Initial Drift Online Free on Steam Until January 18 as Developer Teases Successor

RewindApp is giving away Initial Drift Online through Steam until 18 January at 10:00am PST. You need to claim the racing MMO before the deadline to keep forever.

The 2023 release drops players into recreations of Japan's mountain passes. Think Mt. Haruna, Mt. Akagi, and the Irohazaka route. The game leans into Initial D inspiration, complete with tofu delivery runs for earning in-game cash.

Grab the free title by visiting its Steam page and clicking 'Add to Account'. Done. After 18 January, the price returns to $4.99.

What Initial Drift Online Offers

The multiplayer racer focuses on drifting mechanics over simulation accuracy. Three legendary Japanese locations form a semi-open world where players compete in uphill and downhill battles.

Players earn money through tofu deliveries (yes, like Takumi in Initial D). That cash funds car purchases and customisation. The game features global leaderboards, day-night cycles, and both first-person and third-person camera options.

Music playlists split between Eurobeat and Phonk. Standard stuff for this genre.

RewindApp has released over 90 titles on Steam, including the Retrowave and Drift86 franchises. The studio announced a new drift game called Akina in December 2025, set for early 2026 release.

Reception and Current Issues

Steam reviews sit at "Mostly Positive" overall with 79% positive from 788 users. Recent reviews tell a different story. Mixed ratings in the past 30 days reflect some frustrations.

Server problems plague the free promotion. Players report getting kicked from servers after 5-10 seconds, requiring constant reconnections. Multiple Steam Community posts from 13 January show widespread server instability issues.

The sudden influx of free players appears to have overwhelmed the infrastructure. Some Russian-speaking players mention the same kicking problems, suggesting the issue affects multiple regions.

Despite the technical hiccups, the player count jumped. The game hit 1,206 concurrent players, smashing its previous all-time peak of 826.

Akina on the Horizon

RewindApp positions Akina as "the worthy successor to Initial Drift Online and Drift86". The new title promises features no other drift game has attempted, according to the developer.

An Initial Drift Online update will tie into Akina's release, creating a crossover between the two games. RewindApp has evolved considerably since Initial Drift Online launched in 2020 (full release March 2023).

The free promotion for Initial Drift Online serves as promotional groundwork. Get players hooked on the current game, then transition them to the new one. Standard marketing strategy.

Worth Your Time?

Free means risk-free. Even with server issues, the game costs nothing but download time. The $4.99 regular price won't break anyone, but free beats cheap.

If you miss the window, the game frequently goes on sale at 80% off for $0.99. Still, claiming during the free period makes more sense.

The game supports Steam Deck, though some functionality may not be fully supported. Worth testing if you own one.

Players seeking simulation-level physics should look elsewhere. This targets arcade-style drift racing with accessible controls. Think less Assetto Corsa, more OutRun 2006 with drift mechanics.

For anime fans who grew up watching Initial D, the tofu delivery runs and mountain pass settings hit the nostalgia button hard. The Eurobeat soundtrack seals that deal.

Claim Initial Drift Online on Steam before 18 January at 10:00am PST. After that, you're paying for what's currently free.

Other free games this week include Bloons TD 6 on Epic Games Store until 15 January at 10:00am CST.