Assetto Corsa Competizione
Officially licensed GT World Challenge Europe simulation.
Assetto Corsa Competizione, whose Italian name translates to "race setup" or "competition," is a sim racing title released in 2019 by the Italian studio Kunos Simulazioni. It serves as an officially licensed simulation of the GT World Challenge Europe and the Total 24 Hours of Spa, covering the 2018 through 2023 seasons, and is intended to function as a platform for esports. The game centers on GT3, GT4, GT2, and one-make series cars.
Kunos Simulazioni first announced the project on 21 February 2018, with a planned Steam Early Access launch in summer of that year. At the Total 24 Hours of Spa 2018 SRO press conference on 27 July 2018, the studio revealed a 12 September 2018 early access release date and a roadmap of monthly updates leading to a full launch in Q1 2019. The game exited early access on 29 May 2019. On 11 March 2020, publisher 505 Games and Kunos Simulazioni announced ports for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, which arrived on 23 June 2020. Versions for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S were revealed at Gamescom 2021 and released on 24 February 2022.
In terms of gameplay, Assetto Corsa Competizione is a racing simulator where players can compete against AI offline or against others online. Offline modes include a career, custom championships, custom races, and special events, while online multiplayer offers Free Practice, Hot Lap, Superpole, Hot Stint, Quick Race (up to one hour), Sprint Race Weekend (with up to two practice sessions, two qualifying sessions, and two races up to one hour each), and Endurance Race Weekend (with up to two practice sessions, four qualifying sessions, a top-ten superpole, and one or two races lasting between one and twenty-four hours). Offline races can be saved and resumed mid-session. Grids are automatically populated based on the chosen series and season, but players can also set up single-make sessions to replicate series like the Porsche Carrera Cup, Lamborghini Super Trofeo, or Ferrari Challenge. In multiplayer, car selection is free unless restricted by server settings. Crossplay is available between PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. The game includes a dynamic weather system that alters track conditions in real time, with rain, sun exposure, and temperature affecting wetness, while grip evolves as rubber and marbles accumulate.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Assetto Corsa Competizione
- Developer
- Kunos SimulazioniPorted to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One by D3T
- Publisher
- Kunos Simulazioni / (PC) · 505 Games
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows / PlayStation 4 / Xbox One / PlayStation 5 / Xbox Series X/S
- Released
- Windows / 29 May 2019 / PS4, Xbox One / 23 June 2020 / PS5, Xbox Series X/S / 24 February 2022
- Genre
- Sim racing
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Kunos Simulazioni announced the game on 21 February 2018 with a planned Steam Early Access release in summer 2018. On 27 July 2018, a 12 September 2018 early access release date and a roadmap with monthly updates until a full release in Q1 2019 was revealed at the Total 24 Hours of Spa 2018 SRO press conference. It was released out of early access on 29 May 2019. On 11 March 2020 publisher 505 Games and Kunos Simulazioni announced ports for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One which were released on 23 June 2020. Versions for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S were announced at Gamescom 2021 and were released on 24 February 2022.
Development moved from an in-house graphics engine to Unreal Engine 4 to support night races and realistic weather conditions. All ten circuits of the 2018 Blancpain GT Series season were reproduced with laser scan technology. At Nvidia's Gamescom 2018 keynote, Assetto Corsa Competizione was announced to be among the first titles to support Nvidia RTX real-time ray tracing and Nvidia Ansel RTX on GeForce 20 series GPUs. On 12 March 2020 it was revealed that D3T Ltd worked with Kunos Simulazioni and 505 Games to bring the game to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Reader's Guide
Assetto Corsa Competizione is significant as a dedicated simulation of GT World Challenge Europe and the Total 24 Hours of Spa, covering seasons from 2018 to 2024. Its focus on a single series and class of cars allowed Kunos Simulazioni to achieve a higher standard of driving realism and immersion. The game features a dynamic weather system, a damage model affecting bodywork, suspension and aerodynamics, and a dedicated tyre damage system. It supports virtual reality via SteamVR on PC and crossplay between PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
The game served as a platform for multiple esports initiatives, including the SRO E-Sport GT Series, the McLaren Shadow Project, and the 2022 FIA Motorsport Games Esports Cup. Free content updates added cars, circuits, a custom livery editor, and DLSS support. Downloadable content packs added tracks like Bathurst, Laguna Seca, Kyalami, Suzuka, Circuit of the Americas, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Watkins Glen, and the Nürburgring Nordschleife. The game received generally favorable reviews on PC and PlayStation 5, while PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions received generally mixed reviews due to technical performance issues.
Did You Know?
- Assetto Corsa Competizione is Italian for 'race setup', 'competition'.
- The Nürburgring Nordschleife was added on 1 April 2024 after years of player requests.
- The FIA chose Assetto Corsa Competizione as the platform for the 2022 FIA Motorsport Games Esports Cup.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Assetto Corsa Competizione?
It is a sim racing title built by Italian developer Kunos Simulazioni and published by 505 Games, running on Unreal Engine 4. The game carries an official license to simulate the GT World Challenge Europe championship and the Total 24 Hours of Spa.
Which car classes and racing series does Assetto Corsa Competizione cover?
The lineup centers on GT3, GT4, and GT2 machines plus select one-make series, all tied to the GT World Challenge Europe calendar. The content spans the 2018 through 2023 seasons of that real-world series.
On what platforms can I play Assetto Corsa Competizione?
The title is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. It exited Steam Early Access and launched as a full release on 29 May 2019.
How does Assetto Corsa Competizione connect to esports and real-world racing?
Kunos designed the game from the start to double as a competitive esports platform, not just a single-player sim. Its official GT World Challenge Europe license keeps it directly linked to the real championship's calendar and regulations.
When was Assetto Corsa Competizione first announced by Kunos Simulazioni?
The studio revealed the project on 21 February 2018, with a Steam Early Access window originally targeted for that summer. The completed, out-of-early-access version arrived on 29 May 2019.
More in Simulation video games 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced