Overlooked Studio
THE NUGGET / COMPARISON
The Nugget vs Gold Rush: The Game
A lot of players who found The Nugget already know Gold Rush: The Game. Fair question then: what is the same, and what is different?
First, a name change
Gold Rush: The Game is now called Gold Mining Simulator. It is the same Steam game by Code Horizon, released in 2017, and it now carries the new name on its store page. Its developer has also announced Gold Mining Simulator 2. We compare all of them on a separate page.
From Alaska to the outback
Gold Rush: The Game is set in Alaska and grows from a pan and a shovel into a large operation with heavy machines. It first came out as a game to go with the Gold Rush TV series, which follows crews mining gold in Alaska and the Klondike.
The Nugget goes to the other side of the world: the Australian outback, red dirt, heat and long drives. If you have watched Aussie Gold Hunters, you know the setting: prospectors with metal detectors out in the Australian bush, chasing a single signal that could be a nugget. That is where The Nugget starts.
What feels familiar
Both are first person gold prospecting games. You start small, sell gold, lease ground and buy better gear. Both let you run wash equipment and dig with an excavator. Both are on Steam for Windows.
What is different
The detector comes first. In The Nugget you sweep the ground, read the signal, dig the target and recover it yourself. Not every signal is gold.
You have to look after yourself. Food, water, heat and fuel matter. You sleep, cook and keep a camp running between trips.
You can play together. The Nugget has online co-op. Gold Rush: The Game is single player.
It is earlier in development. The Nugget is coming to Steam Early Access and is still being built. Gold Rush: The Game has been out since 2017 and has many years of updates and DLC.
Side by side
| The Nugget | Gold Rush: The Game (now Gold Mining Simulator) | |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | OverLKD Studio (solo developer) | Code Horizon, published by PlayWay |
| Setting | Australian outback | Alaska |
| Status | Coming to Steam Early Access in 2026. Free demo since 7 Oct 2026 | Released 13 Oct 2017 (as Gold Rush: The Game). Definitive Edition announced for 11 Nov 2026 |
| View | First person | First person |
| Core loop | Metal detecting, panning, digging, washing paydirt, leasing claims, selling gold | Hand tools to heavy machinery, wash plant upgrades, four claims with deformable terrain |
| Survival needs | Food, water, heat and fuel, sleeping, cooking | Not described on the store page |
| Machines and vehicles | Detectors, pan, shovel, wash plant and trommel, water pump, excavator, pickup and caravan | Excavator, drill, front-end loader, bulldozer and more, wash plant parts |
| Machine upkeep | Fuel, water and power supply for equipment | Parts break and need repair |
| Multiplayer | Online co-op for up to 4 players, still being improved | Single player |
| Controller | Keyboard and mouse or gamepad | Full controller support (Steam) |
| Languages | 31 interface languages | 13 languages |
| Platforms | Windows. macOS is listed on Steam but not released yet | Windows |
| Price tier | Not announced yet. Demo is free | EUR 19.99 standard price on Steam Germany |
| Storage (minimum) | 6 GB | 19 GB |
| Minimum GPU | GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB or Radeon RX 580 8 GB | GeForce GTX 760 |
Store facts checked on 7 November 2026.
Which one should you play?
If you want big Alaskan machinery and a game with years of content behind it, Gold Rush: The Game is a known quantity. If you want to hunt nuggets with a detector in the Australian heat, manage a camp and do it with friends, try The Nugget. The demo is free, so you can find out in an evening.
The Nugget is made by OverLKD Studio. Gold Mining Simulator (formerly Gold Rush: The Game) and Gold Mining Simulator 2 are separate products by Code Horizon, published by PlayWay. Gold Rush and Aussie Gold Hunters are TV series by Discovery. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by any of them; names are used only to describe the comparison. Prices and features can change, so check each store page.