Coming soon: Le Mans Ultimate (February 2024 onwards)
Le Mans Ultimate is coming to serve as the official title representing Le Mans and the World Endurance Championship. The new sim racer was due to be out before the end of 2023 but has been pushed just a tad to February 2024. Launching initially for PC users only, the game will feature every car seen in the 2023 WEC season and will have all the cars for subsequent seasons – 2024 and beyond if it goes well – added in due course. It also features all the circuits of the WEC including, perhaps obviously, the famed Circuit de la Sarthe.
Though it is a brand new title, Le Mans Ultimate should feel familiar to sim racers with experience on rFactor 2, given it’s being developed by Studio 397. The game will run on the studio’s proprietary pMotor 2.5 engine. Improved accessibility has been a focus however, with better controller gameplay. They’re even considering console releases depending on how the game’s release goes.
A real highlight of the game should be its asynchronous co-op, which allows drivers to share a car on the game, in a race, as teams do in real life. You jump out after your stint at Le Mans and whenever available, your friend can jump in, from the comfort of their own home at a time of their choosing. Sounds awesome.
Coming soon: Assetto Corsa 2 (2024-2025)
It should be coming out this year if Kunoz is to be believed. We of course refer to the long-awaited Assetto Corsa 2. Originally slated for a Spring 2024 release, it’s been pushed back to summer at the earliest and on PC only. Console ports are expected, though they’re unlikely to arrive until next year.
We don't know much about it, but surely the devs are reasonably aware of fan expectations for the game, as a follow-up to what came before. The new game is to run on a new in-house made engine intended to power incredible graphics and industry-defining physics. Like the original, it should have a decent range of tracks and a fun range of road and racing cars old and new.