How to Evaluate Racing Game Popularity Using Steam Sales Data

Introduction

Racing games once dominated the gaming landscape, but today only a few—like Forza Horizon—can claim mainstream multiplatform success. If you want to understand why some racing titles soar while others stall, you need to know how to analyze Steam sales data. This guide will walk you through the process of tracking pre-orders, chart positions, and market trends, using the 2025 hit Forza Horizon 6 as our prime example.

What You Need

• Steam client or web browser to access the Steam store
• A Steam account (free to create)
• Access to SteamDB or SteamCharts for historical revenue and player data
• A spreadsheet (Google Sheets or Excel) to record findings
• Time to observe weekly charts over at least one month
• Critical thinking to distinguish between hype and sustained success

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Identify Weekly Revenue Leaders

Open Steam’s Top Sellers page (under the “Shop” tab). Sort by Weekly Revenue to see which games earn the most money. Note the top 10 positions each week. For example, Forza Horizon 6 hovered near the top of this chart starting in early April 2025, even before its official release. Premium editions that offer early access or future DLC often boost a game’s revenue significantly.

Step 2: Track Pre-Order Numbers

Pre-orders are a powerful indicator of anticipated demand. Check press releases or reputable gaming news sites for reported pre-order figures. By April 15, 2025, Forza Horizon 6 had over 500,000 pre-purchases—and that number likely doubled by launch week. For context, Battlefield 6 had ~1.7 million pre-orders just before its October 10 launch, showing that racing games can approach, but rarely match, shooter-level enthusiasm.

Step 3: Examine Pre-Order Bonuses and Editions

Look at the incentives driving pre-orders. Forza Horizon 6 offered a free “Pre-Tuned Ferrari J50” for all pre-orders—but because the final game contains over 500 cars, that bonus alone isn’t a huge motivator. The real driver is the $120 Premium Edition, which grants four days of early access and all future DLC. Note such edition structures when evaluating why players commit early.

Step 4: Compare with Other Recent Racing Games

Now expand your research to other racing titles that launched in 2025. Use historical Steam revenue charts to see which ones cracked the top 10. From the data:

• Sonic Crossworlds (launched September 25, 2025) – peaked at #11, behind titles like Megabonk and Silent Hill f.
• F1 25 (launched May 31, 2025) – hit #5 in its launch week.
• Tokyo Xtreme Racer (launched into early access January 23, 2025; full launch September 25, 2025) – reached #11 in early access but failed to break top 20 at full launch.
• Assetto Corsa Evo (launched January 7, 2025) – peaked at #6.

Record these positions in your spreadsheet, along with concurrent player counts and review scores.

Step 5: Assess Brand Power and Cultural Impact

Not all racing games are equal. Tokyo Xtreme Racer was one of the most talked-about racers of 2025, yet it never broke the top 10. Why? Its brand power doesn’t match that of Sonic or F1. Ask yourself: does the franchise have mainstream name recognition? Does it benefit from a loyal fanbase (Forza Horizon 6) or a strong IP (Sonic)? Compare social media buzz versus actual sales—topic discussion doesn’t always translate to revenue.

Step 6: Recognize the Broader Trend

Racing games are no longer a dominant genre, aside from perennial giants like Mario Kart and Forza Horizon. New releases like Screamer, Carmageddon: Rogue Shift, Ride 6, and MotoGP 26 all received positive reviews but failed to penetrate the top 10. This reflects a shift: racing games used to be a medium’s key genre in the '90s and early 2000s, but today they rarely sustain long discussions. Even high-selling racers quickly fade from the conversation. For example, Forza Horizon 6 will generate short-lived hype via vertical videos of its Japanese setting, but unlike controversial story-driven games like Mixtape, it won’t spark heated debates.

Step 7: Draw Informed Conclusions

Combine all your data. If a racing game like Forza Horizon 6 hits the top of Steam’s revenue chart with over a million pre-orders, it verifies that the series is one of the last truly mainstream multiplatform racing franchises. Other titles, despite strong launches (Assetto Corsa Evo at #6, F1 25 at #5), lack the consistent traction to dominate the market long-term. Use your spreadsheet to identify patterns: which bonuses work, which IPs carry weight, and which genres have replaced racing games in the public eye.

Tips for Accurate Analysis

• Differentiate early access from full launch—some games debut high in charts but drop sharply when they exit early access (e.g., Tokyo Xtreme Racer).
• Don’t confuse revenue with units sold—premium editions skew the revenue chart, so a game like Forza Horizon 6 may appear higher than its actual unit count.
• Watch for seasonality—holiday sales or Steam events can temporarily boost a game’s position.
• Include console exclusivity—Forza Horizon is also on Xbox, so Steam numbers don’t tell the whole story.
• Consider player counts—a game with high revenue but low concurrent players might rely on expensive DLC rather than broad player base.
• Ignore non-racing driving games—titles like RV There Yet?, GTA 5, or RoadCraft have driving but are not racing simulations; exclude them for a pure comparison.