Without doubt, Automobilista 2 is currently a predominantly singleplayer racing game. So should communities and Reiza itself be spending time developing its Multiplayer functionality?
A few weeks ago, Brazilian game developer Reiza Studios announced its collaboration with a group of online ranked racing platforms in a bid to improve online multiplayer functionality in Automobilista 2.
With the likes of iRacing and Le Mans Ultimate finding strength in online racing, every modern racing title is now seemingly on the hunt for a similar experience.
The plan, according to the Brazilian Studio, is to enable AMS2 to work well on platforms such as Low Fuel Motorsport and Just Race. Whilst these third-party organisations do the bulk of the work to implementing the game onto their services, Reiza will also endeavour to improve net code and connectivity ensuring online racing is a smoother process in the game.
A fantastic idea on paper, it leaves me wondering if this is all just a big waste of time for both Reiza and the platforms looking to run the game. Here is my thought process, but make sure to tell me how wrong I am in the comments below.
Certainly, this will in part be due to the minimal development strides made into optimising key features like net code and race organisation. But ultimately, from every aspect, the game screams single player. Just take a look at how Reiza describes the game on its official website and you will see what I mean.
Not only is the first headline "Race Anything Anywhere Anyhow" very much a boot-up-and-go style of gameplay only really accessible through a single player sandbox. But scroll down and notice that AMS2's endgame - in other words, the main goal - is to put together "the most comprehensive and true-to-life career mode ever designed for a racing game."
But it is not just marketing that reflects the title's single player ethos.
Le Mans Ultimate is a game all about the premier sportscar racing championship featuring GTE cars, LMP2 and Hypercar blending LMDh and LMH rulesets.
Hypercars are very popular and predominant in sim racing. Image: Studio 397
Assetto Corsa Competizione upon its launch was a title focusing on the GT World Challenge Europe. Though since then, has grown to feature all sorts of SRO-managed GT classes, the most popular being GT3 cars.
Finally, iRacing may feature a huge spread of content ranging from Dirt Oval racers to Formula One cars. But arguably the most popular series, GT Sprint and IMSA, both feature GT3 machinery whilst the latter includes a multiclass aspect with the addition of LMDh cars to form GTP and LMP2.
In the current sim racing sphere, there is no denying the popularity of sportscar racing, no doubt thanks to the advent of the real world's so-called Golden Era. Whilst Automobilista 2 does feature a selection of LMDh models and modern GT3 cars, I would argue these are not the cars that attracts the title's die hard fan base.
Instead, those that return to AMS2 do so for the depth of historically accurate racers and the circuits to go with them. No, the Brazilian racing game is not a serious massively online experience, it is a way for true motorsport fans to relive different eras from the sport's past. Although the latest development blog hints at a growth in modern sportscar offerings, the majority of content releases also push the game further down its rabbit hole of classic motorsport that, in my opinion, struggles to captivate an online audience.
Automobilista 2 is increasingly about the classics. Image: Reiza Studios
When you do see proper online racing in the game that features almost any car and track combination you could think of, they tend to be a return to the standard GT3 and Spa mix that any other game can do.
As aforementioned, iRacing has a wide array of car classes in its content selection, some even throwing back to forgotten times like the Nissan GTP ZX-Turbo or host of Classic Lotus F1 machines. However, the most popular road racing series consistently combine the same three categories that also make up the bulk of modern motorsport on the real stage.
Historic content in iRacing is far from popular. Image: iRacing.com
Clearly then, the Venn Diagram of historic content fanatics and online racers is one with about as much intersection as one combining hay fever sufferers with the great outdoors in Spring.
But as the upcoming update, yet another physics overhaul, points out is that Automobilista 2 is still in heavy development. Engine discoveries and tweaks, content releases, feature implementations are all part of the daily process it seems within the Reiza team. So adding yet another task onto the seemingly long chore list may well slow down development on those updates on fans' wish lists.
Single player classics is why I return to Automobilista 2. Image: Reiza Studios
As a predominantly single player racer myself, I am extremely intrigued by the promise of an in-depth career mode spreading across disciplines, continents and eras. Furthermore, AI adjustments are something I would love to see come to the game, especially in race craft scenarios. But if the tweaks Reiza is planning for online competition later become larger changes or take longer than expected, it is yet another spanner in the works.
What do you think about the prospect of an online-focused Automobilista 2? Let us know on Twitter @OverTake_gg or in the comments below!
A few weeks ago, Brazilian game developer Reiza Studios announced its collaboration with a group of online ranked racing platforms in a bid to improve online multiplayer functionality in Automobilista 2.
With the likes of iRacing and Le Mans Ultimate finding strength in online racing, every modern racing title is now seemingly on the hunt for a similar experience.
The plan, according to the Brazilian Studio, is to enable AMS2 to work well on platforms such as Low Fuel Motorsport and Just Race. Whilst these third-party organisations do the bulk of the work to implementing the game onto their services, Reiza will also endeavour to improve net code and connectivity ensuring online racing is a smoother process in the game.
A fantastic idea on paper, it leaves me wondering if this is all just a big waste of time for both Reiza and the platforms looking to run the game. Here is my thought process, but make sure to tell me how wrong I am in the comments below.
Automobilista 2: A Massively Singleplayer Game
Ever since its launch, Automobilista 2 has seen little to no online racing presence beyond the few communities using the title for their leagues. Open lobbies exist in the game, and yet scroll through the list of online races and seldom will you spot entries exceed single digits.Certainly, this will in part be due to the minimal development strides made into optimising key features like net code and race organisation. But ultimately, from every aspect, the game screams single player. Just take a look at how Reiza describes the game on its official website and you will see what I mean.
Not only is the first headline "Race Anything Anywhere Anyhow" very much a boot-up-and-go style of gameplay only really accessible through a single player sandbox. But scroll down and notice that AMS2's endgame - in other words, the main goal - is to put together "the most comprehensive and true-to-life career mode ever designed for a racing game."
But it is not just marketing that reflects the title's single player ethos.
Far From Multiplayer Content
iRacing, Assetto Corsa Competizione and Le Mans Ultimate. The three biggest online racing games in the industry do not just have cool buzzword titles in common. In fact, take a look at their content lists - or in iRacing's case, content lists of the most popular series - and you will spot a certain familiarity.Le Mans Ultimate is a game all about the premier sportscar racing championship featuring GTE cars, LMP2 and Hypercar blending LMDh and LMH rulesets.
Hypercars are very popular and predominant in sim racing. Image: Studio 397
Assetto Corsa Competizione upon its launch was a title focusing on the GT World Challenge Europe. Though since then, has grown to feature all sorts of SRO-managed GT classes, the most popular being GT3 cars.
Finally, iRacing may feature a huge spread of content ranging from Dirt Oval racers to Formula One cars. But arguably the most popular series, GT Sprint and IMSA, both feature GT3 machinery whilst the latter includes a multiclass aspect with the addition of LMDh cars to form GTP and LMP2.
In the current sim racing sphere, there is no denying the popularity of sportscar racing, no doubt thanks to the advent of the real world's so-called Golden Era. Whilst Automobilista 2 does feature a selection of LMDh models and modern GT3 cars, I would argue these are not the cars that attracts the title's die hard fan base.
Instead, those that return to AMS2 do so for the depth of historically accurate racers and the circuits to go with them. No, the Brazilian racing game is not a serious massively online experience, it is a way for true motorsport fans to relive different eras from the sport's past. Although the latest development blog hints at a growth in modern sportscar offerings, the majority of content releases also push the game further down its rabbit hole of classic motorsport that, in my opinion, struggles to captivate an online audience.
Automobilista 2 is increasingly about the classics. Image: Reiza Studios
Who Races Classics Online Anyway?
The original Assetto Corsa is another racing game with a strange relationship with online racing. For a while now, it has featured on a collection of ranked racing platforms. But rarely would one think of the third party content creator's heaven as an online title.When you do see proper online racing in the game that features almost any car and track combination you could think of, they tend to be a return to the standard GT3 and Spa mix that any other game can do.
As aforementioned, iRacing has a wide array of car classes in its content selection, some even throwing back to forgotten times like the Nissan GTP ZX-Turbo or host of Classic Lotus F1 machines. However, the most popular road racing series consistently combine the same three categories that also make up the bulk of modern motorsport on the real stage.
Historic content in iRacing is far from popular. Image: iRacing.com
Clearly then, the Venn Diagram of historic content fanatics and online racers is one with about as much intersection as one combining hay fever sufferers with the great outdoors in Spring.
Why a Waste of Time?
Okay, I admit it. Describing the developer's desire to develop multiplayer functionality further as a waste of time may be a slight exaggeration. If the title can satisfy both the single player community and the few online racers that will choose AMS2 as their go-to, it is the best of both worlds.But as the upcoming update, yet another physics overhaul, points out is that Automobilista 2 is still in heavy development. Engine discoveries and tweaks, content releases, feature implementations are all part of the daily process it seems within the Reiza team. So adding yet another task onto the seemingly long chore list may well slow down development on those updates on fans' wish lists.
Single player classics is why I return to Automobilista 2. Image: Reiza Studios
As a predominantly single player racer myself, I am extremely intrigued by the promise of an in-depth career mode spreading across disciplines, continents and eras. Furthermore, AI adjustments are something I would love to see come to the game, especially in race craft scenarios. But if the tweaks Reiza is planning for online competition later become larger changes or take longer than expected, it is yet another spanner in the works.
What do you think about the prospect of an online-focused Automobilista 2? Let us know on Twitter @OverTake_gg or in the comments below!
