Assetto Corsa

Last we talked, “Black Cat County” was under the microscope, the free-to-all picturesque location inspired by the American South. The location, spurred on by the feedback given by an automotive manufacturer with close ties to Kunos, allows players to experience the joys of driving in a natural, more relaxed fashion. An entirely new outlook of the game in comparison to the more focused-based track action the game primarily focuses on, no doubt.

With winter in its final throes – especially here in Toronto, complete with freezing rain as I type this – things are heating up all along the automotive landscape, both in the real world and digitally. While Assetto Corsa’s console release was delayed, the folks at Kunos Simulazioni continue to work tirelessly on their title in preparation for the next big update (v1.5), with the first of three blog updates dedicated to the latest version going live earlier today. Like most big projects, the real work starts at home.

505 Games and Kunos Simulazioni have laid out the details for the second bonus pack DLC content coming to Assetto Corsa late next week, available at no additional cost.

In light of the recent news that console-goers will have to sit tight for just a little bit longer to experience the acclaimed racing title, development continues on both ends to improve the game. Earlier this month Kunos revealed plans to completely overhaul the game’s complete library of racing venues, courtesy of improved laser-scanning technology.

As you’ve no doubt gathered from the title, there’s a bit of unfortunate news to report: Kunos Simulazioni and publisher 505 Games have announced that Assetto Corsa’s venture onto consoles has been postponed. While it will no longer release as originally intended, the new release dates have been confirmed to be June 3rd for Europe, and June 7th for North America.

Development on the critically-acclaimed Assetto Corsa began in 2011, and since then the game has received numerous updates. The latest of which having introduced several new vehicles, the introduction of “the best circuit in the world,” Brands Hatch, as well as updates to some of the core features of the game. But if there’s one thing that’s been noticeable despite all of the updates, it’s the quality of the tracks.

As Assetto Corsa gets closer to a mainstream release, buzz around the game is expected to grow larger as time goes on. A video released on Youtube – by Kunos Simulazioni team member Aristotelis Vasilakos – aims to build around this buzz, showing off just how well AC handles (and looks) compared to reality using the bellissimo Italian combination of an Alfa Romeo 4C on the Modena Circuit.

Tearing oneself away from content this endearing – even when accounting for unfortunate circumstances – is no easy task, and it should come as no surprise that Kunos Simulazioni has once again delivered in a big way with Dream Pack 3.

Shown earlier today, Kunos has pulled the cover off one of the stars in the upcoming Dream Pack 3, the Ford Escort RS 1600. Born from a partnership between Ford and Lotus in the late 60’s, the Escort was powered by a 1.6L Cosworth BDA Inline-4 which drove it to a number of rally and GT race victories.

Earlier this year, Kunos Simulazioni confirmed work was being done to bring “the best circuit in the world”, Brands Hatch, to Assetto Corsa. Kunos have confirmed that Brands Hatch will be coming to the game alongside seven new rides in Dream Pack 3 due on December 15th.

When we first learned that developer Kunos Simulazioni would be bringing the highly-praised PC simulator Assetto Corsa to consoles in 2016 the very first question many expressed was “Are the physics going to be affected?”. That question was soon answered by Marco Massarutto, Licensing Project Manager at Kunos Simulazioni, exclaiming that the games physics would be given first priority and that the game had the same feelings, dynamism and force feedback of the PC version.

As foretold in a teaser earlier this month, Audi’s R8 V10 Plus is now available in Assetto Corsa courtesy of the latest 1.3.5 update.

Kunos Simulazioni have revealed on the offiicial Assetto Corsa Facebook page that new content is on the way to the game. That content, pictured above, is the Audi R8 V10 Plus and unlike its GT3 class brethren that was introduced in last month’s Dream Pack 2 expansion, the R8 V10 Plus will be made available to everyone as free bonus content.

As teased earlier last month, Assetto Corsa’s ‘Dream Pack 2’ DLC will introduce nine brand-new vehicles to the game as well as a laser-scanned version of Circuit de Catalunya, home of the Spanish Formula One Grand Prix. The cars included in Dream Pack 2 are as follows:

For the past several weeks Marco Massarutto, Licensing Project Manager at Kunos Simulazioni, has been teasing the contents of the upcoming Dream Pack 2 DLC that’s due later this month, and what we know thus far is that the pack will contain 10 brand-new cars and Circuit de Catalunya.

Marco Massarutto, Licensing Project Manager at Kunos Simulazioni, revealed today on his Facebook page that BMW’s M4 coupe is on the way to Assetto Corsa. This revelation comes after a test drive Massarutto had in the M4 at Vallelunga Circuit last year – a circuit home to Kunos as they occupy a pit garage outfitted as an office – and would inquire about licensing the car for inclusion in the game.

As announced earlier last month, Assetto Corsa will be making the transition to the current generation consoles in 2016 and Inside Sim Racing’s Darin Gangi brings us the first look of the progress being made with the new user interface coming to consoles and PC.

Kunos Simulazioni has confirmed the content of the upcoming bonus pack DLC that will be made available at no additional charge, and will include five brand new cars as well as a new circuit – Circuit Park Zandvoort.