Solo developer Max’s debut hit the top 150 wishlists.
Official participation in Steam Next Fest, Xbox Game Pass launch confirmed
What started as a simple phrase— “Let’s go sledding with friends” —has now become a global indie phenomenon. The multiplayer winter sports social game Sledding Game has released an updated demo on Steam and will officially participate in Steam Next Fest , taking place from February 23rd to March 3rd.
Despite not being officially released, Sledding Game has already reached the top 150 on Steam’s popular wishlist and has been confirmed for Xbox and Xbox Game Pass—an unusual feat for a solo developer.
A syndrome that started on social media
Even before its release, Sledding Game attracted attention for its unusual approach. Developer Max consistently shared his development process on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, and short gameplay videos quickly went viral.
One clip uploaded to Instagram in particular garnered an explosive response, garnering 2.3 million views . On the first day of its Steam page launch , 15,800 wishlists were added, surpassing 80,000 within a week. This figure was more than 11 times the developer’s initial target of 7,000.
The explosive response was evident after the first demo was released, attracting over 120,000 users.
When the first multiplayer demo was released on Steam on September 26, 2025, the user response was explosive. It topped the Steam popularity charts, surpassing 5,000 concurrent users , and became one of the top 150 wishlist games. During the demo period, over 120,000 gamers participated, 45,000 new wishlist items were added, and over 2,000 positive user reviews were posted.
The demo was taken offline after a period of time, and Max stated that he would focus on further refining the game based on extensive feedback from the community. While some users expressed disappointment, the developers promised the demo would return, stating that the decision was “to create a better game.” The promised “upgraded version” was re-released at Steam Next Fest.
Upgraded Demo: What’s New?
This return to the demo isn’t a simple re-release. The most notable change is the revamped minigames, with the existing gambling element removed and replaced with the “Spinning Wheel.” Overall performance stability and various gameplay improvements have also been implemented.
The current demo features minigames like sled racing and tricks, ice fishing, curling, cornhole, snowball fights, darts, and roulette, as well as social activities like building bonfires, roasting marshmallows, drinking hot chocolate, and building snowmen. Proximity voice chat allows for real-time conversations with nearby gamers, and over 150 character and sled customization options are available. The game’s unpredictable collisions, created by the ragdoll physics engine, are a key element of its fun.
Xbox Game Pass confirmed, Unity Awards nominee
At the October 2025 IGN x ID@Xbox show, the game announced its Xbox and Game Pass launch, and was nominated for the ‘Most Anticipated Game’ category at the 2025 Unity Awards. It’s quite unusual for a solo developer’s debut to be nominated at a Unity awards show. Max himself expressed his surprise in a community post, saying, “I don’t know if this makes any sense.”
The gaming media also responded enthusiastically. VICE called it “one of the loveliest-looking games in existence,” and Rock Paper Shotgun praised its playfulness, saying, “Ragdoll physics are always welcome.”
Users Pick “Games to Play with Friends This Winter”
The demo has over 3,000 Steam reviews, and the overall response has been positive. Users particularly cite the unpredictable collisions created by the ragdoll physics engine, the simple yet addictive mechanics, and the “Yeti” character that appears and kicks you if you stray from the course as enjoyable elements. The community is actively engaged, with requests even requesting the addition of a chess minigame.
The game supports a total of 15 languages, including English, Korean, Japanese, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, French, German, and Spanish.
While Sledding Game has no official release date yet, a free demo is currently available on Steam. You can add it to your wishlist to receive a release notification, and you can connect with the developers and other players on Discord (discord.gg/sled).
Sledding Game, which began with a simple idea and community interaction, has quickly become a highly anticipated global indie game. It remains to be seen how far its clear concept of “a laugh-out-loud experience with friends” can take it, and its next steps are drawing keen attention.
Steam Store Page:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3438850/Sledding_Game/
