Michael Leary

What a week this has been. The racing game genre has grown to the point where a bombshell can be dropped at a moment’s notice and change everything. At a time like this where we’re analyzing every detail, trying to understand what makes the genre tick and how it can continue to grow, it’s these moments of genuine surprise where we can all sit back and say “wow”.

This is shaping up to be an action-packed start to the week for fans of Assetto Corsa. What began yesterday with the release of the third and final Porsche Pack and a new update for PS4 owners, continues today with release of the previously-teased Scotland-based fictional track and the Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2 for PC players.

After a lengthy trial of patience, PlayStation 4 players will be the first to have access to the third and final Porsche Pack for Assetto Corsa. Arriving alongside the final volume is update 1.12 for the game, adding 40 new special events in addition to the following racing machines (and sports cars) from the German marque:

Gran Turismo 2 was the host to an impressive number (and variety) of racing machines, and whether the vehicles be race-modified to emulate their real-world counterparts, or the tried and true machines themselves, there’s quite a bit more to these cars than one would expect.

Looks like things are going to heat up very soon in Assetto Corsa. After the team outlined plans for the game at the end of 2016, Marco Massarutto has taken to his usual role on his Facebook page, and has once again begun teasing a wealth of upcoming content for the racer.

Polyphony have pulled the trigger on the latest Seasonal Events for Gran Turismo 6. This week’s events take you to three well-paced technical circuits where attack speeds are the key to victory. Three challenge levels cover this week’s events, giving you a choice of capable sporting metal.

It’s been a long and arduous effort for console racers, but next week, February 13, PlayStation 4 players will be the first to finally have their hands on the third and final Porsche Pack for Assetto Corsa. 

https://youtu.be/Hd0cRym5jCg

If you haven’t heard the good news by now, the recently re-established SimBin Studios has confirmed to RaceDepartment that its return to the racing game scene will be accompanied by the third installment in the GTR franchise. Following the reaction to the news, the studio has taken it upon itself to release a new batch of screenshots, featuring Spa Francorchamps and the BMW Z4 GT3.

We’re just going to cut to the chase here: the Weekly Rewind has returned! A lot has changed since we last spoke in 2014, and we’re going to tackle all of it over the coming weeks in some form or fashion. 2017 is shaping up to be one of the best yet for the racing game genre for one particular reason that we’ll gladly highlight again later on, and the news is all the more exciting when the revival of a particular PC (now multi-platform) racing franchise is announced.

When SimBin Studios was re-established in North West England last year, the racing community rejoiced as the developer synonymous with several acclaimed PC racing titles had returned to the scene. Now, just over three months later RaceDepartment confirms that the revitalized studio’s first project set for release will be the third installment in the GTR franchise.

https://youtu.be/xy4G7qeSTw8

Polyphony have pulled the trigger on the latest Seasonal Events for Gran Turismo 6. This week’s events are a combination of time trial and drifting challenges, testing your mettle at a variety of racing venues. Whether it be tuned or purpose-built racing machines, this week’s events has a little bit of something for everyone.

4K gaming is already on the rise thanks to the PlayStation 4 Pro having an early start. Released last year in November, the higher-spec Sony console already has a number of titles taking advantage of the additional headroom, and is further enhanced when VR is factored into the equation. The other half of this 4K race remains absent for the time being: Microsoft.

This year has certainly been kind to racers on the Xbox One so far: just earlier this month the Forza Horizon 3 Car Pass was up grabs to Live subscribers for 40% off, and it appears the Xbox team has already outlined its plans for February. Another racing game will be the highlight, this time offered for free through the Games with Gold program.

Following yesterday’s surprising news that Kunos Simulazioni has been acquired by Digital Bros, there have been a lot of questions regarding the future of Assetto Corsa within the sim racing community. Marco Massarutto has taken to Facebook to lay those concerns to rest.

When the team behind Assetto Corsa began speaking of its plans for Assetto Corsa in 2017, no one could have seen this one coming: Kunos Simulazioni is being acquired by Digital Bros, the parent company of 505 Games based in Milan, Italy.

If you’re still combing through the launch lineup of cars for Forza Horizon 3 and have yet to pick up the Car Pass, there may not be a better chance to do so than this week. Through the Deals with Gold program, the Car Pass is now available to Xbox Live Gold subscribers for $17.99.

Virtual reality is becoming a mainstay feature within the video game industry, seemingly growing by the day. Last year Microsoft announced their own entry into the growing market, and with a starting price of $299 the company’s own efforts are sure to become the most affordable entry point, undercutting the likes of Sony’s PlayStation VR, HTC Vive, and Oculus Rift that dominate the market.

Polyphony have pulled the trigger on the latest Seasonal Events for Gran Turismo 6. This week’s events take you to three power circuits where the number of horses under the hood are the key to victory. Three challenge levels cover this week’s events, giving you a choice of capable sporting metal.