Builder. Farmer. Hunter. Trader. Ranching certainly isn’t your average job. Think you have the skills to turn your family’s rundown homestead into the most prosperous ranch in the valley? Then it’s time to head out into the wilderness in this captivating single and multiplayer open-world simulator.

It was once your grandfather’s pride-and-joy, but your family ranch has fallen on hard times and it’s up to you to turn things around. Sitting in a remote forested valley, the dilapidated homestead will test all your abilities as you attempt to turn it into the most prosperous ranch in the region – either alone or in up to four player co-op multiplayer.

The years have not been kind to your family ranch and it will take time and money to restore it to its former glory. Buy tools from the local hardware store and purchase a range of vehicles from the garage to help with your rebuilding projects. Renovate the main house, decide what livestock you want to farm and construct the barns, pens and runs you’ll need to keep them safe and secure.

Today marks the release of a new Ranch Simulator update, introducing a much-requested animal: the horse.

Players will now be able to bid for horses at an auction house. Horses have different stats: stamina, speed, handling, and health. The higher these stats, the more the horse is worth. These stats also affect the abilities of the horse, allowing it to run faster for a longer duration and even turn sharper.

The more players ride their horses, the more they get trained. Players can also build a training pad where they can perform successful jumps over jump gates

Ranch Simulator is now available through Steam Early Access for $24.99 / £19.99 / €20.99 with a week long 20% discount on Steam starting today.

Grand building projects are one thing. Paying for them? That’ll come down to your ranching skills. Overseeing a profitable operation is all about the day-to-day. Once you’ve selected and taken on your livestock, regular feeding and watering will keep them healthy. Successful breeding and careful rearing of the young will help boost the numbers in your herds and flocks — and the more produce you have to sell, the more income you’ll receive for all that hard work.

There’s a large open-world environment outside your cosy homestead and it’s teeming with wildlife. So when you feel like slowing the pace, why not grab your trusty rifle and head out into the forest to stalk deer and hunt bears? But remember, the wilderness lives by its own laws and you aren’t the only skilled hunter in the neighbourhood. Sometimes your steady hand and sharp eyes will also be needed back on the ranch to stop hungry wolves turning your off-grid dream into a nightmare.

Ranch Simulator is in development for PC (Steam).