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Rennsport’s first update of 2026 delayed again amid publishing switch

Originally scheduled for the end of March, Rennsport’s next update is “targeted for May” after Competition Company parted ways with Nacon.    

Rennsport’s next major update delayed to May as studio becomes self-published

5 minute read

By Martin Bigg

2026 was supposed to be a year of redemption for Rennsport after last year’s rocky launch, with a raft of free and premium updates bringing new cars, circuits and gameplay improvements throughout the year.

Originally, the first of these updates was scheduled for March as a free update adding the Hyundai N Vision 74 and three tracks: the Kuala Lumpur Street Circuit, alongside shorter layouts for Road Atlanta and Fuji Speedway.

Additionally, Rennsport’s first premium DLC was set to follow in April, with the Endurance Classics Part 1 DLC expanding the car and track roster with Porsche 911 GT1, Mercedes-Benz CLK LM, Porsche 956, Peugeot 9X9 EVO and Circuit de la Sarthe.

However, these plans were severely disrupted when Nacon, which published the physical PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S versions, filed for insolvency in February, delaying the free update and paid DLC to April.

With the company in financial turmoil, Rennsport’s publishing deal with Nacon was “mutually terminated.” As a result, Competition Compnay is now self-publishing the racing simulation across all platforms.

Rennsport’s next update “targeted for May”

In a statement published today (20th April), Competition Company confirmed that Rennsport’s next update is “targeted for May” as the company focuses on “finalising the logistical handover” of its storefronts to “ensure a smooth transition.”

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“By bringing our digital infrastructure in-house we are gaining the agency required to own our timelines and strengthen our backend for the years of racing ahead,” the company wrote.

Rennsport Porsche 956

“This step has also been accelerated by external circumstances,” it continued. “Following the insolvency of our former publishing partner Nacon, we have been required to take over platform operations ourselves.

“The transfer of these systems typically takes between six and eight weeks and has directly contributed to the shift of our originally planned end-of-March release window now targeted for May.

“We are currently in the process of ‘cleaning the wiring’ of our backend to ensure that platform stability is the priority, rather than rushing a release to meet a deadline.”

Going forward, the studio says it will no longer announce specific release dates for DLC or updates “until the build is verified and ready for deployment.”

Rennsport Hyundai N Vision 70

“We have learned that optimistic timelines are a form of technical debt,” Competition Company explained. “When we share a date that is based on a ‘best-case scenario,’ we are borrowing trust that we have not always been able to pay back.”

Furthermore, the studio says its communications on upcoming updates will be less frequent as it is “prioritising the quality of the release over the speed of the announcement” to “ensure that when we do speak, you can rely on the information.”

“We are not interested in corporate apologies. We are interested in building a long-term relationship with our sim racing community and ecosystem,” Competition Company affirmed. 

“This shift to self-publishing is the first step in ensuring that Rennsport remains a stable, human-led project for a very long time.”

Rennsport’s May DLC assets “are ready”

While a specific release date for Rennsport’s next DLC is yet to be confirmed, the “assets are ready” and “the code is stable,” according to Competition Company. Earlier this year, Traxion went hands-on with the Endurance Classics DLC at a preview event, where the cars and Circuit de la Sarthe were playable. 

In the meantime, the studio is “finalising the logistical handover” of its storefronts to “ensure a smooth transition.”

With the next update delayed until May, release windows for upcoming content detailed in the recent 2026 roadmap will likely change. Most notably, a free update was originally set to add the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4, Laguna Seca and Sebring International Raceway in May. 

Rennsport Peugeot 9X8

Reworked AI, one of Rennsport’s most glaring issues, was also planned for later this year. 

“The last time we released an AI, it probably shouldn’t ever have seen the world,” Lead Gameplay Programmer, Rikard Häggström, told Traxion.

“It had to sort of come together in a fairly short period of time. It is more or less a prototype, I would say. When you do that, you sort of easily end up in a situation where you make decisions on the way that maybe aren’t perfect for sustainability.

“We’re now in a position where we have to rewrite it for it to work.”

Rennsport expected May content 

Free update

  • Hyundai N Vision 74
  • Kuala Lumpur Street Circuit
  • Road Atlanta (short)
  • Fuji Speedway (shortcut)
  • Updated championships
  • New single player championships
  • Increased immersion

Endurance Classics Part 1 DLC

  • Porsche 911 GT1 1998
  • Mercedes-Benz CLK LM
  • Porsche 956
  • Peugeot 9X9 EVO
  • Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans

TBC

Free update (originally scheduled for May)

  • Porsche 718 Cayman GT4
  • Laguna Seca
  • Sebring International Raceway
  • Reworked online
  • Multiplayer championships
  • New single player championships
  • Custom online contests


Touring Classics Part 1 DLC (originally scheduled for June)

  • Alfa Romeo 155 V8 TI
  • Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 EVO II
  • BMW M3 E30
  • Mercedes-Benz C-Class V8
  • Hockenheimring Classic