Arctic Drive Demo Guide: What's In It, Objectives, Checklist and Save Carryover

Arctic Drive demo guide

Updated Nov 13, 2026 · Demo

Quick answer

The Arctic Drive demo is free on Steam (out since October 8, 2026). It includes a scenario slice, several biomes, blizzards, the starting cabin and garage, the recycler/crafting bench and co-op. The demo was the 47th most-played demo of the last Steam Next Fest. Demo progress is not confirmed to carry into Early Access — treat it as a separate run.

Full Arctic Drive demo playthrough (community)

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Cabin and starting garage

Loot the cabin for food, drink and clothesStarting cabin — the demo begins with almost no food.
Find the car in the garageThe garage next to the cabin; parts are lying around it.
Fit the batteryGarage / engine bay. The car will not start without it.
Fit the radiatorSpawn point / engine bay. The latest demo patch adds a radiator at spawn.
Check the engine oilEngine bay — there is an oil level readout.
Fit winter tiresGarage / around the car. Winter tires are safer on ice.
Fit the doors and steering wheelAround the car / garage.
Turn on the heater and watch the batteryCar dashboard. The heater runs off the battery.

First drive

Load food and waterTrunk / back seat — physical items.
Take at least one jerry canGarage / first POI. Fuel is the run.
Find the compass at the top of the screenHUD. There is no map.
Reach the first POIFollow the road; buildings are visible from it.
Do not go off-road earlyThe snow hides rocks; the demo has no unstuck button.

First workbench

Find a working generatorPOIs such as a factory, gas station or cabin.
Power and use the recyclerNext to the generator; recycle junk into materials.
Craft a Good Repair Kit (100 gear/scrap)Workbench. Costs from the official screenshot; may change.
Craft a Cargo Box (35 gear/scrap)Workbench — cheap extra storage.
Craft a Flare Gun (60 gear/scrap) before a long empty stretchWorkbench — calls an emergency air drop.

Demo objectives and survival

Survive the scripted stormThe demo storm stops after 180 seconds; shelter and wait.
Listen to the radio (two repeats)The demo radio turns off after two repeats.
Keep the engine temperature out of the redCheck the radiator/coolant if it climbs.
In co-op, find the revival kits in the starting garageGroups of 2–4 players; keep one on the driver.

What the demo includes

The demo is a selected part of the full game, not the whole map:

A scenario that teaches the loop: scavenge, repair, drive, recycle, craft.
Several biomes and a road that changes.
Blizzards and the need to shelter.
The starting cabin and garage, with the car in pieces.
A recycler and crafting bench at a working generator.
1–4 player online co-op and solo.
Shopping-cart interaction (yes, really).

The developers say 100,000 people played the demo, and it was the 47th most-played demo of the last Steam Next Fest out of 7,000+ demos.

Demo objectives

The current demo has a few scripted beats:

The radio turns off after two repeats.
The storm stops after 180 seconds.
Groups of 2–4 players get revival kits in the starting garage.
The latest patch adds a radiator at the spawn point and improves the starting area.

The demo is a tutorial for the full loop, not a full quest log. If you finish the scenario, you have learned the systems that Early Access will expand.

Demo checklist

Use the tickable checklist on this page to track your run. It covers:

Cabin loot and the starting garage (battery, radiator, oil, winter tires, doors, heater).
The first drive (food, water, jerry can, compass, first POI).
The first workbench (generator, recycler, Good Repair Kit, Cargo Box, Flare Gun).
The demo objectives (storm, radio, engine temperature, co-op revival).

What carries into Early Access

Not confirmed. The developers have not announced that demo saves or progress carry over. The demo is a separate scenario slice; Early Access will add 50+ locations, more vehicles, a longer scenario and tornadoes. Do not grind the demo expecting to keep the car.

Demo vs Early Access

Demo	Early Access (announced)
A selected slice / scenario	50+ locations, longer scenario
Starting area and several biomes	More biomes and vehicles
1–4 player co-op	Same core co-op
No tornadoes	Tornadoes
Free	Price not announced

Demo tips

Do the starting garage first; the car is the run.
Loot the cabin before you leave.
Do not skip the first workbench; a repair kit saves the run.
Use the compass; there is no map.
Try co-op if you can; revival kits and roles make the demo easier.
Do not expect saves to carry; treat it as practice.

Arctic Drive workbench crafting menu in the demo — Official screenshot. © Pebbles Games / PlayTogether Studio / Bonus Stage Publishing

FAQ

Is the Arctic Drive demo free?

Yes. The demo is free on Steam and has been available since October 8, 2026.

How long is the demo?

It is a selected slice, not the full game. The demo has a scenario, several biomes and the starting area; the exact length depends on how much you explore.

Does demo progress carry into Early Access?

Not confirmed. The developers have not announced save carryover; treat the demo as a separate run.

What is the 180-second storm?

A scripted demo objective: the patch notes say the storm stops after 180 seconds, and the radio turns off after two repeats. It is demo pacing, not necessarily how Early Access weather works.

Can I play the demo in co-op?

Yes. The demo supports 1–4 player online co-op and gives groups of 2–4 players revival kits in the starting garage.