Rennsport’s cunning plan for single-player content

• Rennsport will feature AI-controlled racing from its Version 1.0 launch on PC and console
• It will also feature a range of challenges, or missions, as its main single-player mode. There’s a plan to try and expand this feature to replicate, one-to-one, real-world race events
• Quick-start multiplayer mode, more cars and more tracks are also expected

Rennsport has a significant uphill challenge. It’s set to leave early access and simultaneously release on PlayStation and Xbox consoles ‘this fall’ (currently thought to be in September), and yet it doesn’t have the ability to race against AI-controlled rivals.

There’s hot-lapping solo, or there’s racing online – the netcode for which the development team is particularly proud of.

But there’s no way of honing your racecraft offline, and consequently, there’s no form of career mode or offline challenges.

And the Traxion team thinks this is necessary, not just on Sony and Microsoft devices, but even for those on PC, too.

However, just because it’s been absent since the title was first shown to the world back in 2022, doesn’t mean something is in the works.

In fact, AI racing has been touted as being in development for some time. In November last year, during one of its Radio Check promotional videos, AI was discussed with a target of 2025.

“We are working like hell to make it possible,” said Rennsport CEO, Morris Hebecker, at the time.

Now with the main release looking large, single-player races have still not been showcased.

“We’re working on AI [controlled rivals] and that’s going to function in a way that you would expect, where you can set up your own parameters, your own race weekend, the normal stuff,” said Rennsport’s Creative Director, Kim Orremark, to Traxion recently.

Great – but will there be anything other than single races?

Yes, it transpires, with a base plan for launch and then a more ambitious one for later. Instead of a traditional ‘career’, Rennsport is set to offer a series of challenges.

“We’re also working on a more curated single-player experience that consists of a series of challenges against the AI that puts you in different racing scenarios.

“For example, it could be that you’re driving an endurance race and you’re coming up on the back of the GT3 pack in an LMDh, then you need to figure out how you pass the whole pack. Tight, in-moment, motorsport headlines.”

These will be available once the game releases, but then the next step is replicating real-world scenarios within a similar format.

I recall how EA SPORTS WRC tapped into a little bit with its ‘Moments’ mode, or even the NASCAR Heat or older MotoGP games with some real-world aping (ish) scenarios.

Rennsport’s approach should be even closer to what has happened on track.

“We’re working with a third-party with the goal of bringing real-life motorsport moments and replicating them in the game,” continues Orremark inside console publisher Nacon’s event location for Bigben Week.

“Exactly one to one, real world to a mission in the game. This happened in the real world; we put you in that situation in the game,” explained Rennsport Marketing Director, Robert Rossi.

“The tech works, but we still need to line everything up in terms of space and actual speed of the cars.

“The missions will be there day one, and it will expand over time, with this [one-to-one real-world recreation] being the cherry on the cake.”

The car and track roster is currently very slim, with 16 vehicles and 13 venues either available now or previewed. It has been confirmed to Traxion that it will expand later this year, including what are being termed as ‘vintage’ cars, plus further content heading into 2026.

Then, circling back to multiplayer, the existing ranked multiplayer system will continue and also be found on the console devices, with cross-platform play and progression across all three platforms. But, Rennsport is also aiming to implement an additional multiplayer mode for quicker, easier, sessions.

“You go in, hit a button, it matchmakes you with people for maybe a three-lap sprint race,” theorises Orremark.

Following an update earlier this week, which included revised sounds and open car setups, progress feels like it has been slow over the past 12 months. But, speaking to the team, you also get a sense that the project has been publicly quiet for a reason of late as deadlines approach.

We should start to see more of what to expect come Version 1.0 next month.