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Axolot Games

Axolot Games officially released Scrap Mechanic version 1.0 on Steam on July 24, 2026, ending a decade-long early access period. The launch generated a peak of 46,643 concurrent players, but post-release reviews note bugs and the developer is working on fixes.

Synthesized from 2 Yomimono stories · updated Jul 28

Axolot Games announced in early July that Scrap Mechanic would leave early access on July 24, after ten years of incremental updates. The sandbox survival game, which entered Steam early access in 2016, received the Drilling Thunder update at launch, adding a complete story mode for Survival Mode for the first time. The update also brought graphical improvements, new building parts, enemies, weapons, costumes, and performance optimizations.

On release day, the game peaked at 46,643 concurrent players on Steam, according to Denfaminicogamer, a dramatic jump from its typical 1,000-2,000 daily players. The game has accumulated over 100,000 user reviews on Steam, with 92% positive overall, earning a 'Very Positive' rating. Players praised the high degree of crafting freedom and the wide range of vehicle parts.

However, post-release reviews noted bugs such as freezes, poor combat balance, and excessive grinding, causing the recent review rating to drop to 87% positive. The developer acknowledged the issues and stated they are working on fixes. Scrap Mechanic is priced at 3,850 yen and supports Japanese UI.

Key facts

Release date
July 24, 2026 on PC via Steam
Early access start
2016
Drilling Thunder update content
Adds a complete story mode for Survival Mode, graphical improvements, new building parts, enemies, weapons, costumes, and performance optimizations
Peak concurrent players
46,643 on Steam
Overall Steam review rating
92% positive, 'Very Positive' (over 100,000 reviews)
Recent review rating
87% positive
Developer response to bugs
Acknowledged issues and stated they are working on fixes
Price
3,850 yen, supports Japanese UI

Timeline

Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every fact links the story it came from.

Connections

Structured graph also available as JSON at /public/entities/axolot-games. CC BY 4.0.

All coverage

Jul 28

Scrap Mechanic Officially Releases After 10 Years, Peaks at 46,643 Concurrent Players

Axolot Games officially released the sandbox survival game Scrap Mechanic on PC via Steam on July 24, 2026, ending a decade-long early access period that began in 2016. The full launch was accompanied by the 'Drilling Thunder' update, which adds a complete story mode for Survival Mode for the first time, explaining the rampage of agricultural robots and the player's escape from the planet. The update also includes graphical improvements, new building parts, enemies, weapons, and costumes, along with performance optimizations. Following release, the game saw a peak concurrent player count of 46,643 on Steam, according to Denfaminicogamer, while Automaton reported a peak of 37,801. The game has accumulated over 100,000 user reviews on Steam, with 92% positive, earning a 'Very Positive' rating. Players praise the high degree of crafting freedom and the wide range of vehicle parts. However, post-release reviews note bugs such as freezes, poor combat balance, and excessive grinding, with the recent review rating dropping to 87% positive. The developer has acknowledged the issues and stated they are working on fixes. Scrap Mechanic is priced at 3,850 yen and supports Japanese UI.

Jul 4

Scrap Mechanic Finally Gets Full Release After 10 Years in Early Access

Axolot Games announced that Scrap Mechanic will leave early access and launch version 1.0 on July 24. The sandbox survival game, which entered Steam early access in 2016, will add the Drilling Thunder update with full story elements, an underground exploration area, mining vehicles, and a graphical upgrade.