The build-up survival mix RimWorld is breaking its own records on Steam: On the one hand, the number of simultaneously active players is currently over 30,000 on average, and on the other hand, RimWorld also broke its own previous peak, which is now around 51,000 lies (via Steamcharts.com).
The reason for the new highs is the new DLC Ideology, which was released on July 20, 2021 and adds new game mechanics around ideologies and religions. Players can now create even more complex background stories of their colonists, which creates more game depth through new gameplay mechanics such as rituals and character roles.
In the extra article you can read everything you need to know about the paid extension Ideology and the free update 1.3 for RimWorld that was released at the same time:
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RimWorld: The survival hit becomes even more of a role-playing game via DLC
One of the most popular Steam games
Even if the number of players at RimWorld currently “only” ranks in the top 25 most played Steam games, RimWorld is still one of the most successful titles on Valve’s platform. The superlative can be found in the player ratings: RimWorld achieved a stellar 98 percent positive ratings from around 91,000 user reviews.
More precisely: According to the statistics website SteamDB RimWorld is only half a percentage point behind the best rated game Portal 2 and is in ninth place. The graphic shows how thin the air becomes at the top:
Addons rated less well: The Ideology extension, on the other hand, only received 84 percent positive votes. The first DLC Royalty also achieved only 83 percent positive player ratings.
RimWorld was released as a full version on October 17, 2018 after five years of Early Access. Developer Tynan Sylvester from Ludeon Studios has since released the two addons Royalty and Ideology, each of which was accompanied by free updates for the main game.
This is what the author thinks: RimWorld is one of those games that you can let sit for a year or two, only to then sink back to the top when the occasion arises. I am celebrating the developers for the latest addon, as it adds a completely new level with the »ideology«, which specifically expands what, in my opinion, is RimWorld’s greatest strength: storytelling.Now I’m creating (thanks to the freshly updated Mod Prepare Carefully) the colonist squad of my dreams and equipping them with their own religion / ideology. Convinced transhumanists who are naturally full of bionic hardware are a good thing. The new game mechanics around rituals, beliefs and powerful relics fit in perfectly. This makes the story generator hybrid of structure, survival and simulation even more complex, which I especially like as an old Dwarf Fortress fan.