One million people have wishlisted Over the Hill on Steam, and developer Funselektor (working alongside Strelka Games) is marking the occasion by giving fans a chance to get behind the wheel before the game officially launches.
How a Mudrunner-style explorer built a million-wishlist head of steam
Over the Hill comes from Funselektor, the studio behind Art of Rally, a critically loved isometric racer with a devoted following. The new project shifts gears entirely, swapping tarmac stages for open wilderness exploration in iconic off-road vehicles from the 1960s through the 1980s. The comparison to Mudrunner is hard to avoid: thick mud, deep snow, and a toolbox of equipment to get yourself unstuck are all part of the package.
Here's the thing, though. Over the Hill isn't positioning itself as a sim or a racing game. The core loop is about driving solo or with friends through the wilderness, discovering hidden locales, completing tasks to unlock new vehicles, and upgrading your gear. It's the kind of game you put on when you want to feel like you're actually somewhere else.
Reaching 1 million wishlists without even having a firm release date (only a broad 2026 window) is a strong signal that the off-road exploration niche has been waiting for something exactly like this.
Algeria reveal and what the playtest actually covers
Alongside the wishlist milestone, Funselektor and Strelka Games also pulled back the curtain on a new region at the recent Triple-I Initiative Showcase: Algeria. Modeled on the real-world location, the region features sprawling plateaus and promises discoveries ranging from ancient ruins and sand-swept valleys to fallen meteorites. That last one is a nice touch.
The playtest running April 24-26 is a closed event. Registration is open from April 9 through April 16, so the window to sign up is short.
What content will actually be available during those three days hasn't been confirmed yet, but it's a direct feedback opportunity with the developers ahead of launch. For anyone who has been tracking Over the Hill since its announcement, this is the first real chance to get hands-on time with it.
A console version is also planned, though it will arrive after the Steam release.
Why this one has momentum
The Mudrunner and Snowrunner fanbase is large and underserved when it comes to alternatives. Over the Hill isn't trying to clone those games directly, but it's clearly fishing in the same waters: deliberate, physics-aware off-road driving with a focus on atmosphere over competition. The Art of Rally pedigree matters here too. That game found an audience that appreciated style and feel over raw simulation depth, and Over the Hill looks to carry that same design sensibility into a completely different setting.
What most players miss when they first see the trailers is just how much the exploration angle separates this from a pure driving sim. Tasks tied to vehicle unlocks and the gear upgrade loop suggest there's a proper progression system underneath the relaxed exterior.
For the latest gaming news and latest reviews across all platforms, keep an eye on what's coming out of the off-road genre this year. If you want to register for the April 24-26 playtest, head to the Over the Hill Steam page before signups close on April 16. You can also browse more guides to get up to speed on similar games in the genre while you wait.
