Assetto Corsa EVO
Third installment in the Assetto Corsa sim racing series.
Assetto Corsa EVO (short for "evoluzione," Italian for "race setup" or "evolution") is an upcoming sim racing video game from Italian developer Kunos Simulazioni, published by 505 Games. It is the third main entry in the Assetto Corsa series, arriving after Assetto Corsa Competizione, and launched as a Steam Early Access title on 16 January 2025.
The game is a racing simulation built around realistic driving physics, featuring a variety of cars with detailed physics models and tracks created using laser scanning technology. Offline play includes several modes: Single Player, Practice, Quick Race, Driving Academy, Special Events, Hotstint, and Test Drive. In Driving Academy, players improve their skills and earn licenses to unlock faster cars and special events.
A standout feature—and a core selling point—is a laser-scanned 1,600 km² open world set in Germany’s Eifel mountain range, with the tourist layout of the Nürburgring Nordschleife fully integrated into the free-roam map, enabling players to simulate Touristenfahrten sessions. This environment includes a dynamic day-night cycle and seasonal weather.
Kunos Simulazioni developed the game using knowledge from its two previous racing titles. The studio returned to a broader car roster (after focusing on GT cars in Assetto Corsa Competizione) and built a new in-house game engine, moving away from Unreal Engine 4. The team also considered reintroducing mod support but plans to implement it differently to prevent users from ripping first-party assets—a widespread issue in the original Assetto Corsa.
At its Early Access launch, the game included 5 tracks, 20 cars, and 7 game modes. The initial tracks were Brands Hatch, Mount Panorama Circuit, Suzuka International Racing Course, Imola Circuit, and Laguna Seca. Since then, several tracks and cars have been added as of version 0.8. Shortly after launch, Kunos Simulazioni released a roadmap aiming for a full release around Fall 2025, but that target has since slipped to 2026.
Reviews were mostly positive at first, despite the Early Access version lacking features. However, as development progressed, players grew frustrated over delays and missing content, including the removal of a planned in-depth career mode with an experience points system and virtual economy. The game’s structure was revised to focus more on the Driving Academy mode.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Assetto Corsa EVO
- Developer
- Kunos Simulazioni
- Publisher
- Kunos Simulazioni / (PC) · 505 Games
- Platforms
- Windows
- Released
- 16 January 2025 (early access)
- Genre
- Sim racing
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Assetto Corsa EVO is a racing simulation that attempts to offer a realistic driving experience with a variety of cars featuring detailed physics simulation and race tracks built with laser scanning technology. The game features several offline modes including Single Player, Practice, Quick Race, Driving Academy, Special Events, Hotstint, and Test Drive. The Driving Academy mode allows players to improve and earn licenses to unlock faster cars and special events.
A major feature set to appear in the game is a laser scanned 1,600 km² open world environment based in Germany's Eifel mountain range region, with the tourist layout of the Nürburgring Nordschleife fully integrated into the free roam map, allowing players to simulate Touristenfahrten sessions. The environment is also set to include a dynamic day-night cycle and seasonal weather.
Kunos Simulazioni developed the game with knowledge gained from their previous two racing game installments. The studio returned to a varied car roster format and created a brand new game engine developed in-house, having previously focused solely on GT racing cars and used Unreal Engine 4 with Assetto Corsa Competizione. The studio also considered reintroducing mod support but stated they would implement the feature differently to prevent users from ripping first-party assets into the game, an issue that became widespread in Assetto Corsa.
Reader's Guide
Assetto Corsa EVO entered early access with mostly positive reviews despite its lack of features at launch. However, as the early access period progressed, players grew increasingly frustrated over delayed development and lack of previously outlined content. This included the removal of a dedicated in-depth career mode that featured an experience points system and a virtual economy, as the game's structure experienced significant revisions in favor of developing the Driving Academy mode further. The initial early access release included 5 tracks (Brands Hatch, Mount Panorama Circuit, Suzuka International Racing Course, Imola Circuit, and Laguna Seca), 20 cars, and 7 game modes. Several new tracks and cars have since been added as of version 0.8. Kunos Simulazioni initially aimed to fully release the game around Fall 2025, but this has since slipped to 2026. The game's significance lies in its attempt to combine a traditional circuit racing simulation with a large open world environment, a unique selling proposition for the series.
Did You Know?
- The game's title 'EVO' is shorthand for 'evoluzione', Italian for 'race setup' or 'evolution'.
- The open world environment is based on a 1,600 km² area in Germany's Eifel mountain range.
- The game uses a brand new game engine developed in-house by Kunos Simulazioni.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Assetto Corsa EVO?
It is a sim racing game built around realistic driving physics and laser-scanned track environments, developed by Italian studio Kunos Simulazioni and published by 505 Games. It serves as the third mainline entry in the Assetto Corsa franchise.
When did Assetto Corsa EVO release and on what platform?
The game launched on 16 January 2025 as a Steam Early Access title. At the time of writing it is available exclusively through Steam's Early Access program.
How many cars and tracks can you drive in Assetto Corsa EVO at launch?
The Early Access build shipped with 20 cars and 5 tracks. Both numbers are expected to grow as the title matures through its Early Access window.
What does the name 'EVO' actually mean?
EVO is short for 'evoluzione,' an Italian word meaning 'evolution' or 'race setup.' The title signals the game's goal of pushing the series' simulation fidelity to a new level.
Where does Assetto Corsa EVO sit in the series timeline?
It comes after the original Assetto Corsa and Assetto Corsa Competizione, making it the third major installment from Kunos Simulazioni. It continues the studio's long-standing focus on high-fidelity, physics-driven racing simulation.
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