Hey everybody,
So, this is it. We're finally out of Early Access with Build #6402082
It's been quite a ride, hasn't it?
I'm not gonna lie, we would have loved to spend much less time in Early Access – maybe even releasing our couch-coop game during a time where people can actually meet. It took us a lot longer than we expected, but in the end, we're super happy with how the game turned out.
Just think where we started. This is what the game looked like when it was greenlit:
That gif isn't even slowed down. LOOK HOW SLOW THAT WAS!
After the game jam version was greenlit, we worked on the game a bunch, and this is what eventually kicked off our Early Access:
A lot prettier, and a faster than the previous version. Here's where we introduced the Monster Truck that would eventually become the trademark – but there was still so much missing.
When you compare it to what we're launching today... Crazy, don't you think?
Leo DaVinci once said "Art is never finished, only abandoned", and boy was he right.
Don't get me wrong, we're not saying Can't Drive This is art, nor are we abandoning the game – Far from it! There are still about a million and a half ideas we have for Can't Drive This! We could easily put another 5 years into the game, adding accessibility features, new game modes, more customization options, Workshop integration, and lots lots more.
We're just at a point where we have to set Can't Drive This free, into the wild.
Kick the baby bird out of the nest, if you will.
We'd be great bird-parents.
Getting Can't Drive This over the finish line was tough, especially with everybody transitioning into home office, and working remotely. And in all honesty, working on any game for so long takes its toll, and there certainly were moments we were just flat out fed up with the game. Imagine eating Pizza every day for five years.
... Actually that sounds awesome, bad example.
Your continued support through all this time reassured us of being on the right track.
At every stage of the development, during every moment of doubt, your support was the tailwind we needed to keep going. It's as if you were looking us deep in the eye, saying
"We know the game, and we're gonna play it.
And if you ask me how I'm feeling, don't tell me you're too blind to say.
Never gonna give you up.
Never gonna let you down.
Never gonna run around and desert you."
This game wouldn't have been made without you.
You, personally. Seriously.
First of all, if you genuinely feel this way, thank you! That's absolutely ace!
There are two things you can do to support the continued development of the game:
1) Tell your friends about it! Can't Drive This is launching on Steam, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, so no matter where they play, they can play Can't Drive This. :)
2) Tell us about it! Developing a game for so long can be exhausting, and there's nothing more motivating than hearing from players who genuinely enjoy it. It may not fund the game, but it'll definitely make our day. :)
As I said before, there's a bunch of ideas we have for the game – and if Can't Drive This sells well, we'd be thrilled to keep adding awesome new updates in the future. Truth is, we'll just have to see how it goes. :)
In any case, we're also excited to start working on our next game, Escape the Loop (which already has its own Steam page). It'll be a nice change of pace to be working on something so fundamentally different.
Music for the Road
For those who need more Can't Drive This in their lives, we prepared a Spotify playlist of songs we would've added to the game if we had infinite money. Seriously, it's absolutely insane how expensive it is to license popular songs. These are songs we thought would vibe really well with the game. Some may even sound like they're in the game! :) Just scan the above image with your Spotify app, or simply click here.
Additionally, we'll be releasing the game's soundtrack to all streaming platforms fairly soon! It's not much, but it'll help for those days where you can't get that damn theme song out of your head.
Just keep your eyes peeled!
I guess that's pretty much it.
If you want to celebrate with us today, we'll be live on Twitch at twitch.tv/pixel_maniacs pretty much all day, playing the game, talking about the development, and just generally having good time. Come and hang out! It'll be in German mostly, but we'll have no problem switching to English so everybody can follow the conversation.
Also for a more long-term deal, feel free to join our Discord (discord.gg/pixel-maniacs)!
Before I head out, I want to take one last moment to thank all the amazing people who helped make Can't Drive This possible. The seriously awesome folks over at FFF Bayern funded the game's development, which made it possible for us to make it in the first place. Our friends at Neobird helped us bring the game to Nintendo Switch, just like our buddies at Massive Miniteam helped bring it to PS5. And last, but not least: Perp Games, who believed in the game so much, they decided to publish it to PS4 and PS5 on disc! Seriously, you can own the game on disc, in a box and everything!
Finally, one last thank you to all of you, from every one of us here at Pixel Maniacs.
Chances are you've been with us for a long time – and we really appreciate the heck out of that.
See you on the streets, people!
More beautiful environment
We swapped the old, infinitely empty ocean, for a rich environment, so your eyes don't get bored should you ever not be looking at the track.
You should, however, always be looking at the track.
Completely new tiles
The style of the tiles matches the new detail-richness of the rest of the game. And yes, we also kicked the windmill. (Though you won't like what we put in its place)
New visuals when driving too slow
The old CDT had a tiny, barely noticeable, speedometer in the lower left corner. Incidentally, the lower left corner is exactly where you're not looking while playing. So now, when you're about to explode – you'll notice.
Yardage supports up to four players locally
Nuff said.
New VFX, SFX and Music
We completely overhauled the soundscape of the game, starting with new motor sounds, and ending with a sick original theme song!
Online Multiplayer is much more stable
Remember, when you played online and you got randomly disconnected?
Yeah, not anymore you don't.
Full controller support
You can control the entire game with your controller now. Including, but not limited to, driving, building, navigating the menu, and tossing the controller into your friends face for not building in time.