rFactor 2 Online: Public Release Is Here

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After seven weeks of testing on the release candidate servers, rFactor 2 Online has officially left open beta. As the rFactor 2 Online public release is here, we take a look at what this means for a sim that is all the rage at the end of 2023.

rFactor 2 online has taken the sim racing world by storm over the past seven weeks. Dedicated releases of fresh weekly content have seen the platform grow again after many had left the sim. Not only does the service offer sim racers a new view into rFactor 2, but it gives hope that, despite the Motorsport Games drama, Studio 397 are still working hard to deliver on its ambitious rFactor 2 content plan.

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rFactor 2 Online Public Release: What It Means For The Future

The main impact of the online build going public should be a significant spike in user numbers, especially in the free-to-play beginner events. Whilst the user base will increase, can the current system retain the impressive numbers? New content and special events will dictate that, as well as consistency regarding regular content updates.

With rF2 Online releasing well before 2024, rFactor 2 may well have a lot of ambitious plans for the new year. With the record-setting player numbers for 2023 achieved back in October, at the start of the release candidate, rFactor 2 continues to go from strength to strength.

Special Events

Heading into next year, the special events included in the new online mode will most likely include non-licenced and, potentially, licensed events. Whilst other sims have the rights to events such as IMSA’s Daytona 24 Hours, nothing is stopping Studio 397 from recreating the event with the content they have available.

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What’s Next For rFactor 2?​

We mentioned that rFactor 2 online lacks free up-to-date content. What would you like to see added or improved regarding free content? In our opinion, with ageing content being pushed weekly, rFactor 2’s next logical step would be to revamp and overhaul cars such as the Radical SR3 XX.

The BMW M2 CS, the car given out to players for signing up to the online mode, received a revamp at the start of the release candidate. The Radical and the multiple iterations of the Tatuus junior formula cars are more than likely in the pipeline for a similar treatment.

The week 7 schedule is out with a striking American theme. Tracks that feature include Laguna Seca, Lime Rock Park and the newest addition to the online roster, World Wide Technology Raceway.

Have you had a chance to check out rFactor 2’s new main build online implementation? Let us know how you get on over on X @OverTake_gg or down in the comments below!
About author
Connor Minniss
Website Content Editor & Motorsport Photographer aiming to bring you the best of the best within the world of sim racing.

Comments

Premium
Most of the "Old" content needs to be updated by the authors..*cough REIZA cough* of the DLC, and the workshop items. As far as I understand it.

I am glad to see the update to the online side of rF2. I usually play single player against the AI, but now I will try the online stuff. I heard they are making great strides in that area.
 
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Premium
or a sim that is all the rage at the end of 2023.

rFactor 2 online has taken the sim racing world by storm over the past seven weeks.

rFactor 2 vs AC on Steam

With the record-setting player numbers achieved back in October,

Feb 22 Avg 637.8 / Peak 1758
Oct 23 Avg 570.9 / Peak 1357

What is certain, however, is that rFactor 2 is here to stay.

After a week of articles about how MSG are losing licenses and laying off staff.

So, an article announcing the release of a new mode (I think) for a sim, that doesn't actually explain what the new mode is? And seems to be full of, let's say, less than completely accurate statements?

I'm assuming Overtake / Connor got paid by MSG for this fluff piece - can I get some free rF2 content for having read it?
 
I like the new online system very much. But cant overcome the newbie category driving any of the 3 cars. Radical in its current state is very unpleasant to drive and to listen to. M2 has very bad ffb on my accuforce wheel and Tatuus is not my thing. I wish something of better quality would be available from the start. GTE, BTCC, GT3, GT4. Fingers crossed. But definitely good job from the studio with MP. I hope Reiza is watching.
 
rFactor 2 vs AC on Steam



Feb 22 Avg 637.8 / Peak 1758
Oct 23 Avg 570.9 / Peak 1357



After a week of articles about how MSG are losing licenses and laying off staff.

So, an article announcing the release of a new mode (I think) for a sim, that doesn't actually explain what the new mode is? And seems to be full of, let's say, less than completely accurate statements?

I'm assuming Overtake / Connor got paid by MSG for this fluff piece - can I get some free rF2 content for having read it?
Ridiculous
 
Premium
Quote from above article:

"The BMW M2 CS, the car given out to players for signing up to the online mode, received a revamp at the start of the release candidate. The Radical and the multiple iterations of the Tatuus junior formula cars are more than likely in the pipeline for a similar treatment."

I guess they are working on them.
 
Staff
Premium
A few lines were not quite as accurate as they should have been. They have been adjusted accordingly.
 
Premium
I agree that some of the cars look really outdated, as well as some of the tracks although i do realise that some look worse in VR than they may do on a screen.

I think there is a mix that is a good start, a slower tintop and a couple of open wheelers in rookies and then the gt3/lmp's.

What I don't like is what is considered rookie on an alternating schedule of the radical,bmw and tattus. I would race two of three, probably prefer one but it is every three hours which is not going to work for me.

I am ok with them being considered rookie but not so much that they are given lower priority, a lot of people like open wheelers.

No problem for the beta, it was to thrash things out but now it is public I would have thought that there could be a better schedule allowing people to race more of what they want to race rather than having to race whatever is on when they are free.

Maybe that would thin things out a bit splitting people across races, maybe it would get more people who would race rather than sit out that hour not wanting to race whatever happens to be then, who knows but they have to address it at sometime otherwise its still just a few free servers provided by the the dev and not the better eco system it should grow in to.
 
Way better than grinding in C class on iRacing.........I have been bumped off by over zealous pass attempts, but mostly its been good. I like the Radical and Tatus, not that keen on the M2, but that's me. A bit more variety would be good. Just doing practise with live players is quite entertaining.
 
Premium
Reiza did get in touch, and supposedly have gotten some good mod creators/converters from the rF2 scene to help them with the DLC updates. It's all died down a bit though.
I know. They will get to it...eventually. Glad to see the muti-player getting a revamp in rF2. I am going to have to give it a try.
 
Premium
Much more detail over here


I like the daily races and and renting official servers but I'm still waiting for iRacing-like hourly races where you can just jump in. People's time is limited more than ever. This is a must.

This is the key for any other sim to compete against iRacing. There's a huge opportunity since iRacing' achille's heel is still their rigid and unintuitive tire model and driving model which is exactly where the other sims surpass it.
 
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Joined a online race...spent 40 minutes practicing..it went to race ..bam.. disconnected:mad: the whole server with that race is gone ...okay ..fine ..a glitch..it happens ..joined the radicals ..another 35 minutes of practicing.. went to race ..bam!!... exactly same thing :devilish: .. .i'm hoping this is not a common occurance? ..has this happened to others?
 
Premium
Joined a online race...spent 40 minutes practicing..it went to race ..bam.. disconnected:mad: the whole server with that race is gone ...okay ..fine ..a glitch..it happens ..joined the radicals ..another 35 minutes of practicing.. went to race ..bam!!... exactly same thing :devilish: .. .i'm hoping this is not a common occurance? ..has this happened to others?
Nope. It's been fine for me. Might be on your side if it is happening consistently? That happened to me even on iRacing which is the holy grail of online. Then I sorted out my own connection issues and it was fine. In that case it was a firmware update required to stop windows randomly restarting my ethernet connection. Before that it was a router QoS problem. People tend to assume it's a problem with the game, but there are so many other factors that can go wrong on the user end as well.
 

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