Our live stream with Kunos Simulazioni's Marco Massarutto packed a lot of new info on Assetto Corsa EVO. For anyone not keen on re-watching the entire stream, here are five new AC EVO details Marco told us.
2024 is winding down, but the excitement for Assetto Corsa EVO certainly is not: A month before the first Early Access release on January 16, 2025, our own @Michel Wolk had the chance to sit down with Kunos Simulazioni's Co-Founder and Managing Director Marco Massarutto to have an in-depth chat about the upcoming title.
The two talked about a plethora of new information on AC EVO, in part related to the open world announcement, but not exclusively. There were plenty of interesting details, not at least thanks to the input of our community who had gathered a long list of great questions for Marco ahead of the stream and also chipped in with more while we were live - a big thank you to everyone who contributed!
However, as exciting as it may have been, we also understand how not everyone will be keen to re-watch the entirety of the stream, as it clocked in at about 90 minutes - so here are five important new details about Assetto Corsa EVO.
Many had been wondering whether or not offroad game modes would be a part of Assetto Corsa EVO, and it looks like players will be able to go off the beaten (or paved) path without issue. "We want to make a game that is as flexible and variable as possible", said Massarutto. "You will not be respawned on the road if you go off the road. The entire area is drivable. If you want to go offroad, you can do that anywhere. Offroad parks that can be found in the area "will be part of the experience. Not on day one, but as we progress."
Similarly, drifting will be possible in the sim as well, and it will even have bespoke gameplay mechanics implemented eventually. Massarutto confirmed: "We will have specific gameplay for drifting, with drift cars and tracks. You will just have to be a bit patient, but you will not be disappointed."
Point-to-point racing will also be possible with "hundreds of possible stages in the open world", according to Massarutto.
Anyway, all weather conditions you can experience in a racing session on a track will be part of the open world as well. Snow, however, will not be in either. Also, in the open world, dynamically-forming puddles and dry lines will not make an appearance, most likely because that would require frankly insane hardware resources to pull off on a map this big.
You don't have to pay the famous Pistenklause a visit if you don't want to - the open world in AC EVO is completely optional.
"If you wan to, you can completely forget the open world in EVO. It's an additional value, it is not needed. Some of the most downloaded mods are free roam maps. We know they are quite popular in the community, but we also know that there are thousands of sim racers who are not interested, so they ignore this map. They will have their perfect Assetto Corsa experience on track - and that's exactly what is going to happen in EVO."
So, the answer to "will I be able to just load up a track with a car and hot lap?" is yes. The "proper" racing side of things will be just as much a part of AC EVO as the open world will be.
Circuit-based racing will be present - EVO is not going to be all about road cars and free-roaming.
As AC EVO is not following a real-life series like Assetto Corsa Competizione does, this will likely mean multiple layouts for tracks that support it as well, just like in the original Assetto Corsa.
Of those already confirmed to be in the first Early Access release, Brands Hatch has two distinct layouts, while Fuji has the option to run a slightly different final sector. Imola and Bathurst are single-layout tracks, but should the Nürburgring indeed be the fifth track to be present in the first Early Access release, the GP circuit would offer numerous different configurations - and then, there is the Nordschleife that could be thrown into the mix as well, of course.
Instead, they will be added later, "in the second or third Early Access release", as Massarutto explained.
Eventually, though, multiplayer will feature driver rating system that improves upon the one found in ACC, and Kunos are actively working on anti-cheat solutions to keep the playing field level.
The studio has created a system that means the AI opponents learn with every lap they turn, and they will have different personalities as well. Names you recognize as clean or overly aggressive racers will have the same traits should you meet them again in races later on.
While this is not necessarily new (from what has been revealed, there might be much more under the hood), this should add a nice bit of depth to singleplayer sessions. AI drivers will also make unscripted mistakes, so no two races will be the same.
What was your favorite bit of info from our live stream with Marco Massarutto? Let us know in the comments below!
2024 is winding down, but the excitement for Assetto Corsa EVO certainly is not: A month before the first Early Access release on January 16, 2025, our own @Michel Wolk had the chance to sit down with Kunos Simulazioni's Co-Founder and Managing Director Marco Massarutto to have an in-depth chat about the upcoming title.
The two talked about a plethora of new information on AC EVO, in part related to the open world announcement, but not exclusively. There were plenty of interesting details, not at least thanks to the input of our community who had gathered a long list of great questions for Marco ahead of the stream and also chipped in with more while we were live - a big thank you to everyone who contributed!
However, as exciting as it may have been, we also understand how not everyone will be keen to re-watch the entirety of the stream, as it clocked in at about 90 minutes - so here are five important new details about Assetto Corsa EVO.
Full Open World Map Drivable - That Means Offroading As Well
At 40x40km2, the Assetto Corsa EVO open world map centered around the Nürburgring-Nordschleife is going to be an enormous free-roaming playground once it arrives in full. The first part of it is set to be added to the Early Access program in Summer of 2025, from where it will be expanded. And all of it will be drivable - which means offroading is also going to be possible in AC EVO.Many had been wondering whether or not offroad game modes would be a part of Assetto Corsa EVO, and it looks like players will be able to go off the beaten (or paved) path without issue. "We want to make a game that is as flexible and variable as possible", said Massarutto. "You will not be respawned on the road if you go off the road. The entire area is drivable. If you want to go offroad, you can do that anywhere. Offroad parks that can be found in the area "will be part of the experience. Not on day one, but as we progress."
Similarly, drifting will be possible in the sim as well, and it will even have bespoke gameplay mechanics implemented eventually. Massarutto confirmed: "We will have specific gameplay for drifting, with drift cars and tracks. You will just have to be a bit patient, but you will not be disappointed."
Point-to-point racing will also be possible with "hundreds of possible stages in the open world", according to Massarutto.
Weather Also Applies To Open World
As Assetto Corsa EVO will feature a dynamic day-night cycle and weather system, players will be able to experience the Eifel region in a multitude of weather conditions. We are curious to see if the weather actually changes as quickly and upredictably as it does in reality in the region, too!Anyway, all weather conditions you can experience in a racing session on a track will be part of the open world as well. Snow, however, will not be in either. Also, in the open world, dynamically-forming puddles and dry lines will not make an appearance, most likely because that would require frankly insane hardware resources to pull off on a map this big.
You don't have to pay the famous Pistenklause a visit if you don't want to - the open world in AC EVO is completely optional.
The Open World Will Be Optional
Addressing a concern many in the sim racing community had since the announcement of the open world in AC EVO, Massarutto had an answer that hopefully calmed them down:"If you wan to, you can completely forget the open world in EVO. It's an additional value, it is not needed. Some of the most downloaded mods are free roam maps. We know they are quite popular in the community, but we also know that there are thousands of sim racers who are not interested, so they ignore this map. They will have their perfect Assetto Corsa experience on track - and that's exactly what is going to happen in EVO."
So, the answer to "will I be able to just load up a track with a car and hot lap?" is yes. The "proper" racing side of things will be just as much a part of AC EVO as the open world will be.
Circuit-based racing will be present - EVO is not going to be all about road cars and free-roaming.
At Least 15 Tracks On Full Release
That said, the first Early Access release will feature five tracks and at least 20 cars, with the number of content pieces progressively increasing. For the release of version 1.0, expected in Fall of 2025, "no less than 15 officially licensed circuits" will be on board, with more to follow in the months after that.As AC EVO is not following a real-life series like Assetto Corsa Competizione does, this will likely mean multiple layouts for tracks that support it as well, just like in the original Assetto Corsa.
Of those already confirmed to be in the first Early Access release, Brands Hatch has two distinct layouts, while Fuji has the option to run a slightly different final sector. Imola and Bathurst are single-layout tracks, but should the Nürburgring indeed be the fifth track to be present in the first Early Access release, the GP circuit would offer numerous different configurations - and then, there is the Nordschleife that could be thrown into the mix as well, of course.
Multiplayer Returns With Ranking System & Anti-cheat, But Not Immediately
Multiplayer racing is essential in sim racing in this day and age, and AC EVO will not skip it, of course. If you have been taking a week off to play the sim online with your friends starting January 16, though, you will probably be disappointed to hear that multiplayer modes will not feature in the first Early Access release.Instead, they will be added later, "in the second or third Early Access release", as Massarutto explained.
Eventually, though, multiplayer will feature driver rating system that improves upon the one found in ACC, and Kunos are actively working on anti-cheat solutions to keep the playing field level.
AI Drivers Will Be Improved
Meanwhile, those who prefer racing offline should be in for an engaging time with the game as well. While the Assetto Corsa series is not known for its great AI, the singleplayer opponents in EVO will have more to offer than in Kunos' previous efforts.The studio has created a system that means the AI opponents learn with every lap they turn, and they will have different personalities as well. Names you recognize as clean or overly aggressive racers will have the same traits should you meet them again in races later on.
While this is not necessarily new (from what has been revealed, there might be much more under the hood), this should add a nice bit of depth to singleplayer sessions. AI drivers will also make unscripted mistakes, so no two races will be the same.
What was your favorite bit of info from our live stream with Marco Massarutto? Let us know in the comments below!
