BeamNG.drive v0.40 adds split-screen: PC requirements and which GPUs run it

BeamNG.drive got version 0.40 today, October 19, and it’s a big update. It adds local split-screen multiplayer, one of the community’s most-requested features. It also brings physical occupants, a brand-new truck, a full suite of upscaling options, native Windows on Arm support and a host of optimizations. Steam shows 40,618 concurrent players right now. According to CGMagazine, the game has just made the jump to consoles with its PS5 version. If you’re coming back to the physics sandbox or trying it for the first time, check the requirements before you buy: the minimum already asks for 16 GB of RAM.

BeamNG.drive PC requirements

These are the official requirements from the Steam page:

The game runs on DirectX 11, and the recommended spec targets 1080p. Keep two more things in mind. Mods increase the storage the game takes up. VR needs a GPU with 10 GB of VRAM, Vulkan support and OpenXR. BeamNG also recommends a gamepad. There is no Mac or Linux version on Steam.

What v0.40 changes for your PC

• Upscaling options: the update adds a full suite of upscaling options. The announcement summary doesn’t say which ones. The full list is in the patch notes.
• Windows on Arm: the game now supports it natively, which is good news if you play on an Arm-based laptop.
• Optimizations: BeamNG mentions a host of optimizations, without giving numbers in the announcement.
• Split-screen: it supports up to 64 players. The studio jokes that if you have that many friends and the hardware to handle them, you’re living the dream. In Freeroam, each player gets a random vehicle suited to the map.

Which graphics cards run it

Every GPU we checked clears the minimum, down to the GTX 1650. The difference is in the grade, which we measure against the recommended requirement:

• Smooth (A): RTX 5070, RTX 5080 and RX 9070 XT.
• Solid (B): RTX 3070 and RTX 4070.
• Tight (C): RTX 3060, RTX 3060 Ti, RTX 4060 and RX 7600. All four meet the recommended GPU. The RTX 2060, RX 6600 XT and Arc B580 also grade C, but they sit between the minimum and the recommended.
• Struggles (D): GTX 1060 6GB, GTX 1660 Super, RTX 3050 and RX 580. They clear the minimum, with little headroom.
• GTX 1650: it clears the minimum, but it sits far below the recommended, so expect it to struggle.

Watch your memory. Our grades assume 16 GB of RAM, and BeamNG.drive recommends 32 GB. If you have 16 GB, you’re right at the memory minimum.

What about Steam Deck?

Valve tested it and rates it Playable. Details are on the BeamNG.drive Steam Deck page.

Can your PC run BeamNG.drive?

Here’s how your setup grades against BeamNG.drive’s requirements:

Game	Rec. GPU score	Rec. RAM	Min. RAM	Your PC
BeamNG.drive	16,450	32 GB	16 GB	?

On the full game page you’ll see the exact grade for your GPU and RAM, and which upgrade helps most if you fall short.

Sources: BeamNG.drive on Steam, Version 0.40 announcement, CGMagazine: PS5 review