iRacing is overpriced

Hor-hay · May 20, 2015

Coming up to the end of my 3 month sub and I've enjoyed my iRacing time. But got to say it's way overpriced. Yes they provide a good service but compared to other online games it's a rip. I'd be happy to pay a sub but the extra cost for tracks and cars is ridicules. I think at the very least all tracks should be free.

I just hope they get some competition to force them to lower there prices.

James Nance · Jan 24, 2016

Average iRacer said:
I get that it seems expensive though but I believe it creates better races as people concentrate their racing and get good at a certain league.

To add to that, I think its the most competitive of them all. Most times you are racing people who are dedicated to that series or car and know ever detail and have perfected setups over time.

rancer890 · Jan 25, 2016

James Nance said:
To add to that, I think its the most competitive of them all. Most times you are racing people who are dedicated to that series or car and know ever detail and have perfected setups over time.

With other sims, I don't feel the need to really improve - because if you're playing against AI, you can always increase it and get better. And online - well it's just a mess unless you do league racing. I played a bit of R3E online with the free stuff - it's a mess.

With iRacing, I always feel that I have to improve. I have to put in the practice to get better. There's always someone faster than you and that drives me to get better.

I've paid around $600 in content and subscriptions (I race road and oval), but I've probably spent 800-900 hours in the sim before Steam (Steam says 632 hours and counting). It's a bargain compared to the other games I've played like F1 Codies games from '10-'13 where I can pay $50-60 and maybe play 10-15 hours.

And the friendships from racing fellow competitors and teammates. There's no price on that!

James Nance · Jan 25, 2016

rancer890 said:
And the friendships from racing fellow competitors and teammates. There's no price on that!

I agree. They have a great structure to allow you to find team mates and to also keep watch on your rivals. Even the stats system is a nice touch since I can see my stats from all the years and race results.

fortress · Jan 29, 2016

Hor-hay said:
Picked up AC and I've got to say the FFB and physics feel better then iRacing. So I've just upgraded my acc to try the racing here, a lot cheaper...

I'M the opposite of you about physic of iracing vs Assetto but what are doing in AC? Hotlapping?? Having a 10 laps sprint races against a bunch of crap drivers???

In Iracing you have safety ratings, iratings, pitstop, races at each hours, easy controller configuration alots of infos about your stats if your into it.. I could go on and on

Fritz Anker · Jan 29, 2016

Think that may have been a bit harsh. I have come to love iRacing and everything it has to offer - for me it is worth every penny and never seemed more than what it delivers. But that may be for not if you just don't have the cash. I get it.

I started back into racing through the races organized here and the racers are not crap. Good span of great, outstanding, and us midpackers for sure. Doesn't quite deliver the breadth of what iRacing does, but does deliver great races. I'm thankful for that. My wife? Not so much.

...after 6 BSS races, I was taken out in four of them from behind. Today, it was on the back straight at Daytona - how do you even do that (it was well well well before the bus stop)? iRacing has those drivers too.

fortress · Jan 30, 2016

Of course iracing has those drivers but personnally, the more i practice, the less incidents i get. Checking my mirror ( i dont even use the virtual mirror, only real mirrors)F3 black box in race, be patient etc etc, i dont have a problem with being taken out. it happen sometimes not as much as the good race i get. (sry for my english).

Having a private league is the best options but with Iracing, i can race for championships points every hours

St3fan · Jan 30, 2016

If I finish my 3 months free trial last year, what would the cheapest time to get back on subscription again? It seems that all sales are for new members.

Lorenzo Bonder · Jan 30, 2016

Best time for renewals? Black friday.

James Nance · Jan 30, 2016

Ive always renewed during the winter holidays, since that when my sub runs out and they seem to always send me a coupon to resub for another year.

Fritz Anker · Jan 30, 2016

fortress said:
Of course iracing has those drivers but personnally, the more i practice, the less incidents i get. Checking my mirror ( i dont even use the virtual mirror, only real mirrors)F3 black box in race, be patient etc etc, i dont have a problem with being taken out. it happen sometimes not as much as the good race i get. (sry for my english).

Having a private league is the best options but with Iracing, i can race for championships points every hours

I don't mind it either, sort of

. Knowing it can happen and it obviously does happen IRL too makes it that much more real. I also don't use the virtual mirror, which can be a real challenge but I like the immersion and authentic feel without it. In the McLaren with no center rear view in the car makes it even more intense - but I like that.

Hor-hay mentioned upgrading his account here so he could race the RD races instead of iRacing - it is cheaper. And the races RD puts on are private and run very well with good races. They also have their championships and leagues and whatnot so it is a viable low cost option for folks. It certainly doesn't have what iRacing does, but it is low cost fun racing.

But, what I don't get is the constant attacks that iRacing is gouging the community or is over-priced. It may not be in your price range, but that's not the same thing. I can't imagine the costs they have just to run the service let alone develop the assets as accurately as they do. Unless they are all driving McLarens to work, I'd have to say they have very fair prices for what they are delivering.

...I also renew whenever they have a deal I can't pass up. Black Friday, coupons, etc. I'm bought in for a while now and use my participation bonuses to buy content.

St3fan · Jan 30, 2016

Lorenzo Bonder said:
Best time for renewals? Black friday.

Understandable but IMHO companies should stop trying to grab money on the same weekend in the whole year. My wallet has a definite size :|

Eckhart von Glan · Jan 30, 2016

there is usually another "one year for half price" in may or thereabouts, but that is rather a long wait if you feel the itch now ... come to think of it, there is usually the "buy 50 dollars worth for 40 dollars" in march or so, not too far off and it could take 20 dollars off the yearly subscription.

James Nance · Jan 30, 2016

St3fan said:
Understandable but IMHO companies should stop trying to grab money on the same weekend in the whole year. My wallet has a definite size :|

Haha well it works for me because that when my wallet is a larger size vs mid summer when im poor from going out, lol.

Average iRacer · Jan 30, 2016

St3fan said:
If I finish my 3 months free trial last year, what would the cheapest time to get back on subscription again? It seems that all sales are for new members.

If you search for Matt Malone or Grip TV on Youtube, they usually have a code you can use for cheap iRacing deals.

rancer890 · Jan 30, 2016

Average iRacer said:
If you search for Matt Malone or Grip TV on Youtube, they usually have a code you can use for cheap iRacing deals.

That's for a new account, not renewals.

Average iRacer · Jan 31, 2016

rancer890 said:
That's for a new account, not renewals.

Ah, I thought it was for both, sorry.

xnorb · Feb 3, 2016

Fritz Anker said:
But, what I don't get is the constant attacks that iRacing is gouging the community or is over-priced.

Assetto Corsa Dreampack 1: Nordschleife in 2 configurations and 6 cars for 9.99€
Assetto Corsa Dreampack 2: Catalunya in 2 configurations and 8 cars for 7.99€
Assetto Corsa Dreampack 3: Brands Hatch in 2 configurations and 8 cars for 7.99€

pCars Aston Martin Extension: Mojave track and 3 cars for 5.99€
pCars Lotus Expansion: 3 tracks and 4 cars for 7.49€

and, and, and, and, and, and...

There's no other sim out there with as pricy content as iRacing.

Infrastructure? Service upkeep? That's what subscriptions are here for.
Content is horribly overpriced in industry-wide comparisons of comparable quality.

If finally some other company than iRacing puts up stats tracking and offers official servers, then iRacing will be forced to adapt the prices, because the only reason people start up iRacing is because of mainly clean races and hourly official races. Physics are a bit dodgy and price inacceptable.

Fritz Anker · Feb 3, 2016

Perhaps, competition does tend to bring the best to us consumers. Options would be great, and iRacing has a good hold on its market now yet still offers great value for the money. If others join in only time would tell what would happen. But the initial costs may mean it never does.

There are options out there though, all competing for our money. And that was my point. There are lower cost options to get your drive on so no need for the hate. Everything that iRacing has delivered from service to content has been spot on and worth it. Physics well, seem subjective and some people don't care for iRacing's. I don't get that either. But to each their own. Every company, though, has their own pricing strategy which is based on their own road maps (pun), costs, and margin goals. To compare one to the other solely on price assumes too much and is shortsighted.

If you can't - or don't want to - afford iRacing, ok. Shop the options and have fun. I still don't get that somehow translates into they are price gouging us to death running to the banks with wheelbarrows full of cash laughing, just because company ABC delivers similar content for less. iRacing deserves credit - far more credit than listed as "other" racing title here. More expensive? Certainly. Value there? Absolutely.

James Nance · Feb 3, 2016

Fritz Anker said:
iRacing deserves credit - far more credit than listed as "other" racing title here. More expensive? Certainly. Value there? Absolutely.

I agree, just an "other" racing title? Seems a belittling for such an established Sim. One thing that Im glad to see from them is the expansion of staff and there studio headquarters and that's a good sign. They also make good promise on improvements and further development of there Sim. iRacing has some of the best numbers driver wise and is still growing and expanding into other real world racing series's. Everything they produce is top quality. Sad to say, my consensus is people find it too difficult and too competitive, then they give up, saying its not realistic or too hard. I've seen many people from other sims come in and try it and fail, then ending up back to there original sim of choice to feel competitive and win again. In my years of Sim racing, I've seen all of them have weird physics and handling woes, none are perfect. That saying, I think iRacing has more consistency of what happens vs any other Sim. Just my observation of course.

xnorb · Feb 3, 2016

Fritz Anker said:
I still don't get that somehow translates into they are price gouging us to death running to the banks with wheelbarrows full of cash laughing

Because people want iRacing, or at least: clean racing every hour.

But not with "you want GT3? Then go and spend 80€, but beware, you want that GT1 too? Go spend another 50€" .... you're lucky if you can spend hundreds of dollars on simracing. Quite some of us already had to save up for the wheel and the subscription.