Assetto Corsa EVO returns to series roots with road and race car mix, epic visuals

Gran Turismo is not on PC… enter Assetto Corsa EVO.

At least, that was our initial impression from the first images from the upcoming driving simulation, which, incidentally, is set to make its way to consoles eventually.

The decade-old original AC mixed racing cars with road-going vehicles and real-world laser scanned venues and the first look at its spiritual successor affirms a similar path.

Created from scratch using developer Kunos Simulazioni’s game engine – as opposed to Assetto Corsa Competizione’s Unreal Engine technology base – initial impressions are that of high-fidelity car recreations (inside and out) with exacting attention to detail. How it looks in action, away from static showroom shots, will be pivotal.

Much like Polyphony Digital’s series for Sony, the roster is set to span multiple generations and powertrains. We can spot a 1960s Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA, a 1980s 190E 2.5-16 Evo II (main featured image) and a forward-looking Hyundai N Vision 74 hydrogen-powered concept.

The electric Alpine A290_B concept is also present. Fret not motorsport fans, racing cars are also present, a current 992-generation Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car (also in ACC) is confirmed for inclusion at least.

Dynamic weather

Only three tracks have been teased so far.

The famed Nürburgring Nordschleife sits alongside Brand Hatch and Imola. Dynamic weather is included, plus changeable time of day, something absent from its 2014 ancestor without the use of third-party community-made mods.

Naturally,  you will be able to drive with a gamepad alongside a steering wheel peripheral and online multiplayer modes are part of the mix. However, the structure of the title remains a mystery, for now.

Triples, VR and lots of space

A cursory glance at the system requirements, the upcoming driving simulation will take up at least 100 GB of solid-state drive space. Virtual reality is supported, as expected following a recent interview with project lead Marco Massarutto, alongside triple screens.

A specific releaser date is not yet announced, however it is expected to be imminent. A ‘summer’ 2024 window for the early access version was previously confirmed by studio owner Digital Bros.