Assetto Corsa Evo: “VR fans can be rest assured”

While we await a formal launch for Assetto Corsa Evo – a spiritual successor to 2014’s (or ‘13 in early access) genre-defining title – details are beginning to be eked out of publisher 505 Games and developer Kunos Simulazioni.

First, there was the confirmation back in April 2022 to Traxion that ‘Assetto Corsa 2’ would use a bespoke game engine, ditching the Unreal Engine technology used by the spin-off platform Assetto Corsa Competizione.

Then came the name, Assetto Corsa Evo, unveiled in Competizione’s Nordschleife track DLC, where a QR code led drivers to a landing page. Financial documents have previously confirmed an early access PC launch initially in the summer, followed by a full release and console versions.

Now, thanks to an Italian interview by Multiplayer.it localised by Traxion with help from Danny Giusa, it transpires that virtual reality support has been central to Evo’s development.

“We aim to have the VR on day zero,” said studio Co-founder and Executive Manager of the project, Marco Massarutto.

“One of the reasons we believe in it so much… Is also to offer VR support that is more dedicated because with Competizione, from this point of view, we struggled a lot.

“We worked with Epic [Games] engineers and Nvidia, they came to work [in our] Formello [office] with us for some time. In the end, we found the best possible compromise.

“However, we know that the support in [the first] Assetto Corsa in terms of experience, performance and definition – which for simulated driving in VR is extremely important – is still a step above.

“Let’s say that…The VR fans [can be] rest assured.”

According to Massaruto, only 5-10 per cent of AC drivers use virtual reality, but the development team is committed to supporting three-dimensional environments.

“You could write in the disclaimer of a big game ‘We will have VR but not immediately’ and you will find all the negative reviews because ‘I bought it and there is no VR’.

“So, it was one of the first things we worked on in terms of rendering.”

According to the motorcycle-riding lead, work on VR support for the first Assetto Corsa began before Oculus had announced its headsets to the public:

“We believed in it from the start, but it wasn’t easy as it arrived in the middle of development.”

With VR support now seemingly ticked off the bucket list, the dearth of solid information about ACE’s structure remains. Multiplayer.it also posted an alleged interior shot of a Hyundai (below), which it claims was sent to them by Kunos.

Meanwhile, in April, Porsche subsidiary OverTake shared a social media post showcasing what appeared to be a Lotus Emira being driven around a damp Brands Hatch within the Kunos offices. All points hint towards a heavy road car basis.

A firm release date is not yet known, with Massaruto reaffirming that in “summer, we will have some news, from then on there will arrive a cascade.”