Firevolt has launched the first public demo for WheelMates on Steam. The co-op project pairs two participants behind the controllers of remote-controlled cars, sending them through the household of missing scientist. The full game will be available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. In the announcement post on Steam, Firevolt thanked players for their support through development, invited feedback on what worked and what didn’t, and directed bug reports to the Steam discussion thread or the studio’s Discord. “This is a huge step for us,” the team wrote of the demo’s release.
The demo includes two locations, a kitchen and a garage. The garage was added after testers reported that the playtest level didn’t give them enough to explore. Players can take on these areas solo, online with a partner, or locally on the same screen through couch co-op. Firevolt has confirmed that local co-op only needs a single PC and a second controller. An intro cutscene fills in the backstory of the disappearance and the experiments left behind in the scientist’s home. The available gear includes magnet grab and rope swing, used for working through puzzles together. The studio overhauled core driving since the last playtest. Firevolt has also reworked the physics so the cars carry less weight and react faster to inputs, and the camera now follows automatically rather than requiring manual adjustment via the right stick or mouse. Drifting has been added for cornering, as well as air stunts. The studio has described the changes as a way to reduce friction so the experience could lean on exploration and cooperative puzzle work rather than wrestling with the controls.
The pacing of Wheelmates is relaxed; nothing in the game is timed, and nothing penalizes the pair for moving slowly. Coordination is the only aspect of importance required to advance, with upgrades gating hidden rooms and new paths across the home. The Steam page lists the game under Adventure, Indie, and Racing. The full release date has not been announced.
WheelMates is available to wishlist now on Steam, with the free demo live today.