. A similar feat was recently achieved by a genre competitor: ARK: Survival Evolved saw an extreme increase in player numbers when it was temporarily available for free on Steam.
On June 26, the survival title reached its peak and broke the mark of 100,000 concurrent players for the first time (via SteamCharts.com). The old record dated back to October 2020 and had 41,946 players.
Raft leaves Early Access
What is happening currently with Raft? The increase in player numbers for Raft is not only due to the Summer Sale, which currently offers a 15% discount.
Raft received its final chapter on June 20, 2022 and officially left Early Access. At that time, you can also see the jump in player numbers: While there were a maximum of 15,042 concurrent players on June 19, the numbers rose to 66,000 on June 20.
In the first week after leaving Early Access, the numbers continued to rise, only briefly pausing at around 80,000 players, and ultimately reaching the mentioned peak.
You can see the trailer for the latest update of Raft here:
Survival battle on a raft
What kind of game is it? Raft is a survival game by Redbeet Interactive that can be played solo or in multiplayer mode.
In Raft, you start on a raft drifting on the open sea. You have very little room to move and even fewer resources. Instead of chopping down trees or collecting stones, you start off by fishing.
You fish for driftwood, garbage, and anything else that floats by your raft and create useful utensils from it. But it’s essential to invest your resources in expanding your raft.
The raft is not only your means of transport but also your living quarters and the most important protection against sharks, which you should never underestimate. Sharks in Raft do not wait for you to leave your raft for a dive; they also actively attack and damage it.
In addition to daily life on your raft, you can also explore islands in Raft and gather resources such as food and wood there. All of this helps you survive and can be used to expand your floating home.
MeinMMO author Maik Schneider has also played the survival title and explained back in January 2021 why Raft is so good.
“A purchase I definitely do not regret!”
What do players say about Raft? Looking at the reviews that Raft received on Steam from players, we see that the survival title is very well received. Of 155,051 reviews, 93% are positive.
We show you some statements made by players about Raft:
- Michi via Steam: “I think this is one of the most beautiful survival games available right now. The story is a lot of fun […].”
- Skyfighter via Steam: “Awesome game! The last chapter gives it a huge extra boost!
- Damaria via Steam: The various building possibilities, the opponents, the exploration, diving trips for resources – everything is well coordinated. How happy I was about the first bucket of milk! A purchase I definitely do not regret!
- Sirius via Steam: “Raft has many good ideas without really reinventing the wheel and convinces with a functional but nice visual style, motivating game mechanics, and a co-op mode.”
- Schiebelini via Steam: “Playing together can provide many fun hours. Working together was especially enjoyable for me.”
What do you think about Raft? Does the title appeal to you, or are you waiting for another survival game?
If you are still undecided about which survival battle you want to take on in 2022, you should take a look at our list of currently best survival games.
The 25 best survival games of 2022 for PlayStation, PC, and Xbox
