We have to talk about car games when we have to talk about simulators… or not, because there is everything in this mix that we bring you and that will fill us with joy in this new year. Some hard simulators, others less so and others with the firm intention of entertaining and less with the intention of simulating. Enjoy each one of them to the fullest and forget about labels.
Gran Turismo 7
We wrote a few days ago about the current state of the title:
We are 60 days away from the launch of Gran Turismo 7 on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation and the Sony PlayStation marketing machine does nothing but accelerate and heat up the spirits of that hype (jaip) that consumes little by little all the followers of the saga.
Rare is the day that we do not have some small reminder that the launch is approaching and that this release promises to start (we know how the games are launched now) very strong, with many reminiscences to the first editions where the huge fame of the title was gestated.
Polyphony Digital and Sony it is difficult not to jump on the bandwagon of nostalgia and things that worked very well at the time, and in context. Appealing to the good times and combining them with a powerful and improved online seems a recipe for success, and that’s what the Japanese will try this time.
Forza Motorsport
We still do not know much about the new installment of the series or its final name, although everything indicates that it will finally be a reboot and lose the associated number. At the moment we still have clues from Chris Esaki (the head of Turn 10) on the improvements that will be implemented in physics, suspensions and other details that promise to make it both more real and accessible to all players.
Difficult balance that promises this new release. At the moment we can enjoy its arcade sister Forza Horizon 5 which is a great interactive car catalog with which to enjoy beautiful landscapes in the most iconic vehicles of recent times.
Assetto Corsa Competizione (PS5 and Xbox Series X)
Marked in red on our calendars is the launch of Assetto Corsa Competizione for next-generation consoles. And is that Assetto Corsa Competizione takes the lead over Gran Turismo 7 and Forza Motorsport to try to win that base of players who already have compatible devices and want to make use of their new machines without having to enter the complexities of the PC.
Since the last PC update, the simulator feels at its best and promises to arrive on consoles with all the content promised in the last keynote and with all the knowledge acquired over the last 3 years.
F1 2022
New year, new release and new champion. A change in the regulations makes the season as uncertain as what we will find in Codemasters‘ recreation. This being the first time that its development is entirely under the umbrella of its new owner Electronic Arts, it is possible that there will be new developments, both positive and negative. For the moment we will continue to hope that it will be compatible with VR. It would be curious to know if the launch of iRacing AMG Mercedes F1 has had any impact on its player base.
WRC 11
Kylotonn’s license runs out and this will be the last year where they can take advantage of it before it passes into the hands of Codemasters – EA in a new and dangerous movement of concentration of licenses of motor events. If there was not too much movement (although remarkable) from the ninth to the tenth installment, we do not know what to expect from this last one in which perhaps fewer resources will be allocated to a product that no longer has a route. On the other hand, the new hybrid regulations force changes, so looking to the future… if Codemasters was able to make Dirt Rally without a WRC license and it worked out well, couldn’t the French try to give it back in a couple of years with a completely free and untethered title?
BTCC
Representing a new hybrid era in a championship where the most recent appearance dates back 2 decades does not seem easy. Even worse if your main rival has just revamped the TCR category with brilliant results and with the cars most requested by the public. Who knows what to think of a release that has not shown anything yet and that has a lot of work ahead, even more after the difficult launch of NASCAR21: Ignition just a couple of months ago.
NASCAR by Monster Games
The day before yesterday we knew the news that Monster Games became part of iRacing and with it the return of NASCAR Heat to the market in the form of a new title for the end of this 2022. What to expect? At the moment everything that brought us the fourth installment of Heat plus two years of development and knowledge of iRacing. With the goal set on consoles we will have to see the juggling of the Massachusetts team to avoid stepping on new heights of iRacing.
And the rest…
There are several more titles that promise to appear this year, but it remains to be seen under what conditions and under what premises. There are chances that some of them will enter our field of action, such as Dakar Desert Rally or KartKraft, but unless they achieve a significant player base quickly, their future could be too short in a sector in which the fight is extremely fierce and whose share of the pie is meager.
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