Nordschleife ACC Update Delays AC2 Release

Nordschleife Assetto Corsa Competizione.jpg
In a move that should not come as a surprise, the heavily-requested addition of the Nordschleife to Assetto Corsa Competizione means the original Assetto Corsa‘s follow-up will be delayed.

Image credit: Kunos Simulazioni

The small team of 23 people at Kunos Simulazioni have been hard at work over the past year. Assetto Corsa 2 was slated for a 2024 release. But they have been juggling developing that with creating content for Assetto Corsa Competizione.

Therefore we can imagine the effort that they have undertaken since the news that they were able to add the Nordschleife to ACC. After five years of players begging for them to add the 25-kilometre layout, they finally could and are doing so in time for next Spring.


That is unfortunately to the detriment of Assetto Corsa 2. It was initially set for launch in Q2 of 2024, but with the ACC Nordschleife confirmation, the early access release has been pushed back to next Summer. This is according to Digital Bros, the parent company of Kunos Simulazioni.

Assetto Corsa 2 Delayed

In an official financial report, they declare that that the Assetto Corsa sequel release will be postponed. This is due to the work being done to get the Season 2024 GT World Challenge pack for ACC released on both PC and console.

Of course, this will be disappointing to many who do not care for the GT3-focused ACC. With the original Assetto Corsa having more variety of cars, AC2 is expected to be more like the initial game. Plus, whilst ACC was made on Unreal Engine 4, the original AC was created on a custom in-house game engine. AC2 will also have its engine built from the ground up.


Because of the Nordschleife update to ACC, the developers are focusing on that, which means AC2 will not make the initial release window. It may be unfortunate for those with no interest in Competizione. But the playerbase for the GT3-focused sim is still very strong.

Plus, that playerbase will likely grow with the heavily-requested Nordschleife finally being added. But why did it take this long to add one of the most popular tracks in the world?

Nordschleife to ACC Finally​

ACC released in 2018, and ever since it launched, many players have pestered the Kunos devs to add the Nordschleife. It may have been in the original Assetto Corsa, but its inclusion in ACC for so many years seemed impossible. This was due to one simple fact.

The title is the official game of the real world GT World Challenge racing championships. Therefore all content has to be in keeping with series that are part of the SRO Motorsports Group. This includes not only the various regional GTWC championships but also British GT and the Intercontinental GT Challenge.


For the longest time, the Nürburgring 24 hours was not under the control of SRO. It did not appear on any SRO championship’s schedules. But that all changed in early July.

During the SRO Motorsports Annual Press Conference, it was announced that the event would become part of the 2024 Intercontinental GT Challenge calendar. This meant that for the first time in ACC‘s history, the Nordschleife could finally be added to the game. But was it not too late?

Surely with Assetto Corsa 2 set for launch early next year, was it really worth all that time developing it just for the new title to be released shortly afterwards? Many players assumed that was the case.

Misha Charoudin new Instagram post Nordschleife ACC.jpg

In a new post, Charoudin discusses the ACC version of Nordschleife that he tested. Image credit: mgcharoudin on Instagram
That was until Nordschleife specialist Misha Charoudin made a post on Instagram during his trip to Kunos’ HQ. It showed an obscured glimpse of what seemed to be the Nordschleife on ACC. Then the Nürburgring social media team posted the official teaser before quickly deleting it. The official announcement then followed just days later.

The prayers of ACC players had finally been answered.

GT2 Also On Their Way

In Charoudin’s latest post on Instagram, the initially obscured monitors from the previous post are now completely visible. A few eagle-eyed ACC players spotted Charoudin was driving a Porsche, but apparently not any current Porsche in the game.

One of those was Jardier, pointing out that the interior airvents did not match any of the 911 GT3 models, the 718 Cayman GT4 or the 992 GT3 Cup car. With GT2 cars having been confirmed to be coming to ACC in mid-2022, it did not take long before the mysterious new Porsche was identified as being the 911 GT2 RS Clubsport that races in the GT2 European Series.

GT2 cars SRO.png

The GT2 cars coming to ACC will be amongst this selection. Image credit: SRO Motorsports Group
This means that the previously-promised GT2 cars will arrive alongside the Nordschleife in Spring 2024. It was announced to be released for this year, but adding the Nordschleife with them understandably has delayed their arrival.

Expect the ACC Season 2024 GT World Challenge pack with the Nordschleife and GT2 cars in Spring next year. Then Assetto Corsa 2 early access will begin at some point during the Summer. It is a good time to be an Assetto Corsa fan!

Want to discuss Assetto Corsa 2 and anything around the upcoming title? Feel free to head to our forums to become part of the conversation!

Are you disappointed that Assetto Corsa 2 is delayed or excited to drive the Nordschleife on ACC? Tell us on Twitter at @OverTake_gg or in the comments down below!
About author
Luca [OT]
Biggest sim racing esports fan in the world.

Comments

I think I feel the same as most. Im not desperate for AC2, AC1 is doing just great at the moment. Although it feels like this was planned; announce Nords then use it as an excuse to delay. Again tho, I dont think the majority are bothered by this. Take time and make the game good.

I wish I could be excited for Nords in ACC but that game is just too low res or blurry for me, whatever you call that fuzziness.
 
I wish I could be excited for Nords in ACC but that game is just too low res or blurry for me, whatever you call that fuzziness.

Yes ACC looks to much like a comic game. You have to turn down color-saturation to approx 92%

rFactor 2 for example has a much more realistic and crystal clear lighting - without blurriness like ACC has
 
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D
In this article is confirmation that AC2 will be on its own custom engine. Marco Massarutto confirmed as such in an interview.
Did he confirm that recently or we are referring to the same 2 years old interview where he suggested the possibility?
 
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D
AC2 on release date:
- Does not have content of AC
- Looks and runs worse than ACC
- VR will be coming "some time later"
:p
 
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As much as that track is needed in every sim racing title... And it will make me reinstall ACC...

GTs have lost their lustre over the last decade for me... There's the occasional race but next to the LMP1s and Hypercars they just don't have the grand technical nature of motorsports that excites me and come across as large billboards as a result...

And with the other titles lacking in direction or having depressing outlooks AC2 is needed...

In saying all that though, I'd much rather Kunos take longer and release a more finished product than last 2 release structures where we had to wait a couple of years to be sure what we were getting...
 
Totally makes sense to Kunos to delay AC2 for this. The 2024 dlc should be a significant payday for them and longstanding ACC fans are generally hyped for it.

I think the inclusion of this track could help rejuvenate the use of the other classes as hopefully we can run large grids there in endurance races. I for one would probably prefer to run a non GT3 in my first N24 in ACC.

I agree with people that this track won't lend itself to sprint races like the current roster of shorter tracks do, endurance races are where it will shine though and hotlap leaderboards should be fun.

Hyped.
 
I am bit worried that AC2 will be running on unreal engine 5.

The fact that they are working on next ACC dlc pack and also have early access for AC2 in the works for summer 2024 suggests to me from work flow that they are probably staying with unreal engine.
If it turns out to be unreal engine 5 than modding will be no go imo.

Also is it really only 24 employees? They must be out sourcing 3d models and tracks than?
Did you read the article? Here is a direct quote: ‘AC2 will also have its engine built from the ground up’; the article goes on to say, that the AC2 engine will be in house. Secondly, why would they lie, about the number of employees at Kunos? Honestly mate, you could have spared yourself time & effort, if you read the article properly.
 
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Love Nordschleife!!! For sure more drivers will come to ACC.
I think we don't need AC2, just more and different content for ACC, this game works perfectly on rain, night and with swap drivers on Endurance so why not get more licences under ACC game? for sure i'll buy all 2024 DLC for this game.
Nordschleife will come on 2024 spring so please GT2 for Christmas!!!
 
ACC will become Nordscheilfe only, and it will become boring real fast. Instead of investing their time in this, they should focus everything on AC2. We need some simulator that can rival iracing seasons once and for all. Tired of having to refer to external websites or tools to have good racing.
 
Whole article based on nothing but speculation. Nothing anywhere suggests that making a track for one game delayed the other. But making GT2 cars didn't? Did it? Or do we know absolutely nothing.
 

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