Best Early Access Games on Steam
Steam currently has 14,539 Early Access games available to download and play. Explore our list of the best picks ranked by Player Score. Our Player Score rankings are calculated directly from reviews left on the Steam store and will be updated in real-time as more players leave their feedback. Early Access game rankings were last updated on 9/13/2026.
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1. Vampire Survivors
Mow down thousands of night creatures and survive until dawn! Vampire Survivors is a gothic horror casual game with rogue-lite elements, where your choices can allow you to quickly snowball against the hundreds of monsters that get thrown at you. Be the bullet hell!
Vampire Survivors holds the #1 spot for "best Early Access game on Steam" with a Player Score of 97. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 266,118 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 261,621 positive reviews and 4,497 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $4.99 to play and can be played and ran on both Windows and Mac systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.
2. Wallpaper Engine
Use stunning live wallpapers on your desktop. Animate your own images to create new wallpapers or import videos/websites and share them on the Steam Workshop!
Wallpaper Engine has achieved a Player Score of 97, placing it in the #2 spot for the best Early Access games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 1,019,583 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 994,639 positive reviews and 24,944 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $4.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is not possible to play or run Wallpaper Engine on the Steam Deck.
- Price:$4.99
- Release Date:11/16/2018
- Developer:Wallpaper Engine Team
- Publisher:Wallpaper Engine Team
- Last Updated:6/12/2026
- Steam App Id:431960
3. Schedule I
From small-time dope pusher to kingpin - manufacture and distribute a range of drugs throughout the grungy city of Hyland Point. Expand your empire with properties, businesses, employees and more.
Schedule I has achieved a Player Score of 97, placing it in the #3 spot for the best Early Access games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 317,661 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 310,626 positive reviews and 7,035 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $19.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Schedule I on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
4. Slime Rancher
Slime Rancher is the tale of Beatrix LeBeau, a plucky, young rancher who sets out for a life a thousand light years away from Earth on the ‘Far, Far Range’ where she tries her hand at making a living wrangling slimes.
Slime Rancher has achieved a Player Score of 97, placing it in the #4 spot for the best Early Access games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 157,562 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 154,421 positive reviews and 3,141 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $4.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Slime Rancher on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
- Price:$4.99
- Release Date:8/1/2017
- Franchise:Monomi Park
- Developer:Monomi Park
- Publisher:Monomi Park
- Last Updated:7/29/2026
- Steam App Id:433340
5. BeamNG.drive
A dynamic soft-body physics vehicle simulator capable of doing just about anything.
BeamNG.drive has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #5 spot for the best Early Access games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 419,579 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 407,836 positive reviews and 11,743 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $24.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play BeamNG.drive on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
6. ULTRAKILL
ULTRAKILL is a fast-paced ultra-violent retro FPS that combines the skill-based style scoring of character action games with the unadulterated carnage inspired by the best shooters of the '90s. Rip apart your foes with varied destructive weaponry and shower in their blood to regain your health.
ULTRAKILL has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #6 spot for the best Early Access games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 245,434 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 238,925 positive reviews and 6,509 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $29.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.
- Price:$29.99
- Release Date:9/3/2020
- Franchise:New Blood Interactive
- Developer:Arsi "Hakita" Patala
- Publisher:New Blood Interactive
- Last Updated:8/25/2026
- Steam App Id:1229490
7. Satisfactory
Satisfactory is a first-person open-world factory building game with a dash of exploration and combat. Play alone or with friends, explore an alien planet, create multi-story factories, and enter conveyor belt heaven!
Satisfactory has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #7 spot for the best Early Access games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 280,313 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 272,648 positive reviews and 7,665 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $39.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.
- Price:$39.99
- Release Date:9/10/2024
- Franchise:Coffee Stain
- Developer:Coffee Stain Studios
- Publisher:Coffee Stain Publishing
- Last Updated:9/3/2026
- Steam App Id:526870
8. Subnautica
Descend into the depths of an alien underwater world filled with wonder and peril. Craft equipment, pilot submarines and out-smart wildlife to explore lush coral reefs, volcanoes, cave systems, and more - all while trying to survive.
Subnautica has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #8 spot for the best Early Access games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 380,911 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 369,834 positive reviews and 11,077 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $29.99 to play and can be played and ran on both Windows and Mac systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.
- Price:$29.99
- Release Date:1/23/2018
- Franchise:Unknown Worlds
- Developer:Unknown Worlds Entertainment
- Publishers:
- Last Updated:6/23/2026
- Steam App Id:264710
9. Lethal Company
A co-op horror about scavenging at abandoned moons to sell scrap to the Company.
Lethal Company has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #9 spot for the best Early Access games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 511,014 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 495,475 positive reviews and 15,539 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $9.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Lethal Company on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
10. Rhythm Doctor
Save patients with your rhythm mastery! Rhythm Doctor is a rhythm game where you heal patients by defibrillating in time to their heartbeats. Learn each patient's unique heartbeat and defeat boss viruses trying to sabotage your rhythm, all set to heart-pumping, soul-soothing music.
Rhythm Doctor has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #10 spot for the best Early Access games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 27,068 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 26,568 positive reviews and 500 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $15.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.
- Price:$15.99
- Release Date:12/6/2025
- Franchise:7th Beat Games
- Developer:7th Beat Games
- Publishers:
- Last Updated:10/2/2026
- Steam App Id:774181
More Early Access Games
Explore even more rankings for the 100 best Early Access games available on Steam.
Soures & References
Steambase has best-in-class data powered directly by Steam, our data partners, and in-house experts. Reviews and rankings are enriched, analyzed, and updated in real-time to ensure we surface the most up-to-date insights. Learn more about the Steambase approach to data collection and our review methodology.
- Valve Corporation. (2026, September 13). Steam Store. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com
- Valve Corporation. (2026, September 13). Vampire Survivors on Steam. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1794680
- Valve Corporation. (2026, June 12). Wallpaper Engine on Steam. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com/app/431960
- Valve Corporation. (2026, June 9). Schedule I on Steam. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com/app/3164500
- Valve Corporation. (2026, July 29). Slime Rancher on Steam. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com/app/433340
- Valve Corporation. (2026, June 22). BeamNG.drive on Steam. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com/app/284160
- Valve Corporation. (2026, August 25). ULTRAKILL on Steam. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1229490
- Valve Corporation. (2026, September 3). Satisfactory on Steam. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com/app/526870
- Valve Corporation. (2026, June 23). Subnautica on Steam. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com/app/264710
- Valve Corporation. (2026, June 15). Lethal Company on Steam. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1966720
- Valve Corporation. (2026, October 2). Rhythm Doctor on Steam. Steam Store. https://store.steampowered.com/app/774181