Does BeamNG Drive Cost Money?

Yes – BeamNG.drive is currently priced at $24.99 if you want to download and play the full game. There is no free trial or demo available.

As an automotive gaming enthusiast, I‘ve been eagerly following BeamNG drive‘s development – and believe it‘s worth the price for the incredibly realistic vehicle simulation and damage modeling you get, which no other driving game matches.

In this article, I‘ll provide a detailed overview covering where to purchase BeamNG, system requirements, what gameplay and mods are like – to help you decide if this is a car game worth adding to your PC gaming library!

Background On BeamNG Drive

For context, BeamNG.drive originated way back in 2000 from the open-source vehicle simulator Rigs of Rods. It was later in active early access development for over 5 years before having its official 1.0 release in 2015 for $24.99.

What makes BeamNG.drive special is its soft-body physics simulation – vehicles have over 4000 destructible parts modeled with real-world physics, materials, weight distribution – making crashes and damage incredibly realistic compared to arcade games like Burnout.

You have open-ended solo play across vast maps ranging from highways, cities, to challenging off-road locations. With options to freely explore, attempt stunts or challenges makes it great sandbox.

An engine swap system and extremely active modding scene (with over 300 vehicles) means immense potential to customize rides.

As a long-time player myself, I feel the BeamNG team has done incredible work with constant updates delivering new features and improvements for over 7 years since release.

Where To Purchase BeamNG Drive

If convinced BeamNG‘s simulator is for you, here is where and how you can purchase the game:

From BeamNG Directly:

• $24.99 price
• Accepts PayPal, card, paysafecard, GIROPAY, SOFORT
• Purchase additional license keys for gifting
• Keys activate on Steam

From Steam:

• Same $24.99 price
• Go through Steam Wallet
• Has regional pricing options
• Possible discounts on sales
• Tied to your Steam account

I recommend purchasing direct from BeamNG if you want the flexibility of getting license keys or live in regions with lower Steam pricing.

BeamNG Drive System Requirements

While most modern gaming rigs can run BeamNG drive smoothly, its physics simulation demands powerful specs – especially CPU and RAM for all the vehicle object calculations.

Here is a direct comparison of minimum vs recommended system requirements:

To highlight the key hardware:

• CPU: A modern high-core CPU is vital – physics calculates per vehicle part.
• RAM: Need 16GB+ for all asset streaming. It maxes out RAM usage.
• GPU: A strong card like GTX 970 allows max lighting/shadows.
• Storage: Have 50GB+ free space. And install on SSD if possible for faster asset loading.

So in summary – a high-spec modern gaming desktop is recommended for playing BeamNG Drive smoothly!

What‘s The Gameplay And Mods Like?

Now for the fun stuff – what is playing BeamNG.drive actually like?

The open world freedom across locations like coastline freeways, Utah mountains, and derby arenas means you can creatively make your own fun:

• Attempt crazy jumps and stunts
• Try landing planes on moving trucks
• Create challenges like distance jumps
• Mess around with funky engine swaps

With over 300 vehicles from modding community – from JDM cars, exotics supercars to even buses – along with unlimited customization means great long-term appeal.

These player mods truly transform the experience – bringing loads of new content and possibilities.

And this is just the beginning – the BeamNG team keeps ambitiously pushing updates, having recently added exciting features like multiplayer and own playable character. Their vision for a full campaign mode, new locations and upcoming Ray Tracing support means the simulator will only get more immersive!

So in summary – BeamNG Drive offers an unrivaled dynamic vehicle simulation sandbox perfect for gearheads seeking deep car culture and customization – which continues evolving long-term with updates and mods from its fantastic community.

Conclusion

BeamNG.drive‘s remarkably comprehensive vehicle physics paired with extensive mod support means $24.99 is great value given the hundreds or even thousands of hours I‘ve sunk into this automotive playground over 7 years and counting!

This simulator may seem niche, but once you experience its satisfying crashes and freedom to experiment – you realize no other driving game comes close to matching its vehicular mayhem.

Just ensure your PC meets recommended specs – and be prepared to kiss your social life goodbye once BeamNG drives you into its rabbit hole of automotive escapades!

So are you convinced now to give this realistic driving sandbox a test drive? Let me know your thoughts in comments!