I’m a sim racer and amateur racer with a passion for Motorsport, good racecraft and the technical and setup aspect of sim racing.
In today’s post, we’re going to look at everything we know so far about the hotly anticipated Assetto Corsa Evo. Assetto Corsa EVO is the direct follow-up to 2013’s Assetto Corsa, a racing simulator available for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. It’s distinct from Assetto Corsa Competizione, which is a GT3-focused off-shoot. It’s amazing to think that the original Assetto Corsa has endured so long; but I think that very much thanks to the (still) thriving modding Assetto Corsa Modding Scene.
Assetto Corsa features real-world cars and tracks, including historic, touring, single-seater, sports and drift cars, with EVO set to follow this template – but with some big changes. There’s a new car ownership system where you’ll actually own your cars rather than just unlock them. You can tune them, add cosmetic bits like spoilers and rims, and tweak power outputs just like in Gran Turismo.
Assetto Corsa has become massively popular with PC players thanks to the huge number of mods available for it, with just about every car and track combination in the world able to be driven in-game. It also performs excellently in VR, with user-made graphics mods keeping the title relevant and looking amazing.
As a result, it’s fair to say that Assetto Corsa EVO is the most anticipated sim title of the last few years, and it has a lot to live up to.
Who is developing Assetto Corsa EVO?
Assetto Corsa EVO is being developed by Italian developer Kunos Simulazioni, based out of the Vallelunga Circuit, near Rome.
Kunos was formed in 2005 and has been responsible for some of the best handling sim racing titles ever created, including the likes of netKar Pro, Assetto Corsa and Assetto Corsa Competizione.
The studio also created the smaller-scale Marangoni Hill Climb Simulator, Trofeo Abarth 500 and the Ferrari Virtual Academy sim, which began the studio’s close relationship with the Italian marque.
Which game engine does Assetto Corsa EVO use?
Assetto Corsa EVO uses Kunos’ own ‘Kunos Engine 2‘ game engine, stepping away from the Unreal Engine 4 used in Assetto Corsa Competizione. Unreal Engine has taken heavy criticism for being too resource-heavy, making graphics performance hit-and-miss for many users.
Early testers love the new engine. It’s built specifically for racing and runs super smooth, even with all the fancy weather effects and day-to-night changes. One neat touch is how well it handles the steering wheel animations – they’re spot-on with your actual wheel movements, which really helps you feel connected to the car.
Sadly, it performs poorly in VR, perhaps influencing Kunos’ decision to return to its own in-house engine, just like it did with the original Assetto Corsa.
When will Assetto Corsa EVO be released?
Assetto Corsa EVO is scheduled to be released on the 16th of January 2025. The game will initially be available as a Steam Early Access title.
Will Assetto Corsa EVO be released on consoles?
Although this is unconfirmed, judging from Assetto Corsa’s success on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One (Kunos’ co-founder Marco Massarutto confirmed that 44% of the game’s sales came from the console versions) it’s a safe bet that Assetto Corsa EVO will appear on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S one day.
How much will Assetto Corsa EVO be?
Assetto Corsa EVO’s price is yet to be revealed.
Which cars are in Assetto Corsa EVO?
Here’s the current known car list for Assetto Corsa EVO due for release in 2025 – the list will no doubt be subject to change!
| Alfa Romeo | McLaren |
| Giulia GTAm | 765 LT |
| Giulia Sprint GTA | Mercedes-Benz |
| Alpine | 190E Evo II |
| A110 S | AMG GT2 |
| A290 concept | AMG GT |
| BMW | GT 63 V8 BiTurbo |
| M4 CSL | Mini |
| Ford | Mini Cooper 1.3i |
| Fiesta ST Mk8.5 | Morgan |
| Ferrari | Super 3 |
| 296 GTB | Porsche |
| Daytona SP3 | 911 GT3 Cup (992) |
| F40 Competizione | 911 Turbo 3.6 (964) |
| Honda | Volkswagen |
| S2000 | Golf GTI Mk 1 |
| Hyundai | Golf GTI Mk 8 |
| i20N | |
| i30N | |
| Elantra N TCR | |
| IONIQ 5 N | |
| N Vision | |
| Lamborghini | |
| Huracán STO | |
| Lotus | |
| Emira |
Testers who attended the recent ADAC conference have already tried out a few of these cars. They’ve had hands-on time with the Porsche 911 at Imola, Alpine at Mount Panorama, and Hyundai at Brands Hatch. Each car feels different – just like it should – and the physics get plenty of praise for feeling natural and easy to get to grips with.
Will the Nordschleife be in Assetto Corsa EVO?
Yes, Kunos has confirmed that the Nürburgring Nordschleife will be appearing in Assetto Corsa EVO.
Assetto Corsa EVO Early Access track list
Here’s what’s confirmed for Assetto Corsa EVO so far:*
- Brands Hatch
- Fuji International Speedway
- Imola
- Mount Panorama
- Nürburgring Nordschleife
*Correct as of 28/10/24
The tracks are looking pretty special in early testing. Imola shows off the day-to-night changes nicely – as the sun sets, you’ll need to adjust your driving as shadows get longer and visibility drops. Mount Panorama in the wet is properly challenging too – hit a wet curb or painted line and you’ll know about it!
Is Assetto Corsa EVO VR-compatible?
Kunos has confirmed that Assetto Corsa EVO will be VR-compatible and it will be available when Early Access begins in January 2025. This is great news as I use a lot of VR- notably my Pimax Crystal Light and Quest 3 (depending on performance requirements).
Will Assetto Corsa EVO have triple-screen support?
Kunos has also confirmed that Assetto Corsa EVO will feature triple-screen support and it will be available when Early Access begins in January 2025.
Will Assetto Corsa EVO have mods?
Assetto Corsa EVO will have mods, but there’s a catch. Marco Massarutto from Kunos said they’re building a powerful editor for modders, but they want to do things properly this time.
He’s talking about getting modders to work directly with car manufacturers and track owners – no more ripping content from other games. The idea is to give talented modders a chance to create amazing stuff, both real and fictional while keeping everything legal and above board.
The catch? We won’t see mods until after Early Access, and they’ll need to go through Kunos first.
Will Assetto Corsa EVO have dynamic weather?
Yes, Assetto Corsa EVO will have both dynamic weather and proper day-to-night changes – something you could only get through mods in the original game (though Competizione did have both).
Testers have been putting the weather system through its paces. Rain changes grip levels all over the track – wet curbs are super slippery, and you’ll need to watch out for painted lines too. It looks great as well, with proper reflections on wet surfaces and realistic raindrops affecting visibility. Best part? It all runs smoothly without killing your frame rate.
Will you be able to use Assetto Corsa mods in Assetto Corsa EVO?
No – your old Assetto Corsa mods won’t work in EVO. It’s using a completely different game engine, so modders will need to start fresh and go through Kunos’ new vetting process.
Will Assetto Corsa EVO be open-world?
Yes! The game’s trailer already showed cars cruising on public roads near the Nordschleife, and Massarutto has confirmed there’ll be proper free-roaming.
You’ll be able to drive on famous roads around the world, much like those popular ‘cruise’ servers in the original AC where people just drive around chilling with friends. There’s also going to be special Proving Grounds and drift areas for when you fancy something different.
Will Assetto Corsa EVO have good multiplayer?
Things are looking up for multiplayer. At the 2024 ADAC SimRacing Expo, Kunos announced they’re working with SimGrid to sort out proper online racing. We’re talking daily races and proper matchmaking – way better than the old AC booking system.
Don’t worry if you prefer other platforms though – Kunos has confirmed that services like Low Fuel Motorsport can still run their own races outside the main game.
How does it feel to drive?
Well, Early testing suggests Kunos has found a sweet spot between being fun to drive and feeling realistic. The cars respond well but won’t bite your head off at the first mistake. You can still spin if you’re not careful, but you’ve got a better chance of catching slides than in hardcore sims like iRacing.
The force feedback isn’t quite as intense as iRacing, but it still tells you exactly what the car’s doing. You can really feel the weight shifting around and how the chassis is behaving. When you lose grip, it happens naturally – no sudden snaps or surprises.
It’s clear they’re aiming for something like Gran Turismo 7‘s approach – accessible enough for casual players but with enough depth to keep sim racing veterans happy. The handling’s actually closer to iRacing than Competizione, just a bit more forgiving when you’re pushing the limits. Whatever happens, I think AC Evo is going to be a great sim racing game to own in 2025.
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Topic: Sim Racing Games