The Game Census
The Beginner's Guide cover art

The Beginner's Guide

Everything Unlimited Ltd. · 2015-10-01

Steam

AdventureIndie

Modes: Single player

Releases: Oct 01, 2015 (Linux), Oct 01, 2015 (Mac), Oct 01, 2015 (PC (Microsoft Windows))

The Beginner's Guide is a narrative video game from Davey Wreden, the creator of The Stanley Parable. It lasts about an hour and a half and has no traditional mechanics, no goals or objectives. Instead, it tells the story of a person struggling to deal with something they do not understand.

15
playing now
88%
positive of 23k reviews
Very Positive
steam rating
500,000–1,000,000
owners (SteamSpy est.)
75/100
critic score (6 outlets, IGDB)
81/100
IGDB user rating (257 ratings)
1.7h
to beat · rushed 1.2h · completionist 1.3h
platinum
deck/linux tier (ProtonDB)
$9.99
steam price (US)

15 players in-game as of 2026-08-30 17:00 UTC (census sample)

The Beginner's Guide is an interactive storytelling video game created by Davey Wreden under the studio name Everything Unlimited Ltd. It was released for Linux, macOS, and Windows on October 1, 2015. It is Wreden's follow-up to the critically praised The Stanley Parable, initially released in 2013.

Health check

Healthy
  • · 15 players in-game at the last census sample.
  • · 869 reviews in the last 8 weeks (~109/week).
  • · Review velocity up 18% vs the prior 8 weeks.
  • · Top 4% of 11,362 Adventure games in the census by review count.
Estimated sales: 587k–1.4M copies

Review-multiple estimate from 23,489 total reviews — how this is computed.

Current store prices

lowest across shops (ITAD)$9.99

Deal snapshots via CheapShark, refreshed daily.

All-time low: $2.49 at Steam (2018-06-21) · bundled 1×via IsThereAnyDeal

12-month high $9.99 · on sale 6 of 12 observed days (census price snapshots)

Review momentum

PositiveNegative
32232220182026Week of 2018-01-01: 151 positiveWeek of 2018-01-01: 25 negativeWeek of 2018-02-01: 55 positiveWeek of 2018-02-01: 12 negativeWeek of 2018-03-01: 59 positiveWeek of 2018-03-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2018-04-01: 124 positiveWeek of 2018-04-01: 14 negativeWeek of 2018-05-01: 62 positiveWeek of 2018-05-01: 10 negativeWeek of 2018-06-01: 174 positiveWeek of 2018-06-01: 25 negativeWeek of 2018-07-01: 147 positiveWeek of 2018-07-01: 31 negativeWeek of 2018-08-01: 58 positiveWeek of 2018-08-01: 6 negativeWeek of 2018-09-01: 46 positiveWeek of 2018-09-01: 4 negativeWeek of 2018-10-01: 43 positiveWeek of 2018-10-01: 4 negativeWeek of 2018-11-01: 134 positiveWeek of 2018-11-01: 15 negativeWeek of 2018-12-01: 137 positiveWeek of 2018-12-01: 18 negativeWeek of 2019-01-01: 102 positiveWeek of 2019-01-01: 28 negativeWeek of 2019-02-01: 89 positiveWeek of 2019-02-01: 13 negativeWeek of 2019-03-01: 170 positiveWeek of 2019-03-01: 25 negativeWeek of 2019-04-01: 61 positiveWeek of 2019-04-01: 13 negativeWeek of 2019-05-01: 80 positiveWeek of 2019-05-01: 15 negativeWeek of 2019-06-01: 113 positiveWeek of 2019-06-01: 13 negativeWeek of 2019-07-01: 108 positiveWeek of 2019-07-01: 9 negativeWeek of 2019-08-01: 36 positiveWeek of 2019-08-01: 2 negativeWeek of 2019-09-01: 35 positiveWeek of 2019-09-01: 2 negativeWeek of 2019-10-01: 33 positiveWeek of 2019-10-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2019-11-01: 77 positiveWeek of 2019-11-01: 10 negativeWeek of 2019-12-01: 121 positiveWeek of 2019-12-01: 9 negativeWeek of 2020-01-01: 118 positiveWeek of 2020-01-01: 9 negativeWeek of 2020-02-01: 51 positiveWeek of 2020-02-01: 8 negativeWeek of 2020-03-01: 63 positiveWeek of 2020-03-01: 7 negativeWeek of 2020-04-01: 87 positiveWeek of 2020-04-01: 14 negativeWeek of 2020-05-01: 90 positiveWeek of 2020-05-01: 15 negativeWeek of 2020-06-01: 121 positiveWeek of 2020-06-01: 8 negativeWeek of 2020-07-01: 189 positiveWeek of 2020-07-01: 25 negativeWeek of 2020-08-01: 78 positiveWeek of 2020-08-01: 11 negativeWeek of 2020-09-01: 47 positiveWeek of 2020-09-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2020-10-01: 74 positiveWeek of 2020-10-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2020-11-01: 98 positiveWeek of 2020-11-01: 13 negativeWeek of 2020-12-01: 128 positiveWeek of 2020-12-01: 6 negativeWeek of 2021-01-01: 117 positiveWeek of 2021-01-01: 15 negativeWeek of 2021-02-01: 88 positiveWeek of 2021-02-01: 7 negativeWeek of 2021-03-01: 67 positiveWeek of 2021-03-01: 9 negativeWeek of 2021-04-01: 71 positiveWeek of 2021-04-01: 7 negativeWeek of 2021-05-01: 61 positiveWeek of 2021-05-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2021-06-01: 90 positiveWeek of 2021-06-01: 18 negativeWeek of 2021-07-01: 133 positiveWeek of 2021-07-01: 13 negativeWeek of 2021-08-01: 75 positiveWeek of 2021-08-01: 8 negativeWeek of 2021-09-01: 54 positiveWeek of 2021-09-01: 6 negativeWeek of 2021-10-01: 76 positiveWeek of 2021-10-01: 4 negativeWeek of 2021-11-01: 112 positiveWeek of 2021-11-01: 10 negativeWeek of 2021-12-01: 95 positiveWeek of 2021-12-01: 9 negativeWeek of 2022-01-01: 140 positiveWeek of 2022-01-01: 10 negativeWeek of 2022-02-01: 90 positiveWeek of 2022-02-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2022-03-01: 68 positiveWeek of 2022-03-01: 4 negativeWeek of 2022-04-01: 69 positiveWeek of 2022-04-01: 1 negativeWeek of 2022-05-01: 123 positiveWeek of 2022-05-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2022-06-01: 96 positiveWeek of 2022-06-01: 11 negativeWeek of 2022-07-01: 102 positiveWeek of 2022-07-01: 8 negativeWeek of 2022-08-01: 60 positiveWeek of 2022-08-01: 4 negativeWeek of 2022-09-01: 49 positiveWeek of 2022-09-01: 6 negativeWeek of 2022-10-01: 44 positiveWeek of 2022-10-01: 1 negativeWeek of 2022-11-01: 68 positiveWeek of 2022-11-01: 9 negativeWeek of 2022-12-01: 124 positiveWeek of 2022-12-01: 8 negativeWeek of 2023-01-01: 109 positiveWeek of 2023-01-01: 11 negativeWeek of 2023-02-01: 47 positiveWeek of 2023-02-01: 7 negativeWeek of 2023-03-01: 89 positiveWeek of 2023-03-01: 3 negativeWeek of 2023-04-01: 50 positiveWeek of 2023-04-01: 4 negativeWeek of 2023-05-01: 50 positiveWeek of 2023-05-01: 6 negativeWeek of 2023-06-01: 47 positiveWeek of 2023-06-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2023-07-01: 134 positiveWeek of 2023-07-01: 8 negativeWeek of 2023-08-01: 60 positiveWeek of 2023-08-01: 6 negativeWeek of 2023-09-01: 52 positiveWeek of 2023-09-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2023-10-01: 37 positiveWeek of 2023-10-01: 2 negativeWeek of 2023-11-01: 289 positiveWeek of 2023-11-01: 36 negativeWeek of 2023-12-01: 322 positiveWeek of 2023-12-01: 33 negativeWeek of 2024-01-01: 203 positiveWeek of 2024-01-01: 17 negativeWeek of 2024-02-01: 110 positiveWeek of 2024-02-01: 13 negativeWeek of 2024-03-01: 161 positiveWeek of 2024-03-01: 15 negativeWeek of 2024-04-01: 138 positiveWeek of 2024-04-01: 12 negativeWeek of 2024-05-01: 102 positiveWeek of 2024-05-01: 14 negativeWeek of 2024-06-01: 155 positiveWeek of 2024-06-01: 18 negativeWeek of 2024-07-01: 280 positiveWeek of 2024-07-01: 22 negativeWeek of 2024-08-01: 111 positiveWeek of 2024-08-01: 9 negativeWeek of 2024-09-01: 93 positiveWeek of 2024-09-01: 7 negativeWeek of 2024-10-01: 81 positiveWeek of 2024-10-01: 11 negativeWeek of 2024-11-01: 105 positiveWeek of 2024-11-01: 11 negativeWeek of 2024-12-01: 202 positiveWeek of 2024-12-01: 21 negativeWeek of 2025-01-01: 144 positiveWeek of 2025-01-01: 15 negativeWeek of 2025-02-01: 59 positiveWeek of 2025-02-01: 1 negativeWeek of 2025-03-01: 130 positiveWeek of 2025-03-01: 19 negativeWeek of 2025-04-01: 66 positiveWeek of 2025-04-01: 8 negativeWeek of 2025-05-01: 64 positiveWeek of 2025-05-01: 11 negativeWeek of 2025-06-01: 76 positiveWeek of 2025-06-01: 12 negativeWeek of 2025-07-01: 133 positiveWeek of 2025-07-01: 18 negativeWeek of 2025-08-01: 81 positiveWeek of 2025-08-01: 4 negativeWeek of 2025-09-01: 75 positiveWeek of 2025-09-01: 9 negativeWeek of 2025-10-01: 89 positiveWeek of 2025-10-01: 12 negativeWeek of 2025-11-01: 73 positiveWeek of 2025-11-01: 7 negativeWeek of 2025-12-01: 104 positiveWeek of 2025-12-01: 6 negativeWeek of 2026-01-01: 135 positiveWeek of 2026-01-01: 11 negativeWeek of 2026-02-01: 69 positiveWeek of 2026-02-01: 4 negativeWeek of 2026-03-01: 99 positiveWeek of 2026-03-01: 12 negativeWeek of 2026-04-01: 60 positiveWeek of 2026-04-01: 6 negativeWeek of 2026-05-01: 67 positiveWeek of 2026-05-01: 5 negativeWeek of 2026-06-01: 139 positiveWeek of 2026-06-01: 12 negativeWeek of 2026-07-01: 129 positiveWeek of 2026-07-01: 11 negativeWeek of 2026-08-01: 176 positiveWeek of 2026-08-01: 17 negative
Weekly review counts (Steam review histogram). Positive above the line, negative below.

Players online

9912026-08-06 22:00 — 7 players2026-08-07 06:00 — 4 players2026-08-07 14:00 — 2 players2026-08-07 22:00 — 8 players2026-08-08 06:00 — 1 players2026-08-08 14:00 — 8 players2026-08-08 22:00 — 5 players2026-08-09 06:00 — 7 players2026-08-09 14:00 — 7 players2026-08-09 22:00 — 8 players2026-08-10 06:00 — 3 players2026-08-10 14:00 — 4 players2026-08-10 22:00 — 60 players2026-08-11 06:00 — 37 players2026-08-11 14:00 — 83 players2026-08-12 22:00 — 24 players2026-08-14 05:00 — 15 players2026-08-15 13:00 — 22 players2026-08-16 21:00 — 18 players2026-08-18 05:00 — 14 players2026-08-19 12:00 — 6 players2026-08-20 20:00 — 15 players2026-08-22 03:00 — 17 players2026-08-23 11:00 — 13 players2026-08-24 18:00 — 22 players2026-08-26 02:00 — 11 players2026-08-27 10:00 — 4 players2026-08-28 18:00 — 7 players2026-08-30 01:00 — 13 players2026-08-30 17:00 — 15 players
Concurrent players, hourly average, last 30 days (census samples).

Price history

$9.99$2.492015-10-022026-08-242015-10-02 — best price $7.992015-12-23 — best price $7.992016-02-08 — best price $6.492016-05-20 — best price $5.992016-07-04 — best price $5.992016-11-07 — best price $9.992016-11-29 — best price $9.992017-05-11 — best price $3.992017-07-05 — best price $9.992017-11-01 — best price $9.992018-01-04 — best price $9.992018-05-10 — best price $3.992018-07-09 — best price $9.992018-11-15 — best price $2.492019-01-10 — best price $2.492019-03-17 — best price $9.992019-05-27 — best price $9.992019-11-21 — best price $4.992019-12-19 — best price $3.992020-01-23 — best price $3.992020-07-09 — best price $9.992020-11-25 — best price $4.992021-02-11 — best price $4.992021-07-09 — best price $9.992021-12-20 — best price $4.992022-02-03 — best price $9.992022-11-29 — best price $9.992023-03-23 — best price $9.992023-07-07 — best price $9.992024-01-04 — best price $9.992024-06-27 — best price $4.992025-01-02 — best price $9.992025-09-29 — best price $4.992026-01-30 — best price $9.992026-08-10 — best price $4.992026-08-24 — best price $9.99
Lowest recorded price across tracked stores, per day (census snapshots).

Attention

579842026-05-28 — 113 pageviews2026-05-31 — 194 pageviews2026-06-03 — 173 pageviews2026-06-06 — 126 pageviews2026-06-09 — 113 pageviews2026-06-12 — 133 pageviews2026-06-15 — 116 pageviews2026-06-18 — 114 pageviews2026-06-21 — 175 pageviews2026-06-24 — 118 pageviews2026-06-27 — 192 pageviews2026-06-30 — 184 pageviews2026-07-03 — 162 pageviews2026-07-06 — 263 pageviews2026-07-09 — 203 pageviews2026-07-12 — 154 pageviews2026-07-15 — 105 pageviews2026-07-18 — 123 pageviews2026-07-21 — 138 pageviews2026-07-24 — 104 pageviews2026-07-27 — 125 pageviews2026-07-30 — 108 pageviews2026-08-02 — 143 pageviews2026-08-05 — 102 pageviews2026-08-08 — 115 pageviews2026-08-11 — 238 pageviews2026-08-14 — 132 pageviews2026-08-17 — 477 pageviews2026-08-20 — 228 pageviews2026-08-23 — 132 pageviews2026-08-25 — 579 pageviews
Daily Wikipedia pageviews (attention proxy, census-recorded).

Details

WindowsmacOSLinuxSingle-playerCaptions availablePartial Controller SupportRemote Play on TabletFamily Sharing

4 supported languages: English, French, German, Spanish - Spain

Where its players are

Share of Steam reviews by language (top languages measured) — a proxy for where the player base lives.

Player tags

IndieShortSurrealAbstractAdventureEmotionalNarrationStory RichAtmosphericExperimental

Census log

Computed from census-recorded observations only — dates are observation dates.

Players also track

Finding ParadiseMasochisiaPikunikuWeapon Shop FantasyEternity: The Last UnicornDude Simulator 2Apsulov: End of GodsTorchlight III

Similarity via IGDB.

Official site ↗Wikipedia ↗Speedruns ↗