Straight4 Studios Joins Forces with Reiza Studios

Straight4 Studios Reiza Studios Partnership.jpg
After reassembling most of the team from the GTR and GTR2 days, Straight4 Studios is working on a successor to the popular series of sims under the working title of GTR Revival. Now, the developer has secured the support of a dedicated studio: Reiza and Straight4 confirmed a strategic partnership.

As Reiza is using the MADNESS Engine for Automobilista 2, the link to Straight4 CEO Ian Bell becomes clear: Bell was behind the Project CARS franchise for which the engine was created, establishing contact with Reiza CEO Renato Simioni - and the two studios have been talking for quite a while, as it turns out.

"Renato and I have been discussing this possibility for a long time, going back to when they were creating Automobilista 2", states Bell. "All of us at Straight4 were enormously impressed with what Renato and his studio were able to create in terms of feel and handling with Automobilista 2."

"Easy Decision for Reiza"​

Simioni explains why the two studios finally came together: "Our studios have always ended up on varying projects at varying times, delaying any kind of decision. Finally, with Ian and his team working hard on their upcoming game, the time was right for us to join forces." The Brazilian liked what he has seen so far for Straight4's effort. "Having seen inside the new project Straight4 is working made this an easy decision fo Reiza to sign up to a project we believe is going to be the next great sim racing title."

A promising alliance, especially considering Straight4's patented AI-based commentary and race engineer system that was first demoed using Automobilista 2 and Project CARS 2. "Combining our studio's talents is exciting news for all of us at Straight4, and I'm really confident this will also be fantastic news for the sim racing industry as a whole", says Bell.


What this means for the ongoing development of AMS2 is not yet clear. However, Simioni promises updates very soon: "We'll have further news on our portfolio of games for our fans in the next few days."

The upcoming title of the now joint effort is set to be released on PC as well as PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X & S and will be published by PLAION.

Your Thoughts​

What do you think of the partnership between Straight4 and Reiza? Are you looking forward to what they are creating? Let us know in the comments below!
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About author
Yannik Haustein
Yannik Haustein
Lifelong motorsport enthusiast and sim racing aficionado, walking racing history encyclopedia.

Sim racing editor, streamer and one half of the SimRacing Buddies podcast (warning, German!).

Heel & Toe Gang 4 life :D

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Comments

D
No, no, I know exactly how they feel, like the time I was 'FORCED' to go on a blind date with Ana de Armas....I didn't pull off the blind part very well, kept staring.
 
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DragonFlySlayer
Basically like everything else from Sports to the way movies are made, auto racing's technology, you name it. Sim developing? The biggest bidder gets the contract. This dictates what is produced and created within a certain class of sim manufacturing. Lately it seems the bigger companies have screwed everything up. Smaller teams such as this usually put more personal pride in their work and it is the product from a labor of love. That's where usually the best sim action comes from large or small. Now in the year 2023 there's more liabilities and money being generated from online prize money featuring real pro race drivers to AI folks and anyone who enjoys driving or hot lapping. I wanted the IR18. As advertised. They could still produce it and simply not call it such. But they choose not to. However, their other products do pretty darn well! AMS2 is one of my favorites. So...their gonna produce a fictional Gen 4 Indy? Is the Gen 3 American fictional too? But hey, if I have fun with it then I will enjoy it and drive the hell out of it if it looks and feels right. All I can do is either buy or not buy what they produce. It doesn't matter what I think. It's their sim. Larger companies push these guys here out in the bidding war for a contract. This is why we end up with a PC3 flop and Ignition 21 half naked or what ever it isn't.
I like American Indy. So that limits me pretty much. But I also like F1 and I am getting into GT.
AMS2 is better today than it was yesterday. I enjoy the American Gen Indy carts. Especially the Gen 3 from the way it looks and feels in the driver's seat. It's fast! I like Project Cars 2 DW-12's and KAOS's IR18 is a very nice full blown mod. I look forward to the AMS2 Gen 4 "Fictional Indy"
Some people talk abut physics and real world physics and they describe how a car handles within a circuit in a sim. At the end of the day, perhaps they're all arcade. Lately I deal with PC2, AMS2 and Race Room. I'm tired of the sound and feel of EA F1 after playing these others. AC and ACC are overrated. iracing is a game for rent $$$ I like to own my video games. What works for me or floats my boat is not always an even keel to what others thrive.
I like the Madness Engine. I dig PC2 and AMS2!
Vintage F1
 
Beezer215
Guys, pick and choose your battles. Remember, there's still people out there calling GT7 the best sim ever created. No need to bicker on here about this. lol
 
BorisK
DragonFlySlayer said:
I like the Madness Engine. I dig PC2 and AMS2!
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Me too. But there is a feeling that Reiza's AMS time is coming to an end. I'm sure they will fulfill all their promises, but it's also clear that the game hasn't gotten the popularity it should. I think the final touch will be opening AMS2 to mods, and that's the end of it. I really hope the collaboration with Ian Bell doesn't lead to a failure. Keep your fingers crossed.
 
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Beezer215
BorisK said:
Me too. But there is a feeling that Reiza's AMS time is coming to an end. I'm sure they will fulfill all their promises, but it's also clear that the game hasn't gotten the popularity it should. I think the final touch will be opening AMS2 to mods, and that's the end of it. I really hope the collaboration with Ian Bell doesn't lead to a failure. Keep your fingers crossed.
Click to expand...
There is nothing to be found to lead to this conclusion. You're saying that they spent all this time and effort to fix major and minor aspects of the Madness Engine just to leave it sit? They've added content that wasn't even in their planned DLC releases. They've added Easter Eggs into their wildly detailed tracks showing passion. They've secured licensing for big time content like Le Mans. We haven't even seen more than half of the cars with the 1.5 physics update.
Ian Bell is collaborating with Reiza due to their competency in solving problems and making a good product, not using them as his personal sim slaves. I wouldn't worry about an end coming soon to AMS2. In fact, my money is on it growing larger and larger.
 
Beezer215
I guess it comes down to a glass half full or half empty perception. What if they release the supposed Rallycross or Stadium Truck content and it is even better than the PC2 Rallycross, which in my own opinion was pretty fun. Reiza has the ability to make AMS2 go farther and reach more sales. They've had a couple hits though with Covid and the Russian war. They've been late on a lot of promises. I have a little faith though.
Plus opening it up to our modding groups will fill a vast amount of content into what's shaping up as a really good feeling sim.
 
M
Reiza has made it clear the effort with Ian Bell will not change anything for AMS2 in their forum. They have the Adrenaline Pack with RX coming up next month, v1.5 to be passed on to every other class not yet touched.
They already hinted at Le Mans which probably means also some "hardware" to go with it, USA Part 4 is also already announced.
They have stated they are working on MP in order to deliver some improvement there and they even mentioned opening again the "Backing Campaign" which means they are planning a few more years of development in their minds.
I see plenty reasons to be optimistic and none to be negative honestly.
 
BertramRaven
Premium
Kingkoenig said:
I just hope this won't be detrimental to the development of AMS2, my favorite sim at the moment.

On the other hand, it makes sense for a small and very talented studio like Reiza to join forces with another studio. So, let's wait and see.
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Bell will likely put together his own dev-team who will benefit from the work Reiza have put in to surpass PC2.
I am sure, for him, PC and PC2 feel like unfinished business.
 
BertramRaven
Premium
Beezer215 said:
I guess it comes down to a glass half full or half empty perception. What if they release the supposed Rallycross or Stadium Truck content and it is even better than the PC2 Rallycross, which in my own opinion was pretty fun. Reiza has the ability to make AMS2 go farther and reach more sales. They've had a couple hits though with Covid and the Russian war. They've been late on a lot of promises. I have a little faith though.
Plus opening it up to our modding groups will fill a vast amount of content into what's shaping up as a really good feeling sim.
Click to expand...
You are right that many release dates have come and gone, but unlike some other studios Reiza have been quick to own up to each problem, delivered quickly in at least the RC channel (showing progress) AND they have kept their promises on content where they were legally permitted to do so.
Given this, I have far more respect for the Reiza developers than most other dev houses.

“I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.” - Douglas Adams.​

 
T
MadDriver11 said:
. They have the Adrenaline Pack with RX coming up next month,
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Next month in 2024 dude Reiza won't give Adrenaline DLC this year, I can bet my all rig on it !
And next year it will be cut in 3 parts, with the last part release in 2025 or 2026.....
At that moment i would be playing with Lemans Ultimate, Rennsport and AC2....since long time.
 
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M
TeddyBearx said:
Next month in 2024 dude Reiza won't give Adrenaline DLC this year, I can bet my all rig on it !
And next year it will be cut in 3 parts, with the last part release in 2025 or 2026.....
At that moment i would be playing with Lemans Ultimate, Rennsport and AC2....since long time.
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If you say so... I'll be back here in July and we see where things stand ;)
Very interesting to see someone who sh...ts daily on AMS2 caring so much, but anyway we'll see in a month or so :D
 
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DragonFlySlayer
Beezer215 said:
I guess it comes down to a glass half full or half empty perception. What if they release the supposed Rallycross or Stadium Truck content and it is even better than the PC2 Rallycross, which in my own opinion was pretty fun. Reiza has the ability to make AMS2 go farther and reach more sales. They've had a couple hits though with Covid and the Russian war. They've been late on a lot of promises. I have a little faith though.
Plus opening it up to our modding groups will fill a vast amount of content into what's shaping up as a really good feeling sim.
Click to expand...
Please allow me to fill the rest of the glass with my ignorance. LOL
 

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