Project Motor Racing hit PC and consoles on November 25, 2025, and within hours the developers posted an apology letter to the community. The racing sim from Straight4 Studios and GIANTS Software launched with significant problems including AI that drives into walls, performance issues on lower-spec machines, and multiplayer that keeps disconnecting. The team acknowledged they missed expectations at launch and promised to fix things head-on.
What Went Wrong at Launch
The community message posted on the official Project Motor Racing website opened with an admission that the launch hurt. The developers said it matters to them that they didn’t hit expectations, acknowledging the feedback from players who have been following the game’s three-year development cycle. The honesty is refreshing but doesn’t change the fact that people paid money for a product that wasn’t ready.
The AI problems stand out as the biggest issue. Computer-controlled opponents drive with predictable patterns that don’t adapt to race situations. They crash into the back of your car if you’re on the racing line. During yellow flag situations, the AI sometimes completely stops and parks their cars in the middle of the track. One reviewer compared the AI unfavorably to Geoff Crammond’s Grand Prix 4 from 1996, pointing out that nearly 30 years later we’re still dealing with broken opponent behavior.
Performance optimization is another major complaint. The game runs inconsistently on lower-spec machines despite using a 720 Hz simulation engine that should theoretically deliver smooth performance. Graphics quality varies wildly between tracks and weather conditions. Some players report frame drops during multi-class racing where four different categories compete simultaneously on track.
The Day One Patch Didn’t Fix Enough
Project Motor Racing shipped with version 1.4, which included the traditional day one patch. Straight4 Studios then quickly released version 1.5 on the same day, addressing some force feedback issues, physics tweaks, and visual improvements. But reviewers who tested with the 1.5 patch confirmed that it didn’t solve the fundamental problems with AI behavior or performance consistency.
The developers stated that improved AI will arrive in a future update rather than the launch day patches. This is frustrating for players who bought the game specifically for the survival-style career mode, which relies heavily on racing against computer opponents. When your flagship single-player feature doesn’t work properly, that’s a serious problem for a $50 racing simulator.
Who Made This Game
Project Motor Racing comes from Straight4 Studios, a company founded by Ian Bell after he left Electronic Arts. Bell previously created the Project CARS franchise at Slightly Mad Studios. His history in sim racing goes back to the late 1990s when he assembled a modding team that eventually developed GTR and GT Legends, two highly regarded racing simulators from the mid-2000s.
The story behind Straight4’s formation involves some gaming industry drama. Codemasters bought Slightly Mad Studios in 2019 for around $30 million. Then EA acquired Codemasters in 2021 for $1.2 billion. EA shut down Project CARS 4 development in 2022 and eventually dissolved Slightly Mad Studios entirely. Bell left EA, waited out a non-compete clause, and founded Straight4 Studios to get back into sim racing without corporate interference.
GIANTS Software, known for the Farming Simulator series, came on board as publisher. They brought their modding expertise and the GIANTS Editor tool, making Project Motor Racing the first racing sim with full mod support across consoles and PC. The partnership seemed promising on paper, combining Bell’s racing simulation experience with GIANTS’ proven track record of supporting user-generated content.
What You Actually Get
Despite the problems, Project Motor Racing includes substantial content at launch. The game features 70 faithfully replicated cars spanning 13 racing classes across 50 years of motorsport history. Brands include Audi, BMW, Lamborghini, Mazda, Mercedes, Nissan, Porsche, and Toyota. There are 28 laser-scanned track layouts including legendary circuits like Spa-Francorchamps, Daytona, Mount Panorama, Silverstone, Monza, and the Nürburgring Nordschleife.
The True2Track dynamic surface model changes grip levels corner by corner and lap by lap as rubber gets laid down and weather conditions shift. Force feedback precision on steering wheels receives praise even from reviewers who criticized other aspects. The attention to detail on cars and tracks is genuinely impressive when the game works as intended.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Cars | 70 vehicles across 13 classes from 50 years of racing history |
| Tracks | 28 laser-scanned layouts including Nürburgring Nordschleife |
| Career Mode | Survival-style progression with permadeath consequences |
| Online Play | Cross-play ranked racing, custom lobbies with no subscription fees |
| Modding | Full mod support on all platforms via GIANTS Editor and UGC Portal |
| Physics Engine | 720 Hz simulation with AI running on player-level physics |
| Platforms | PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S |
| Day One DLC | Group 5 pack and GTE Decade Pack included with pre-orders |
Review Scores Tell the Story
Critics gave Project Motor Racing mixed scores that reflect the gap between its potential and current reality. SpazioGames awarded 7.9 out of 10, praising the game’s courage to focus on hardcore sim racers rather than trying to please everyone. IGN Netherlands gave it 7.8, while Indy100 scored it 7 out of 10, specifically highlighting that the force feedback and attention to detail are superb even if the AI needs serious work.
Lower scores came from outlets that couldn’t overlook the fundamental problems. Traxion gave Project Motor Racing just 5 out of 10, stating emphatically that it’s not a complete package and needs significant time and updates before it deserves recommendation. GamingBolt awarded 6 out of 10, calling it a promising start with incredible handling feel but limited content and guidance that kneecaps appeal beyond hardcore enthusiasts.
Common Praise Points
- Exceptional force feedback and steering feel on wheel controllers
- Impressive laser-scanned track detail and dynamic surface modeling
- Deep handling model with meaningful setup adjustments per car
- Ambitious career mode structure with real consequences
- Cross-platform mod support through GIANTS Editor
Common Criticism Points
- AI opponents with broken awareness and predictable behavior
- Inconsistent performance across different hardware configurations
- Unstable multiplayer with frequent disconnections
- Steep learning curve with minimal guidance for newcomers
- Missing features like mechanical damage that belong in hardcore sims
What Comes Next
The developers committed to facing the challenges head-on rather than backing away. Their community message emphasized that Project Motor Racing was built on a new generation of simulation technology with AI running on player-level physics and systems designed for longevity. They acknowledge the game is still being shaped and refined, positioning this as a long-term project rather than a finished product.
A post-launch roadmap includes free updates alongside premium DLC packs. The Japanese GT500 pack is scheduled for Q1 2026. The Year 1 Season Pass promises steady expansion with new tracks, cars, and brands. GIANTS Software and Straight4 Studios clearly intend to support this game for years, assuming the community sticks around through the rough launch period.
The success of this approach depends entirely on how quickly they can fix the AI problems and performance issues. Players have limited patience for broken fundamentals, especially when competing racing sims like Assetto Corsa Competizione and iRacing already deliver polished experiences. Project Motor Racing has maybe three to six months to turn things around before the playerbase moves on permanently.
FAQs
When did Project Motor Racing release?
Project Motor Racing launched on November 25, 2025, for PC via Steam, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S with full cross-platform play support.
Who developed Project Motor Racing?
Straight4 Studios developed Project Motor Racing with GIANTS Software as publisher. Straight4 was founded by Ian Bell, who previously created the Project CARS series at Slightly Mad Studios before EA shut that company down.
What are the main problems with Project Motor Racing at launch?
The biggest issues include broken AI that crashes into players and fails to adapt to race situations, inconsistent performance on lower-spec hardware, unstable multiplayer connections, and a steep learning curve with minimal tutorials or guidance.
Does Project Motor Racing support mods?
Yes, Project Motor Racing is the first racing simulator with full mod support across all platforms including consoles. Players can create and share custom content using the GIANTS Editor and integrated UGC Portal.
How many cars and tracks are in Project Motor Racing?
The game launches with 70 cars spanning 13 racing classes and 28 laser-scanned track layouts including famous circuits like Nürburgring Nordschleife, Spa-Francorchamps, and Daytona.
Will Project Motor Racing get better with updates?
The developers committed to ongoing updates addressing AI behavior, performance optimization, and online stability. They’re positioning this as a long-term project that will improve over time, though no specific timeline was given for major fixes.
Is Project Motor Racing worth buying right now?
If you’re a hardcore sim racer with a wheel setup and high-end PC, the driving physics and force feedback might justify the purchase despite the problems. For everyone else, waiting several months for updates makes more sense given the broken AI and technical issues.
What’s the difference between Project Motor Racing and Project CARS?
Project Motor Racing uses a completely new engine built from scratch with a 720 Hz physics simulation and dynamic track surface modeling. It includes cross-platform mod support and focuses more on survival-style career progression compared to Project CARS’ broader approach.
Conclusion
Project Motor Racing launched as a fascinating mess. The core driving experience delivers when everything works correctly. The force feedback impresses, the tracks look gorgeous in the right conditions, and the ambition behind the career mode shows genuine vision. But those positives get buried under broken AI that makes single-player racing frustrating, performance problems that shouldn’t exist in a 2025 release, and multiplayer that can’t stay stable long enough to complete races. The immediate apology from Straight4 Studios shows they understand the situation. They built something with real potential but shipped it too early. Whether this becomes another Project CARS 3 disaster or eventually transforms into the sim racer Ian Bell keeps promising depends entirely on how the next few months play out. The technology foundation might be solid, but right now players are beta testing a $50 product that needed another six months in development. If you bought it at launch, you’re essentially funding the completion of an early access title that wasn’t labeled as such.