Project Canceled

Developer Slightly Mad Studios has announced that its 2015 prestige racing simulator Project CARS, along with its 2017 sequel, Project CARS 2, are to be delisted from sale on all formats this fall. Both titles will then be rendered unpurchasable, tho??ugh owners will still be able to redownload and play the games as they wish.

Speaking in a brief statement on Twitter, Slightly Mad Studios pointed to the expiration of various in-game licenses as the reason for the games' removal from sale. Certain vehicles, tracks, and other trademarks in both Project CARS releases are clearly reaching their end-of-terms, with publisher ?Codemasters not looking to renew the licenses for further years.

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"We will remove Project CARS from sale on October 3rd and Project CARS 2 on September 21st," wrote the studio. "We remain focused on making the best racing sim titles, and, as mentione?d previously, we l??ook forward to sharing more on the next Slightly Mad project when the time is right."

There is no mention of Project CARS 3 befalling the same fate, so no doubt the 2020 sequel is currently still well within its licensing rights, though it will no doubt be similarly delisted once its time is also up. In the meantime, Project CARS, Project CARS 2, and Project CARS 3 are all available now on PS4, PC, and Xbox One.

The post Project Cars 1 and 2 to be delisted due to ??license expiration appeared first on Destructoid.

Where is the Hellcat?

I can't say I'm much of a car guy, but I always find it fascinating to read through the car lists for racing games. Its cool trying to spot the models I actually might know about and then balking at omissions from the roster. Looking over the list of cars from the upcoming Project CARS 2, I'm mostly left wondering where? the Hellcat is. How do you make a racing game and leave out one of the fastest consumer vehicles ever made?

I think it mostly has to do with Project CARS being based more on Indy and Formula 1 racing. The Dodge Challenger isn't exactly an Indy car, though it potentially hits speeds faster than an F1 car. That part is super impressive, especially for the sticker price of $64,195.

When did this post become an ad for Dodge? Well, anyway, here is the 180 strong list of cars you'll be driving in Project CARS 2:

Open Wheel Class

• 2011 Formula A
• 2015 Formula Renault 3.5
• 2016 Formula C
• 2011 Formula Rookie
• 2018 Formula X

Vintage Open Wheel Class

• 1986 Lotus Type 98T Renault
• 1977 Lotus Type 78 Cosworth
• 1967 Lotus Type 49 Cosworth
• 1970 Lotus Type 49C Cosworth
• 1972 Lotus Type 72D Cosworth
• 1963 Lotus Type 25 Climax
• 1967 Lotus Type 51

Indycar Class

• 2016 Dallara DW 12 Chevy (Oval)
• 2016 Dallara DW 12 Chevy (Road Course)
• 2016 Dallara DW 12 Honda (Oval)
• 2016 Dallara DW 12 Honda (Road Course)

Vintage Indycar Class

• 1963 Agajanian Watson Roadster
• 1965 Lotus Type 38 Ford
• 1968 Lotus Type 56 Ford

Group 4

• 1981 BMW M1 Procar

Group 5

• 1978 BMW 320 Turbo Group 5
• 1980 Ford Capri Zakspeed Group 5
• 1982 Nissan KDR30 Super Silhouette
• 1977 Porsche 935/77
• 1979 Porsche 935/80
• 1981 Nissan 280ZX IMSA GTX (Pre-order)

Group 6

• 1978 Renault Alpine A442B
• 1977 Porsche 936 Spyder

Group A

• 1991 Audi V8 DTM (DLC)
• 1991 Mercedes Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evo2 DTM
• 1988 Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth Group A
• 1991 BMW E30 M3 Group A
• 1990 Nissan Skyline GT-R (R32) Group A (Pre-order)

Group C

• 1988 Jaguar XJR-9
• 1988 Jaguar XJR-9 (Le Mans Version)
• 1989 Sauber C9 Mercedes Benz
• 1989 Sauber C9 Mercedes Benz (Le Mans Version)
• 1988 Nissan GTP Zx-Turbo
• 1989 Nissan R89C
• 1989 Nissan R89C (Le Mans Version)
• 1987 Porsche 962C
• 1988 Porsche 962C Langheck

GTO

• 1989 Audi 90 Quattro IMSA GTO
• 1997 Ford Mustang Cobra SCCA TransAm
• 1994 Nissan 300ZX Turbo IMSA GTS
• 1994 Nissan 300ZX Turbo Le Mans

GT1

• 1997 McLaren F1 GTR Longtail
• 1998 Mercedes Benz CLK-LM
• 1998 Porsche 911 GT1-98
• 1998 Panoz Esperante GTR-1 (DLC)
• 1998 Nissan R390 GT1 Long Tail

GTE

• 2015 Aston Martin Vantage GTE
• 2016 BMW M6 GTLM
• 2015 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R
• 2016 Ford GT LM GTE

GT3

• 2017 Acura NSX GT3
• 2013 Aston Martin Vantage GT3
• 2015 Audi R8 LMS GT3
• 2015 Audi R8 LMS GT3 Endurance
• 2015 Bentley Continental GT3
• 2016 Bentley Continental GT3 Endurance
• 2016 Bentley Continental GT3
• 2016 BMW M6 GT3
• 2012 BMW Z4 GT3
• 2015 Cadillac ATS-V.R GT3
• 2016 Ferrari 488 GT3
• 2012 Ginetta G55 GT3
• 2016 McLaren 650S GT3
• 2015 Mercedes AMG GT3
• 2013 Mercedes Benz SLS AMG GT3
• 2016 Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3
• 2016 Porsche 911 GT3 R
• 2016 Porsche 911 GT3 R Endurance

GT4

• 2013 Aston Martin Vantage GT4
• 2012 BMW M3 GT4 E92
• 2013 Ford Mustang Boss 302R1
• 2016 Ford Mustang RTR GT4
• 2012 Ginetta G55 GT4
• 2016 KTM X-Bow GT4
• 2016 Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR

GT5

• 2015 Ginetta G40 GT5

LMP1

• 2014 Audi R18 e-tron quattro
• 2014 Marek RP339h
• 2016 RWD P30 LMP1

LMP2

• 2016 Ligier JS P2 Nissan
• 2016 Ligier JS P2 Honda
• 2016 Ligier JS P2 Judd
• 2016 RWD P20 LMP2
• 2013 Marek RP219d
• 2013 Oreca 03 Nissan

LMP3

• 2016 Ginetta LMP3
• 2016 Ligier JS P3

LMP900

• 2002 Audi R8 (LMP900)
• 2003 Bentley Speed 8
• 1999 BMW V12 LMR

Vintage Prototype

• 1967 Ford GT40 Mk. IV
• 1965 Lotus Type 40 Ford

Touring Car

• 2012 BMW 320 TC (E90)
• 2016 Mercedes AMG A45
• 2016 Opel Astra TCR (DLC)
• 2016 Renault Megane R.S

Vintage Touring CAR & GT

• 1959 Aston Martin DBR1/300
• 1973 Nissan Fairlady 240ZG GTS-II
• 1974 Jaguar E-Type V12 Group44 (DLC)
• 1972 BMW 2002 Stanceworks Edition
• 1972 Ford Escort Mk1 Racing
• 1971 Mercedes Benz 300SEL 6.8 AMG
• 1952 Mercedes Benz 300SL (W194)

Road Cars

• 2017 McLaren 720S
• 2014 McLaren P1
• 2016 Pagani Huayra BC
• 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder
• 2014 Radical RXC Turbo
• 2017 Bac Mono
• 2016 Ford GT
• 1994 Jaguar XJ220 S TWR
• 2010 Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster
• 2016 Porsche 911 GT3 RS
• 2017 Acura NSX
• 2015 Aston Martin Vantage GT12
• 2015 Audi R8 V10 Plus
• 2015 Chevrolet Corvette C7 Z06
• 2016 McLaren 570S
• 1994 McLaren F1
• 2016 Mercedes AMG GT R
• 2017 Nissan GT-R Nismo (R35)
• 2011 BMW 1M Stancework Edition
• 2015 Caterham Seven 620 R
• 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL-1
• 2016 Jaguar F-Type SVR
• 2015 KTM X-Bow R
• 2011 BMW 1-Series M Coupé (E82)
• 2015 Ford Mustang GT
• 2015 Mercedes AMG A45 4MATIC Edition 1
• 2016 Mercedes AMG C63 Coupé S
• 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX FQ-360
• 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X FQ-400
• 2013 Audi A1 quattro
• 2016 Honda Civic Type-R (Euro Spec) (Pre-order)
• 1999 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI T.M.E.
• 2014 Renault Megane R.S. 275 Trophy-R
• 1973 BMW 2002 Turbo
• 1972 Ford Escort Mk1 RS1600
• 2016 Ford F-150 RTR Funhaver
• 1966 Ford Mustang 2+2 Fastback

Track Day

• 2015 Aston Martin Vulcan
• 2016 Ginetta G57
• 2016 McLaren P1 GTR
• 2016 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI SVA
• 2013 Zonda Zonda Revolucion
• 2011 Radical SR8 RX
• 2012 Caterham SP/300R
• 2015 Honda 2+4 Concept (Pre-order)
• 1999 Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34) SMS-R
• 2011 Radical SR3 RS

WRX

• 2016 Ford Focus RS Rallycross
• 2016 Honda Civic Coupé GRX
• 2016 Mercedes AMG A45 Rallycross
• 2016 Mini Countryman RX
• 2016 Renault Megane R.S. Rallycross
• 2016 Volkswagen Polo RX Supercar

RX Lites

• 2016 OMSE RX Supercar Lite

Vintage RX

• 1972 Ford Escort Mk1 Rallycross

MISC

• 2012 Mazda MX-5 RadBul
• 2013 Ford Falcon FG (CotF)
• 2009 Renault Megane Trophy V6
• 2015 Renault Sport R.S. 01
• 2013 Renault Clio Cup
• 2011 Kart 100CC
• 2012 Ginetta G40 Junior
• 2016 Ford Fusion Stock Car

Some cars are limited to pre-order DLC and the season pass wh??ile a few others aren't even announced. There is still hope for Dodge's beast of a machine to enter the fray, but I'm mostly surprised there is a WRX class with the Subaru WRX. That is just odd.

The CARS [Project Cars]

The post Project CARS 2 certainly has a bunch of cars appeared first on Destructoid.

Watch the throne

Over the course of all the E3 appointments I've attended in my six years covering the show, I don't think I've ever heard someone place equal emphasis on their game and why it's better than the competition. Project CARS 2 creative director Andy Tudor did this. It was half sales pitch and half obnoxious truthering. After thinking about it for ?a bit, I can't say I blame him.

"The first truth is that we still have the largest track roster of any console racing game," Tudor started out. "And it is great that other games have only just added dynamic weather because we had that in Project CARS 1," he continu??ed. There's no lapse?? between these statements; these sentences are literally said back-to-back.

The entire presentation is filled with this stuff. Area-specific conditions that cause certain parts of the track to form puddles while other sections don't become as waterlogged. Tudor prefaces this with "Other games are just catching up to us [with dynamic weather]; we are continuing to innovate with localized weather." There's an anecdote about how developer Slightly Mad shut down Long Beach to fly drones over it so that it could make the track realistic to within 1 millimeter -- something that Tudor calls "above and beyond the competition.??"

It goes on. We're told that there's no need to go out and buy an off-road game because Project CARS 2 will have rally racing. We're told that "this isn't a Pokemon car collecting game" and that we can drive any vehicle right from the get-go. Sly jab after sly jab about why this game has the player??'s interests more in mind than any other racing game. "We are the most technologically advanced game out there," he says toward the end of the meeting.

When we turned the magnifying glass away from the competition and onto Project CARS 2, Tudor points to two major improvements that will make the sequel more accessible t?han its predecessor. Probably most important is that gamepad handling will be better right out of the box. Also, the menus are pared down to be less overwhelming to a casual player. All the depth and fine-tuning is still in there, but it's not cluttering things for the people who just want to get into a ra??ce that they can understand.

But, for all the comparisons to the competition, Tudor walks it back when we ask him how that mindset affects design. He insists that the likes of Forza and Gran Turismo don't influence the development of Project CARS. "No, we just purely get on with what we want to be doing because we don't necessarily know what the competition are doing. We have our spies here ??and there, but we honestly do not know," he comments.

Tudor continues "We've been making racing games for a very long time, since 2000, and over that time we've been constantly kind of nipping at the heels of the main competitors. Finally, we've gotten to the point where they're playing catch-up with us, with stuff we did in the first game.?? We're now going beyond that. We just concentrate on our own lane. ??We just do exactly what we want to do."

It's funny because staying in its own lane is the opposite of what Slightly Mad did in this meeting. But, I kind of get it. Project CARS isn't going to be a game that ever has a marketing budget the size of Forza. It could quietly be very good with each passing installment, only noticed by the relative few who care. It could live in the shadows of those first?-par??ty racing behemoths. Or it could make some noise and rattle some cages, effectively shouting "actually, we're better than those guys."

That's what Tudor and Project CARS 2 did at E3. I don't know if it'll live up to those claims or not. I just know that it came out swinging, looking to sock anyone and everyo??????????????????????????ne right in the mouth.

The post Project CARS 2 is coming at the king,?? it best not miss appeared first on Destructoid.

Speed related pun

Fans of realistic racing sim Project CARS will be happy to hear that its sequel, the creatively named Project CARS 2, will?? be releasing worldwide on September 22 for PC, PS4 and Xbox One. To commemorate the announcement, publisher Bandai Namco has unveiled the E3 trailer for the game. Really, why do we even have E3 anymore?

While this trailer does very little to explain any of the modes present in the game, at least it uses actual footage. For a work-in-progress, Project CARS 2 looks pretty damn impressive. I haven't tried the first game, but I also don't really play a lot of traditional style racing games. I'm more for extreme variants (like DiRT) or arcade style (like Burnout).

The post Project CARS 2 put??s the pedal to the metal this September appeared first on Destructoid.

Play nice

C?ould you get down with some rallycross? I could ge?t down with some rallycross.

That's the latest focal point in the long promotional build up to Slightly Mad Studios' "late 2017" launch for Project CARS 2. The accompanying trailer shows cars like the Honda ??Civic Coupe, Ford Focus RS RX, and Mini Countryman RX tearing it ??up across dirt- and snow-covered tracks.

Speaking of, Bandai Namco says to expect "scanned real-world rallycross tracks including US-based DirtFish and Daytona, Lånkebanen in Norway, and the track where it all began half-a-century ago -- Lydden Hill in the UK." As I've said before, Project CARS intimidates me, but I do like this addition.

The post Proj?ect CARS 2 checks rallycross off its bucket list appeared first on Destructoid.

Busy year for racing fans

Slightly Mad Studios and publisher Bandai Namco have re-revealed Project CARS 2 with a "late 2017" release in mind for P??C, PlayStation 4, and Xbox On??e. Notice anything different in this trailer?

A??long with upwards of 60 tracks and 170 cars, the studio is bringing out expanded weather conditions for the racing sim sequel. Players will have to contend with snow and ice, as well as mud, and there will be new seasonal, dynamic weather effects to keep the place looking nice and pretty.

And for the folks who are way into Project CARS, the sequel will have VR support and can also handle a staggering 12K res??olution by "linking three 4K PC monitors together to present a panoramic driver's view." I wonder how much a rig like that would cost. I?? wonder, and I weep for my aging PC.

Lastly, it's worth mentioning that Project CARS 2 will have an Online Championships mode in which you can make and join racing leagues, something Slightly Mad says fans have been requesting??. I wouldn't know -- I'm too far out of my element with this style of racer -- but hey, I'm happy for ya.

The post Project CARS 2 locked in for a late 2017 release appeared first on Destructoid.

Slightly Mad promises continued support

It was only last month that I read Brett's review of Project CARS, and now Slightly Mad Studios is out there talking up a sequel for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and SteamOS. Only thing that's missing is a call for pre-orders but, worry not, there's once again the opportunity to help fund development.

Unsurprisingly, players are upset that the company would announce a follow-up when there's still work to be done on the current still-fairly-new game. For its part, Slightly Mad says there's "an existing schedule of on demand content already underway to continue providing Project CARS with fresh new features, up??dates, and great things to play with throughout t??he year..."

Begin shifting resources to ?the sequel, sure, but maybe keep the news to yourself for a while.

Announcing Project CARS 2! [Project CARS]

The post What is this, a race? Project CARS 2 announced appeared first on Destructoid.