These Legendary Car Brands Are Finally Returning to Video Games

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This is the discussion thread for an article on GTPlanet:

These Legendary Car Brands Are Finally Returning to Video Games​

One of the oddest licensing sagas in racing games looks like it could be at an end, as Playground Games has — somewhat overtly — teased the return of four Italian marques to Forza Horizon 5, opening the door to their return across the entire genre of racing games as it suggests Stellantis has moved back towards video game licensing in general...
 
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The absence of these marques was the final straw that led me to not buying this game. The barren desert setting was another reason, but now I’ll probably grab it in the next sale. My Series X has been collecting dust because of Forza’s less than ideal circumstances.
 
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It's good news! Although the headline sounded a little funny as in "they're finally returning to videogames in general", when, outside of Forza, they've been in GT7 even, all of them. That said, Forza Horizon benefits a lot from that, I really miss having some Fiats in the roster, being an enthusiast of the brand.
 
leggy2fast
It's good news! Although the headline sounded a little funny as in "they're finally returning to videogames in general", when, outside of Forza, they've been in GT7 even, all of them. That said, Forza Horizon benefits a lot from that, I really miss having some Fiats in the roster, being an enthusiast of the brand.
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If you read the article it says that the cars in GT7 are pre merger which suggests that that's yer lot as far as expecting any new ones until now. So if I understand it correctly, the brands actually are returning to all videogames, not just Forza.
 
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leggy2fast
It's good news! Although the headline sounded a little funny as in "they're finally returning to videogames in general", when, outside of Forza, they've been in GT7 even, all of them.
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As described in the article, the only Stellantis cars in GT7 (and Sport) are legacy models - with the exception of the 2020, and thus pre-Stellantis and likely subject to a pre-Stellantis licensing agreement, Giulia added in 2022. This is the case pretty much across the board: if you get the brands at all you get only legacy cars, but nothing since January 2021. Seemingly no-one (outside titles that feature motorsport series, allowing for third-party licensing) has been able to licence fresh vehicles from European Stellantis brands since then.

Forza Horizon was affected more, by the removal of the brands. That's likely because MS agrees much shorter-term licensing contracts with brands (GT's are ten years as standard [though not uniformly] according to my sources; FM/FH seem to be five) and that necessitated the removal of the brands entirely between FH4 and FH5 as the licence would expire within FH5's projected lifetime* and PG didn't want to build them into the game only to have to remove them (or the game from sale, as happened with FM7 - perhaps due to Stellantis) later.

If Stellantis is now moving back in the direction of granting licences again, it will be most obvious in Forza because the cars were cut - but it applies to videogames in general. Or may do.
 
One of the issues I can't understand at all. It is only to the advantage of the brands if they are represented in the games. On the one hand, this allows them to reach young people who can later become customers, and on the other hand, the development of virtual racing means that there are a lot of older people who are interested in it.
You can only lose if you are not there.
 
@IngWeltschmer Ah, right. Last I'd heard they were still producing a rebranded subcompact there to keep the name alive (Ypsilon, I think it was?), but yeah I imagine that's been scuttled for some time now.
BlackHGT
One of the issues I can't understand at all. It is only to the advantage of the brands if they are represented in the games. On the one hand, this allows them to reach young people who can later become customers, and on the other hand, the development of virtual racing means that there are a lot of older people who are interested in it.
You can only lose if you are not there.
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When Stellantis was still just FCA they were cutting a lot of things to return to profitability, and I presume that they figured there just wasn't enough return on investment to have brands that weren't actively competing in motorsports featured in a motorsports related game (Alfa Romeo's F1 presence notwithstanding). But then again I don't think like a marketing executive, so I can't say that for certain.
 
EngieDiesel
@IngWeltschmer Ah, right. Last I'd heard they were still producing a rebranded subcompact there to keep the name alive (Ypsilon, I think it was?), but yeah I imagine that's been scuttled for some time now.

When Stellantis was still just FCA they were cutting a lot of things to return to profitability, and I presume that they figured there just wasn't enough return on investment to have brands that weren't actively competing in motorsports featured in a motorsports related game (Alfa Romeo's F1 presence notwithstanding). But then again I don't think like a marketing executive, so I can't say that for certain.
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No, the Ypsilon is not a rebranded like the last luxury coupes and cabriolets they sold (rebranded Chrysler) which I had forgot until yourmessage. It's just that it's a car basically unchanged since I think early 2000s, which had lots of safety and drivability problems in the opinion of those who drove it and is basically "a lady's car", an Italian alternative if you don't want to buy a MINI.

Regarding ROI, I'm just as baffled as you, I mean, Maserati would benefit in image from being in GTWS and if you think it's too much of a luxury brand nowadays to be there (Lexus is there though, and the new GranTurismo is very beautiful), then what about Abarth?! A 500 Abarth Gr.4 would be fire (and with FF it would have its own share of tracks where it would be among the META) and for Gr.3 a tuned 124 (whose original model won lots of rallies nonetheless in the 1970s) would be good as it's on the same chassis as the Miata or if not, a Vision GT Gr.3 based on Abarth rich history in opentop single seaters for hillclimbing would fit perfectly. If they did it for Suzuki, I don't see why they don't do it for Abarth!

it.wikipedia.org

Fiat Abarth 1000SP - Wikipedia

it.wikipedia.org it.wikipedia.org
it.wikipedia.org

Abarth-Osella PA1 - Wikipedia

it.wikipedia.org it.wikipedia.org

(While finding these links I also remembered how much I'm missing 131 Abarth, so much I had to design my own livery for it on a swapped 1970 Skyline :()
 
Apart from the fact that the article is a Little wrong (there have been new cars that have appeared in other games such as the Hellcat widebody or the new Wrangler in Motorfest) the real problem has been with the agency of the Italian branch of Stellantis that takes care of Fiat , Abarth, Alfa Romeo and Lancia licenses.

The problem with this agency is that right off the bat they stop giving access to the licenses of these brands in new games except GT7, hence the fact that in Forza Horizon 5 they were cut at the last minute or that they are not going to be at Motorfest yet but they add the Stratos on TC2.
 
So you say that the Stellantis licenses are handled by the same agency and then after say no?

:odd:

By the way, you have forgotten the brands of the old PSA Group, or Maserati, although they have not included a new model, they have continued to be there on new games...

The problem is that exactly 4 brands have caused problems in new games, not only because of new vehicles but also because of old vehicle licenses, and that is because the agency in charge of those 4 brands is different from the rest of the agencies in charge of the rest of Stellantis licenses.

Now it seems that they have changed agency or something and those brands are going to return to various video games franchises.
 
seco46
So you say that the Stellantis licenses are handled by the same agency and then after say no?

:odd:
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seco46
By the way, you have forgotten the brands of the old PSA Group, or Maserati, although they have not included a new model, they have continued to be there on new games...
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Can you please actually read the article before commenting, because it's clear you haven't bothered as I cover both of these points - one of which you've completely made up as I didn't mention any agency at any point.

That's because there's no "agency" involved. Stellantis handles its own PR (in a uniquely central fashion, also covered in the article) and its own licences. Which means that this:
seco46
that is because the agency in charge of those 4 brands is different from the rest of the agencies in charge of the rest of Stellantis licenses.
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is not true.

There's literally no need to guess at stuff like this when I've put it on a plate for you.
 
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Famine
Can you please actually read the article before commenting, because it's clear you haven't bothered as I cover both of these points - one of which you've completely made up as I didn't mention any agency at any point.

That's because there's no "agency" involved. Stellantis handles its own PR (in a uniquely central fashion, also covered in the article) and its own licences. Which means that this:

is not true.

There's literally no need to guess at stuff like this when I've put it on a plate for you.
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Well, let me be clear about one thing, the fault lies with Stellantis or with the group/agency/PR (or whatever you want call it) in charge of licensing those 4 brands?

By the way, a 2 years before the merger, all the licenses for the FCA brands were held by an agency outside the group called IMG...

www.media.stellantis.com

FCA appoints IMG to manage Global Licensing for Fiat, Fiat 500, Fiat Professional, Alfa Romeo, Lancia and Abarth

FCA Italy S.p.A. and FCA Group Marketing S.p.A. have choosen IMG to manage global licensing for its Fiat, Fiat 500, Fiat Professional, Alfa Romeo, Lancia and Abarth brands. The new partnership now sees IMG representing the entire FCA Group, already being the licensing agent for the group's...
www.media.stellantis.com www.media.stellantis.com
 
seco46
Well, let me be clear about one thing, the fault lies with Stellantis
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Nobody knows†, but most probably, yes. And it's not limited to these four brands; I'm aware of IMG's pre-Stellantis involvement but not sure what the relevance is - as nothing pre-Stellantis is relevant.

†Or rather the people who know aren't saying; as per earlier threads on this topic I've asked - I work with the automotive PR teams as I am a motoring journalist, and spoke to the entire UK PR team for Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Citroen, DS, FIAT, Jeep, Peugeot, and Vauxhall at an event in May. Maserati's UK PR team is actually a completely separate team and I spoke to them at a different event in June. Lancia has no UK PR team as it has no UK market presence.

All seem aware of the issue in broad terms but they're not at the level at which these decisions are made - which is Stellantis's global communications team in the Netherlands - and cannot discuss them.
 
Famine
As described in the article, the only Stellantis cars in GT7 (and Sport) are legacy models - with the exception of the 2020, and thus pre-Stellantis and likely subject to a pre-Stellantis licensing agreement, Giulia added in 2022. This is the case pretty much across the board: if you get the brands at all you get only legacy cars, but nothing since January 2021. Seemingly no-one (outside titles that feature motorsport series, allowing for third-party licensing) has been able to licence fresh vehicles from European Stellantis brands since then.

Forza Horizon was affected more, by the removal of the brands. That's likely because MS agrees much shorter-term licensing contracts with brands (GT's are ten years as standard [though not uniformly] according to my sources; FM/FH seem to be five) and that necessitated the removal of the brands entirely between FH4 and FH5 as the licence would expire within FH5's projected lifetime* and PG didn't want to build them into the game only to have to remove them (or the game from sale, as happened with FM7 - perhaps due to Stellantis) later.

If Stellantis is now moving back in the direction of granting licences again, it will be most obvious in Forza because the cars were cut - but it applies to videogames in general. Or may do.
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Thanks for the additional clarification!
 
Knowing the calibre of cars we get in Horizon, we'll probably end up with Lancia's one and only car on sale today. Seriously, how does this company still exist? Although, it's better than pushing bland and ancient rebadged Chryslers on the Italians.
 
Joey D
Knowing the calibre of cars we get in Horizon, we'll probably end up with Lancia's one and only car on sale today. Seriously, how does this company still exist? Although, it's better than pushing bland and ancient rebadged Chryslers on the Italians.
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I could be wrong but I don't think they'd dare miss out the holy trinity of Delta S4, 037 and Stratos.
 
UKMikey
I could be wrong but I don't think they'd dare miss out the holy trinity of Delta S4, 037 and Stratos.
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Especially with the rally expansion that just came out. Personally, I was waiting to see if the Stellantis cars were going to come back before getting deep into the expansion. I'm sure Torben and co. got a lot of feedback on that as well.
 

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