Which Upcoming Hardcore Sim Are You Most Looking Forward to?

AssettoCorsa_Pau_gt2rs.jpg

Which Upcoming Hardcore Sim Are You Most Looking Forward to?

  • Assetto Corsa 2

    Votes: 1,003 68.4%
  • Le Mans Ultimate

    Votes: 182 12.4%
  • Rennsport

    Votes: 76 5.2%
  • GTR Revival (Working Title)

    Votes: 82 5.6%
  • PISTA Motorsport

    Votes: 21 1.4%
  • WRC 23

    Votes: 84 5.7%
  • Other (specify in comments)

    Votes: 19 1.3%

  • Total voters
    1,467
Many sim racing titles we are playing with such glee have been out for years, even a decade for some games. At this point, however, a shift might be about to occur. Many new titles are currently under development and have tried generating hype. Which one are you looking forward to most? Have your say!

Cover Image: Porsche GT2RS around Circuit de Pau-Ville on Assetto Corsa. Image credit: CrimsonSaltire

Assetto Corsa 2​

Kunos Simulazioni has been stingy with details about their upcoming sim racing title so far. Planned to first release some time in spring 2024, it is set to replace the active development of Assetto Corsa Competizione.

AssettoCorsa_Pau_gt2rs.jpg

Porsche 911 GT3R (992) at night. Image credit: Kunos Simulazioni

All we definitely know is that Assetto Corsa 2 is currently in development. Since the production of Assetto Corsa, the team has grown significantly, allowing for more programmers to divide responsibilities amongst.

Here's hoping that more information on the Italian simulator is coming soon.

Le Mans Ultimate​

More is known about the upcoming World Endurance Championship (WEC) simulator developed by American Studio 397 together with Motorsport Games. This will be the first time the current developers of rFactor 2 produce a title from start to finish.

LMU_Porsche_Monza.jpg

Proton Competition Porsche 963 action. Image credit: Le Mans Ultimate

Featuring vehicles found in the WEC series and all circuits raced in the series (not only Le Mans' Circuit de la Sarthe), this upcoming simulator will be the first dedicated software for endurance racing in a while.

Le Mans Ultimate is based on the rFactor 2 engine and is set to release towards the end of the year. If you want to talk about what it needs to be successful, check out this discussion article about what Le Mans Ultimate needs to get absolutely right.

Le Mans Ultimate is currently set to release in Q4 of 2023 according to its Steam page.

RENNSPORT​

With a focus on esports and high-level competition, the new simulator RENNSPORT is currently in closed beta. Developed by new German studio Competition Company, this sim recently completed its first ever esports competition hosted in conjunction with well-known esports organiser ESL.

rennsport_spa.jpg

Esports racers going around Spa-Francorchamps. Image credit: RENNSPORT

With a few high-class circuits already ready to race as well as options of grand touring cars to select from, RENNSPORT recently announced how its competition and rating system will work.

The release date, on which the public beta will launch, is yet to be announced.

GTR Revival (Working Title)​

Ian Bell's Straight4Studios are working on an upcoming sim racing title as well. The studio, which combines expertise in game development from titles such as GTR or Project CARS is working together with Brazilian studio Reiza on this upcoming title.

ProjectCars2_LeMans1971.jpg

Circuit de la Sarthe, 1971, as seen in Project Cars 2. Image credit: Straight4Studios

The two companies have been working together in the past, somewhat. Reiza's Automobilista 2 is using the MADNESS engine, developed by Slightly Mad Studios, which was Ian Bell's previous studio and where many key staff worked before Straight4.

The title was provisionally named "GTR Revival" in early messages by studio founder Ian Bell. It has been announced to be "the most moddable Auto platform ever".

The release date, as well as the final game title, are as yet unknown.

PISTA Motorsport​

PISTA Motorsport is the title of a new automobile simulator developed by REG Simulations together with 'Studio 56'. REG Simulations has previously developed and released karting mods for Assetto Corsa.

PISTAmotorsport_screenshot.jpg

Formula 3 Metropolitana single-seater. Image credit: REG Simulations

The game is looking to focus on the Argentinian racing scene, a region of the world which has not seen widespread digital racing releases apart from a few internationally recognised racing circuits.

The scope of the project, which seems large for a relative newcomer to the scene, can be seen in this announcement.

PISTA Motorsports' release date is yet to be announced.

WRC 23​

So far, we have only looked at circuit racing simulators. However, we shall not forget that a rally simulator is also in development.

Since Codemasters and EA have acquired the WRC licence previously owned by Kylotonn, fans of racing have eagerly awaited the new title.

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Ford Focus as seen in Dirt Rally 2.0. Image credit: Codemasters

The game is expected to be a spiritual successor to Dirt Rally 2.0 in combination with the World Rally Championship license, potentially providing the ultimate digital rally experience.

Fans eagerly await the announcement of WRC 23's release date.

What are you looking forward to the most?​

The simulations listed above are expected to be considerable as "hardcore" sims known to be in development. Other titles such as Forza Motorsport are on the horizon too, while some titles might've been announced with little to no information given other than license ownage.

So, out of the titles listed above, where does your mind wonder in those day-dreaming scenarios? What sim is the one you are most excited to hear news about?

Let us know in the poll and in the comments down below!
About author
Julian Strasser
Motorsports and Maker-stuff enthusiast. Part time jack-of-all-trades. Owner of tracc.eu, a sim racing-related service provider and its racing community.

Comments

Why include WRC23 (or whatever it will be called) in this list? The only thing we know about it is that it's not going to be a "hardcore" sim.
 
Not sure what AC2 will bring. With CSP/Sol/Pure AC more or less has become AC2 and with the massive number of high quality mods for AC, what is AC2 going to add? LMU I am more excited for, but then it needs to be more than just rF2 with WEC content only. And what I have seen so far, I am worried. There must be a reason why we have not seen any gameplay yet on the official LMU YT channel, except so people talking about the game.
 
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What is hardcore? Is hardcore when a sim' is so hard to play it's not actually realistic anymore. I was reading a piece from a GT3 driver not long ago and he was saying some of the "hardcore" sims are much more difficult to race with than real life, and my bud who raced in the Porsche Carrera Challenge Cup last year says, racing Assetto Corsa is harder than his real Porsche. The most realistic sim I've raced is GTR2 as the bringing of the car down in speed when approaching a corner feels intuitive and realistic through my wheel. Would be great if RD did some articles on older sims - older sims like GTR2 are very much active. I'm looking forward to the new Forza Motorsport - it seems cool to hate and the same applies at PC2 which if you are prepared to do some setup work it can feel and drive as good as anything else and I bet the same applies to the new Forza. Surely best hardcore sim is Rfactor Pro as it used by the pros which sorta means rfactor2 is the best commercially available hardcore sim and that is already here.
 
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Given all the crap games we have today, I don't wait any game apart of next update on BeamNG.drive. BeamNG devs are the ones I have left faith in. The game is still in alpha state after 10 years of development, yet every single update makes the night and day difference, especially so after 0.27 version. Modding possibilities are endless and I don't really care BeamNG doesn't have proper races as such. Because driving phyiscs is on the same level or rFactor 2 (which is stellar), car crash physics rises the bar of every lap you pass 10-fold and on top of that the game is FUN. For the most part simracing is taedium glorified. I eagerly await for tyre temperature update. The devs themselves have told they thought it'll be easier to implement than it turned out in reality, so tyre temperature update is delayed for who knows how long. Still, I wait for that.

To be frank, I expect every single project from OP's list to flop for one reason or another. Kunos have abandoned ACC, I see no reason for them to fix what will be broken in AC2 at the start. The original Assetto Corsa was stellar. What could go wrong in the team during ACC development period, I don't know. All those kerbs of death and kamikaze AI make me want to rage delete the game from my computer into oblivion. But hey, you get a new Porsche 992 livery!

Le Mans Ultimate? Well, I am a fan of rFactor 2, but given what studio has (not) done to NASCAR game, I wouldn't hold my breath. Also, don't forget, everyone likes to bash iRenting for their price policy, but rFactor series is the same when it comes to prices: tracks, cars, addons — everything will have a price tag and you can bet the prices will be stratospherical.

Rennsport... Haven't seen anything convincing as of yet. Too much smoke around the game, too little solid info. NFT, not NFT... what's going on? Definitely not stoked about that one.

GTR Revival. For me Ian Bell is Molyneux of racing development and everyone who played Fable games, knows what a lying bell end Molyneux is. Pun intended. Too many promises, too little result. If the upcoming game will be based on Madness engine, it is dead on arrival. Back in the day the team couldn't make decent physics in 1st installment of Project CARS, the team couldn't fix all those problems in second release and the third one was on the same quality level as Flatout 3, which is on the same level as the career of Steven Seagal. Reiza can't fix Madness engine problems either. Thanks, but no, thanks. Sorry.

Pista Motorsport. Haven't heard about that one.

WRC 23. I've bought WRC Generations and asked for a refund 30 minutes after first launch. Dirt 2.0 wasn't a peak rally game either, but it was fun and the physics were actually decent. WRC Generations has been released to critical acclaim, yet the game has soapbar physics you could expect from the game from early 00s. I still rock Dirt 2.0 from time to time and do so with pleasure. WRC can't compete with Dirt 2.0.

Honorable mention: Rev To Vertex. This racing sim has some tricks up its sleeve. I hope this will be a decent game.
 
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Author
Julian Strasser
Article read time
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Views
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What's needed for simracing in 2024?

  • More games, period

  • Better graphics/visuals

  • Advanced physics and handling

  • More cars and tracks

  • AI improvements

  • AI engineering

  • Cross-platform play

  • New game Modes

  • Other, post your idea


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