What Tree Simulator 2023 is
Tree Simulator 2023 is a game where you play as a tree. You pick from 31 trees, tweak a set of configurable tree settings, and move around by stretching your roots with a third-person camera. The map is small and handcrafted, with an added new area to explore. The world runs on a day and night cycle, and seasons change how the trees look, what the weather does, and how the environment feels. Weather is yours to configure: rain, snow, wind, fog, and overcast. There is a built-in text chat, and settings can be saved so you do not have to set everything up again.
Cosmetic items exist alongside options like the "Red tie", and there are Halloween mode and Christmas mode to switch the tone of the session. The game supports ultra-wide monitors, windowed play (described as a little wonky), Wallpaper Engine, and Xbox and PS4 controllers.
Playing with your group
Multiplayer is the social side of this one. You can host a server, set how many trees can join, mark it private, or require a password. Public servers show up in a lobby list when someone picks Join, so you can find each other without much fuss. Private games only let in people on your friends list or people you invite.
There are three ways to get a group in. The host presses Esc, clicks Invite, and uses the invite dialog; the others then launch the game, open the Steam overlay with Shift+Tab, and click Play Game from the Steam chat window. Alternatively, anyone can open the Join menu, look at the lobby list, and press Connect. Friends can also join through the Steam overlay from a friend who is already playing. The host keeps control with server admin support, and there is no built-in voice chat, so Discord or Steam chat is the intended way to talk while you all stand there being trees.
Before you start
The stated capacity is up to 250 players per forest, but the developer notes that multiplayer has been tested with 4 trees. Expect the largest lobbies to be theoretical rather than proven. Players who arrive after the session starts can join mid-game through the same invite and overlay routes.
Everything else is straightforward: choose a tree, set the weather and season, save your settings, and settle in. The game leans casual and relaxed, with no combat loop to learn, so the main thing to agree on as a group is who hosts and whether the server stays public or gets a password.