In a surprise move last week, official BTCC content will once again be present within rFactor 2 – here's how the new deal was struck and why the two parties were keen to agree on fresh terms.
It all happened at once.
I was working flat-out to meet an F1 24 news embargo, a notable hotfix dropped for Le Mans Ultimate and Hot Lap Racing was being announced.
The latter, Yannik capably handled and as the F1 article was nearly complete, it hit me.
Motorsport Games and the British Touring Car Championship had reconciled, coming to a new agreement. It was like Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck getting back together again, only not.
What came before has been covered ad nauseam, so I won't dwell on it too much. Simply, the two parties agreed to work on a BTCC video game back in 2020 for release in 2022, then 2023, then 2024, then never.
The popular motorsport competition announced the termination of the licencing deal in November 2023 due to " fundamental breaches of the agreement.” Financial documents revealed that the game developer owed BARC – TOCA LIMITED “approximately $0.8 million.”
Now, though, there is a new deal, where Motorsport Games pays a one-off fee of $225,000 and then donates half the gross annual sales from BTCC content within rFactor 2.
I was staggered and read through the filings quicker than an Ash Sutton pole lap.
After everything that was said and done, now it felt like everything was back at square one. Except this time, there are some key differences.
Image: BTCC.net
“Motorsport Games unfortunately failed to deliver on the obligations of the contract, and never produced a game and that game was no longer in development,” says incumbent Motorsport Games CEO Stephen Hood to OverTake when quizzed about the latest development.
“I think we gave the BTCC very little choice but to terminate, especially as my mission when I came back a year ago, I tried to whittle down the organisation to focus on just delivering something meaningful.
“The choice that I made was to put all of our effort into Le Mans Ultimate instead of trying to develop the fight on several fronts. I think we needed a reality check there and it's painful to say no to things.”
“However, I've always believed that there was a real opportunity there [with the BTCC]. On a professional and personal level, it was very disappointing to be at the helm when we were terminated.”
One of the many criticisms levied towards Motorsport Games had been that of generating more headlines than finished projects.
Articles such as this, yet another about the company, are perhaps part of the problem. But then, often, there has been so much to cover.
NASCAR 21: Ignition, for example, was an over-budget befuddling mishmash of ideas that didn’t hold together in a cohesive experience.
This, in part, led the Miami-headquartered (but predominately Europe-based) company to camp on licences that in some cases could have blocked other potential developers.
Consequently, a key element of the new BTCC arrangement is that of ‘non-exclusivity’. If a different company would like to strike a deal with Alan Gow – the series’ custodian – the door is open.
“I don't believe that Motorsport Games needs to be in the market of taking exclusives left, right and centre and not do anything with the licence,” expounds Hood.
“The company has been there before. It wasn't very successful. We're trying to change on all fronts. The prior leadership team are no longer here and we're forging a new path.
“Alan Gow and I still maintain a very strong relationship and I wanted to try and navigate Motorsport Games out of the debt obligations for termination. I wanted to be creative in that regard and at that same time, not just settle a pre-agreed price but forge a route forwards.”
Right now, the Studio 397 development team, under the stewardship of Motorsport Games, is all-in on Le Mans Ultimate.
The official simulation of the FIA World Endurance Championship was released into early access for PC in February, and a notable update, according to Hood, “hopefully arrives in June.”
The team is now also committed to delivering three seasons worth of touring car updates for rFactor 2 – thus confirming that the over-a-decade-old platform is set to receive some form of new content each year until at least 2026.
“That is the plan, we want to keep the BTCC rFactor 2 content fresh, so it will get updated every season,” Hood tells us.
“A lot of the teams and the drivers, in particular, in the BTCC were hugely helpful and encouraging in terms of us creating the content.”
Livery and car updates are part of the schedule, but additional circuits are not guaranteed at this stage.
“I think adding more of the British Touring Car Championship circuits is a no-brainer, but tracks are incredibly expensive to build, and we have a backlog with Le Mans Ultimate right now.
“I want to see that right first so that we have a partner that feels very happy with us and we then use that as a template going forwards.
“I'm hoping we can give the BTCC content the attention it deserves in terms of the circuits over time, but it wouldn't be the priority right now. We’re delivering the car content.”
Le Mans Ultimate
That all leaves the BTCC game in limbo.
The arrangement does not commit to one, but rather leaves the door open for the possibility should terms be met.
In other words, a dedicated game is not currently in active development, but provided the rFactor 2 content arrives as planned over the next two-and-a-bit years there is the option to discuss a plan once more.
A plan that would use Le Mans Ultimate as the blueprint according to Hood:
“The real question is, what is the ceiling for this opportunity? Is there a video game there? Or is it just content in rFactor 2? Or, a spin-off version of Le Mans Ultimate built around British Touring Car, which might be an option.
“I think we've got some great technology with Studio 397 and Le Mans Ultimate, in early access it’s sold better than expected and we still want to add BTCC content into rFactor 2.
“That is a stepping stone for what we'd like to do in the future and that's why we incorporated an option to renegotiate the licence agreement to explore other opportunities further down the line because I think there's a chance there.
“There's a lot of work still to do on Le Mans Ultimate. A lot of work. But in all of that work improves the underlying engine that we can use for other projects.
“Maybe we can give it the British Touring Car Championship treatment, but we’re not promising the BTCC a game or putting ourselves on the hook. We've done that a lot in the past, and how did that turn out? Not very well.”
Contrite pragmatism aside, the next two years remain pivotal for Motorsport Games should it hold a desire to succeed in its touring car ambitions. The deal might be different, but in some ways, plus ça change.
It all happened at once.
I was working flat-out to meet an F1 24 news embargo, a notable hotfix dropped for Le Mans Ultimate and Hot Lap Racing was being announced.
The latter, Yannik capably handled and as the F1 article was nearly complete, it hit me.
Motorsport Games and the British Touring Car Championship had reconciled, coming to a new agreement. It was like Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck getting back together again, only not.
What came before has been covered ad nauseam, so I won't dwell on it too much. Simply, the two parties agreed to work on a BTCC video game back in 2020 for release in 2022, then 2023, then 2024, then never.
The popular motorsport competition announced the termination of the licencing deal in November 2023 due to " fundamental breaches of the agreement.” Financial documents revealed that the game developer owed BARC – TOCA LIMITED “approximately $0.8 million.”
Now, though, there is a new deal, where Motorsport Games pays a one-off fee of $225,000 and then donates half the gross annual sales from BTCC content within rFactor 2.
I was staggered and read through the filings quicker than an Ash Sutton pole lap.
After everything that was said and done, now it felt like everything was back at square one. Except this time, there are some key differences.
Image: BTCC.net
How Did We Get Here?
“Motorsport Games unfortunately failed to deliver on the obligations of the contract, and never produced a game and that game was no longer in development,” says incumbent Motorsport Games CEO Stephen Hood to OverTake when quizzed about the latest development.
“I think we gave the BTCC very little choice but to terminate, especially as my mission when I came back a year ago, I tried to whittle down the organisation to focus on just delivering something meaningful.
“The choice that I made was to put all of our effort into Le Mans Ultimate instead of trying to develop the fight on several fronts. I think we needed a reality check there and it's painful to say no to things.”
“However, I've always believed that there was a real opportunity there [with the BTCC]. On a professional and personal level, it was very disappointing to be at the helm when we were terminated.”
Competition Allowed
One of the many criticisms levied towards Motorsport Games had been that of generating more headlines than finished projects.
Articles such as this, yet another about the company, are perhaps part of the problem. But then, often, there has been so much to cover.
NASCAR 21: Ignition, for example, was an over-budget befuddling mishmash of ideas that didn’t hold together in a cohesive experience.
This, in part, led the Miami-headquartered (but predominately Europe-based) company to camp on licences that in some cases could have blocked other potential developers.
Consequently, a key element of the new BTCC arrangement is that of ‘non-exclusivity’. If a different company would like to strike a deal with Alan Gow – the series’ custodian – the door is open.
“I don't believe that Motorsport Games needs to be in the market of taking exclusives left, right and centre and not do anything with the licence,” expounds Hood.
“The company has been there before. It wasn't very successful. We're trying to change on all fronts. The prior leadership team are no longer here and we're forging a new path.
“Alan Gow and I still maintain a very strong relationship and I wanted to try and navigate Motorsport Games out of the debt obligations for termination. I wanted to be creative in that regard and at that same time, not just settle a pre-agreed price but forge a route forwards.”
rFactor 2 Content Confirmed For Three Seasons
Right now, the Studio 397 development team, under the stewardship of Motorsport Games, is all-in on Le Mans Ultimate.
The official simulation of the FIA World Endurance Championship was released into early access for PC in February, and a notable update, according to Hood, “hopefully arrives in June.”
The team is now also committed to delivering three seasons worth of touring car updates for rFactor 2 – thus confirming that the over-a-decade-old platform is set to receive some form of new content each year until at least 2026.
“That is the plan, we want to keep the BTCC rFactor 2 content fresh, so it will get updated every season,” Hood tells us.
“A lot of the teams and the drivers, in particular, in the BTCC were hugely helpful and encouraging in terms of us creating the content.”
Livery and car updates are part of the schedule, but additional circuits are not guaranteed at this stage.
“I think adding more of the British Touring Car Championship circuits is a no-brainer, but tracks are incredibly expensive to build, and we have a backlog with Le Mans Ultimate right now.
“I want to see that right first so that we have a partner that feels very happy with us and we then use that as a template going forwards.
“I'm hoping we can give the BTCC content the attention it deserves in terms of the circuits over time, but it wouldn't be the priority right now. We’re delivering the car content.”
Le Mans Ultimate
The “BTCC Ultimate” Plan
That all leaves the BTCC game in limbo.
The arrangement does not commit to one, but rather leaves the door open for the possibility should terms be met.
In other words, a dedicated game is not currently in active development, but provided the rFactor 2 content arrives as planned over the next two-and-a-bit years there is the option to discuss a plan once more.
A plan that would use Le Mans Ultimate as the blueprint according to Hood:
“The real question is, what is the ceiling for this opportunity? Is there a video game there? Or is it just content in rFactor 2? Or, a spin-off version of Le Mans Ultimate built around British Touring Car, which might be an option.
“I think we've got some great technology with Studio 397 and Le Mans Ultimate, in early access it’s sold better than expected and we still want to add BTCC content into rFactor 2.
“That is a stepping stone for what we'd like to do in the future and that's why we incorporated an option to renegotiate the licence agreement to explore other opportunities further down the line because I think there's a chance there.
“There's a lot of work still to do on Le Mans Ultimate. A lot of work. But in all of that work improves the underlying engine that we can use for other projects.
“Maybe we can give it the British Touring Car Championship treatment, but we’re not promising the BTCC a game or putting ourselves on the hook. We've done that a lot in the past, and how did that turn out? Not very well.”
Contrite pragmatism aside, the next two years remain pivotal for Motorsport Games should it hold a desire to succeed in its touring car ambitions. The deal might be different, but in some ways, plus ça change.
