‘Nascar 21’ Confirmed With New Engine & Physics

FORT WORTH, TEXAS - JUNE 13: Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, celebrates after winning the NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway on June 13, 2021 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

A brand-new NASCAR title will drop in 2021, Motorsport Games recently announced.

This new title will be a stand-alone addition, meaning it will not be a part of the NASCAR Heat collection of games. This new racing game will be a departure from the series in many ways, one notable difference being an engine switch. According to IGN, this new title will utilize Unreal Engine and rFactor 2 physics by Studio 397. The studio had previously used Unity engine for NASCAR Heat 5, the latest installment in the series.

Motorsport Games recently purchased Studio 397 and rFactor 2. Studio 397 is a relatively new studio behind rFactor 2. rFactor 2 is a racing simulator designed for utilization by professional racing teams.

“What’s really exciting is that we’ve been working with the rFactor team at 397, who have been known for their physics,” stated Motorsport Games’ Vice President of Marketing George Holmquist in an interview with IGN. Holmquist also expressed excitement for the combination of Factor and Unreal engine. “Using the Unreal engine just brings the graphics [and] the gameplay into more of a AAA style of game. More than the NASCAR Heat franchise we’ve had before. I think that’s something our customers are looking for. If you’ve seen the screenshots at this point, it’s definitely a step up from our previous franchise.”

Holmquist explained in the interview that the game’s development team will be adding more customization as fans have requested. This will come mainly in the form of a paint booth.

“From an accessibility standpoint, we actually think NASCAR’s oval racing lends a hand to really get people into our ecosystem, especially with the accessibility options we’re including in the game,” said Holmquist. Holmquist also spoke about the pressure on his team, as this is the first title they will produce since acquiring Studio 397.

Holmquist added that this title will be a “step up” from the Heat franchise.

No release date has been announced for this upcoming NASCAR title.

Myles McPartland