WEC Game Expected in 2023

WEC 1.jpg
Motorsport Games’ Motorsports Advisor Gerard Neveu has revealed that a racing game based on the WEC series is in the works and scheduled to be released in 2023.

Former FIA World Endurance Championship CEO Gerard Neveu now works as Motorsports Advisor for racing game developer Motorsport Games. He has shared with Motorsport.com that based on the success of the 2020 Le Mans Virtual event, the team is looking to extend the involvement of WEC in the virtual world.

This is the latest in a series of major announcements from Motorsport Games, which had previously announced development of games based on the BTCC, NASCAR, and IndyCar race series. These titles hold special promise for sim racers, since Motorsport Games has acquired rFactor 2 developer Studio 397 and plans to use their renowned physics engine for at least the forthcoming NASCAR title.

The WEC series has been partially represented in the virtual racing world across a variety of titles dating back many years, but a complete title based on the series is a popular request from fans of the series. Currently, WEC classes such as GTE and LMP1 can be found in titles like Assetto Corsa, the Project CARS series, RaceRoom Racing Experience, iRacing and Automobilista 2.

The game development announcement comes at a time when the World Endurance Championship is undergoing significant changes. The series has recently replaced its top class of cars. Gone are the popular LMP1 class cars, which competed for 16 years and broke several lap records in that time. The LMP1 class has been replaced by the LMH, or Le Mans Hypercar, class. These new Hypercars have yet to compete at Le Mans, so Motorsport Games will have to start anew with performance data collection and implementation.

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Like the other titles under development by Motorsport Games, it’s still too early to tell whether the upcoming WEC title will be aimed more toward hardcore sim racers or casual gamers. Wherever it lands, it’s certainly a welcome announcement for fans of endurance racing.

In the interim, Motorsport Games will be hosting another Le Mans Virtual event this winter, with more details to be released following the real-world 24 Hours of Le Mans event in August.

Are you excited for this announcement? Let us know your thoughts on the forthcoming WEC racing title in the comments below.
About author
Mike Smith
I have been obsessed with sim racing and racing games since the 1980's. My first taste of live auto racing was in 1988, and I couldn't get enough ever since. Lead writer for RaceDepartment, and owner of SimRacing604 and its YouTube channel. Favourite sims include Assetto Corsa Competizione, Assetto Corsa, rFactor 2, Automobilista 2, DiRT Rally 2 - On Twitter as @simracing604

Comments

Clearly this is just one game they are breaking into 4 parts for more $$$. I would not be surprised if they announce a few more different "games" over the next year destined for a 2023 or 2024 release.

Also from what I hear from those close to the project, all 4 titles are going to be closer to Arcade than even Simcade.
 
Obviously it's way, way too early to know anything concrete, but I really hope we see some decent VR support in these new Motorsports Games titles
 
I don't know if this approach of releasing four different games for each different racing series that are technically basically the same thing will work. We're not in the noughties anymore where this was used regularly, and the worst case scenario is that Motorsport Games will fragment its own audience, with none of the games getting a large enough player base. Or modders will simply port content from one game to the other, as seen with GTR2 and GT Legends.

Of course you and others agree with you would have said the exact same thing if Kunos or Reiza had announced it instead ....... :roflmao:
 
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I am so there for this! Maybe I'm putting way too many hours in AC ACC Automobilista 2 F1 2020 F1 2021 Gran Turismo and they have all grown a bit stale.
 
Why are sim racers so greedy? If you are striking a licensing deal with prominent racing organizations like WEC or IndyCar, they aren't going to let you share their promotional content with random cars or other series.

It's not the devs don't listen or don't get it, they are constrained by who they are working with. These big series want exclusivity in exchange for licensing the rights to recreate the series and acquire the car data. That is the trade off.
 
What I'm hoping is that instead of a yearly release ( i.e. F1 series) we get seasonal DLC ( ACC) that's the only way I'd invest in a dedicated series sim racing title. $20 yearly to update the cars, tracks, roster etc would be ideal
 
A full grid, official - unmoddable - "realistic" race sim series should make my life simpler. Browsing for and collecting mods are fun, but it is like addiction and I believe I've spent way much more time than I should browsing, searching, downloading, testing, modifying, and sorting out my collections of mods. :notworthy:
 
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Why are sim racers so greedy? If you are striking a licensing deal with prominent racing organizations like WEC or IndyCar, they aren't going to let you share their promotional content with random cars or other series.

It's not the devs don't listen or don't get it, they are constrained by who they are working with. These big series want exclusivity in exchange for licensing the rights to recreate the series and acquire the car data. That is the trade off.

I think its not only simracers who are "greedy". I see some other being greedy here, namely the big series you talk about and Motorsport games.

Anyhow ita a pity the only atudio who have done this single series concept well, Kunos, are not doing some of these.
 
I think some are missing the point. If you hold up ACC as an example, they have meshed real world with eSports and with a properly licenced title, they can exploit that and draw in gamers to the real world and vice versa. Drivers become promoters for the title so a fully fleshed out series and possibly career play is there.

Also isn't Fernando Alonzo an investor in this company? We know he can be a vocal promoter and already promoted the Indycar title on his IG account. WEC would be a next logical focus but I hope IMSA doesn't get overlooked either as a DLC or it's own sim.
 
Guess it’s the death of games like AC, rf2, r3e, pcars and so on as licensing some of these cars will be harder.

Guess this will be the end of this hobby for me because all they care is chasing the esports and multiplayer audience. Then, single player offline races are often neglected like ACC or rF2.
 
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I think some are missing the point. If you hold up ACC as an example, they have meshed real world with eSports and with a properly licenced title, they can exploit that and draw in gamers to the real world and vice versa. Drivers become promoters for the title so a fully fleshed out series and possibly career play is there.

Also isn't Fernando Alonzo an investor in this company? We know he can be a vocal promoter and already promoted the Indycar title on his IG account. WEC would be a next logical focus but I hope IMSA doesn't get overlooked either as a DLC or it's own sim.
If they are creating 'OFFICIALLY LICENSED' games, there is zero chance DLC will include content from other series. The only hope of cross pollination would be Le Mans 24hr where IMSA teams will hopefully compete on a level footing with WEC squads. I don't see too many IMSA squads that would have the resouces to campaign in both WEC & IMSA with the exception of Penske/Porsche.
After all, do we expect F1 DLC to be added to the Indycar title? Nein, Nine, Nyett, Nonski, zero.
I DO see all this licensing as motivation for someone like Riezza or Kunos to try and lock up IMSA.
 
Premium
It is a great news i we can get a WEC game.
I mean if made like ACC, or even deeper into the sim aspect.

All trial session with real length
Car shared with team friends and/or with bot cars..
Real weather only, night, rain, wind
Real detailed liveries for all cars, detailed tracks, ...


Without that ?
Just another no purpose game.
Endurance racing needs a complete
other approche as other racing series. It is not made for quick game.
 
Premium
interesting, WEC is definitely something that could work as a stand alone game, but yeah, it all depends how well it's executed
Honestly I dont think there is, look at the number of tracks and cars, sure you will get the hardcore fans to buy anything but casuals are going to laugh at that.
 
Call it Automobilista 2
As far as I know there is next to nothing GTE/LMP content in AMS2. Let alone tracks like LeMans. That content is addressed in a WEC-game. Although I would agree that it looks a little inefficient to proceduce a distinct game for every series and season:)
 

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