Project CARS 2
More actions
| Project CARS 2 | |
|---|---|
| |
| Information | |
| VR/AR | VR |
| Developer | Slightly Mad Studios |
| Publisher | BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment |
| Platform | SteamVR, Oculus Rift (Platform) |
| Device | HTC Vive, Oculus Rift |
| Operating System | Windows |
| Type | Full Game |
| Genre | Racing, Simulation, Driving, Realistic, VR, Sports, Arcade |
| Input Device | Gamepad, Keyboard / Mouse, Racing wheel and pedals |
| Play Area | Seated |
| Game Mode | Single Player, Multiplayer |
| Language | English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese-Brazil, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese |
| Rating | Everyone |
| Review | Very Positive (Steam English-language user reviews, October 2026) |
| Release Date | September 22, 2017 (worldwide; the Steam listing shows Sep 21, 2017) |
| Price | $59.99 at launch; no longer sold digitally since September 21, 2022 |
| App Store | Steam |
| Website | http://www.slightlymadstudios.com/ |
| Infobox Updated | 11/07/2017 |
Project CARS 2 is a motorsport racing simulation game developed by Slightly Mad Studios and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. It was released on 22 September 2017 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows PC, and the PC version on Steam supports the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive virtual reality headsets.[1][2][3] VR is limited to the PC version: a PlayStation VR mode for the PlayStation 4 version was investigated during development but was never released.[4][5]
The game is the sequel to Project CARS (2015). In VR it is played seated from the cockpit, normally with a steering wheel and pedals or a gamepad. Road to VR reviewed the VR version on both headsets and gave it 7.5 out of 10, reporting much better performance and image clarity than the first game.[5] Because car and track licenses were expiring, Project CARS 2 was removed from digital storefronts on 21 September 2022; existing owners can still play it, including online multiplayer.[6][7]
Description
FEATURES:
• 180+ licensed cars from iconic manufacturers
• Full 12K & VR Support
• Tested and tuned by pro racing drivers
• All-new motorsports (IndyCar, Oval Racing, Rallycross) join old favorites incl. GT3
• LiveTrack 3.0: Dynamic surface & weather physics affect vehicle performance and handling in real-time
• New loose surface racing (ice, dirt, mud)
• Full 24-hour cycle featuring real-time atmospheric conditions and seasonal ambience
• State-of-the art physics model
• Revamped gamepad handling
• Class-leading Esport capabilities
Gameplay
Project CARS 2 is a circuit and road racing simulator. The Steam store page lists more than 180 road and race cars, adds IndyCar, oval racing and rallycross to existing disciplines such as GT3, and includes racing on loose surfaces such as ice, dirt and mud.[7] In a launch-day post on Xbox Wire, Slightly Mad Studios gave the track count as 60 venues with more than 140 layouts across four continents.[8] Bandai Namco described the track list as the largest of any console racing game.[1]
The game's LiveTrack 3.0 system simulates changing track conditions over a race weekend. According to the developer, snow, ice, rain, mist, sunshine and wind affect grip; rain is absorbed by surfaces such as dirt and gravel but pools and flows to low points on non-porous tarmac; sections shaded by trees take longer to dry; and the racing line dries faster and gains grip as cars deposit rubber on it.[8] A 24-hour day cycle with seasonal conditions is also included.[7] The game has single-player modes and online multiplayer;[7] PC Gamer's review listed online races of up to 32 players.[9]
Virtual reality support
Headsets and platforms
When the game was officially revealed in February 2017, Slightly Mad Studios confirmed VR, 12K, 21:9 and triple-screen support for the PC version, with the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive as the supported headsets.[3] On Steam the game is listed with VR support.[7] Road to VR reviewed the release version on both the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.[5] The first Project CARS had supported the Rift, Vive and OSVR headsets on PC, and before the sequel's reveal Road to VR reported that it was expected to improve VR support on PC.[10] The Steam store description also says that the game is available for VR arcades through SpringboardVR.[7]
PlayStation VR
Slightly Mad Studios looked into a PlayStation VR version for the PS4 but never committed to one. In a February 2017 hands-on with UploadVR, game director Stephen Viljoen said, "We can't commit 100% to PSVR yet because there is still a lot of optimization left to do and all of the new things we've added," and added that the team did not want to "compromise like other racing games have" on PSVR.[11] In a Red Bull interview reported by Road to VR at the reveal, creative director Andy Tudor said that the studio could not confirm PSVR was "definitely coming" but that the team was "hard at work on it".[3] In April 2017 he told UploadVR that "there will have to be some sort of compromise" and that the team was "investigating where that line is drawn in the sand".[4] The game shipped without PSVR support, and Road to VR's VR review covered the PC headsets only.[5]
VR features
Before launch, Viljoen told UploadVR that mirrors in the sequel, which had worked "more like screens" in the first game, now had "depth with proper parallax", so players could lean and move their heads to change what a mirror shows. He also said the VR mode had "full proper positional audio", so players could hear where other cars were around or behind them.[11] Road to VR's review found that the mirrors react to head movement but, as in iRacing, are not stereoscopic.[5]
Menus are shown as flat virtual screens and can be navigated with a gaze-controlled cursor. Road to VR noted that the cursor fades out when a mouse or other controller is used instead, and that it can now be disabled or switched to a dedicated select button. The pause menu has quick adjustments for seat position, mirrors and world scale, and there are options to recenter the view.[5] In a July 2017 hands-on on an HTC Vive, UploadVR called the game "one of the clearest games I've seen inside my HTC Vive" but described it as a missed opportunity that "menus are still virtual screens floating in front of you".[12] The heads-up display floats on a layer inside the cockpit; Road to VR found that it sometimes clips through cockpit geometry, which produces mismatched focus distances. The same review noted improved hand animations and a well-proportioned driver model.[5]
Performance
Road to VR tested the game on a PC with an Intel Core i7 4790K, 16 GB of RAM and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080. On that system the sequel held 90 frames per second in all weather on the circuits and cars that had made the first game drop frames, with 1.1 supersampling and "medium" MSAA applied, although all other settings were on their lowest values and the game was at times only just holding 90. With higher settings, Rift users could fall back on Asynchronous Spacewarp at half refresh rate, but the reviewer found that SteamVR's reprojection handled frame rates below 90 less well, so Vive users needed to hold a steady 90 frames per second.[5]
Input and comfort
The game supports gamepads and a wide range of racing wheels.[7] Road to VR reviewed it on a sim rig with a steering wheel and pedals; it found the gamepad defaults more refined than in the first game but still problematic.[5] The reviewer considered the default seating positions well judged and wrote that the experience should be reasonably comfortable for most people, though motion sensations vary between disciplines and some, such as rallycross, involve more vehicle motion than others.[5]
Development
Slightly Mad Studios used its crowdfunding platform to help fund the sequel's development, and footage from development builds leaked online before the official reveal.[10] The game was officially revealed in February 2017 with a late-2017 release window. In a Q&A on the GTPlanet forums, the developer's CEO, Ian Bell, said the reworked gamepad handling was "a very affirming experience for pad users now."[3] UploadVR published hands-on previews of the PC VR mode in February and July 2017.[11][12]
In November 2019 Windows Central, citing GamesIndustry.biz, reported that Codemasters had purchased Slightly Mad Studios for $30 million.[13]
Release
| Platform | Release date | VR support | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows (Steam) | 22 September 2017 (the Steam page lists 21 September 2017)[2][7] | Oculus Rift, HTC Vive[5] | Delisted from Steam on 21 September 2022[6] |
| PlayStation 4 | 22 September 2017[2] | None; PlayStation VR support was investigated but not released[4][5] | Delisted from digital stores on 21 September 2022[6] |
| Xbox One | 22 September 2017[2] | None[5] | Delisted from digital stores on 21 September 2022[6] |
PC Gamer listed the price as £45 or $60.[9] The game is rated E (Everyone) by the ESRB, with a Mild Language descriptor, and PEGI 3.[14]
Updates
Patch 1.3.0.0 for the PC version, released at the end of November 2017, added an Online Championship mode along with several VR changes: improvements to the VR replay camera, a fix for screen dirt and raindrops not rendering correctly in VR, a fix for VR combined with NVIDIA Surround trying to show ultra-widescreen content in the headset, hiding of the VR gaze pointer when the interface is turned off in Photo Mode and replays, and fixes for VR Photo Mode field-of-view settings and screenshot saving.[15][16]
Delisting
On 22 August 2022, Slightly Mad Studios announced that Project CARS 2 would be delisted on 21 September 2022 and the first Project CARS on 3 October 2022 because of expiring car and track licenses. The studio said both games would stay fully playable, including multiplayer.[6][17] As of October 2026 the Steam page states that the game "is no longer available on the Steam store."[7]
Reception
On Metacritic, the PC version has a Metascore of 84 based on 26 critic reviews.[18] OpenCritic lists a Top Critic Average of 82, with 76% of critics recommending it.[19]
| Publication | Score | Platform or version |
|---|---|---|
| Road to VR | 7.5/10[5] | PC VR (Oculus Rift, HTC Vive) |
| PC Gamer | 89/100[9] | PC |
| IGN | 9.2/10[20] | Not specified |
| GameSpot | 7/10[20] | Not specified |
| Game Informer | 7.8/10[20] | Not specified |
Road to VR's Dominic Brennan wrote that he would "tentatively recommend" the game, saying that its physics engine had "taken a massive step forward". He found the VR image much clearer than in the first game and the pause-menu seat, mirror and world-scale adjustments useful, but criticized the AI opponents and said the multiplayer systems were still unproven at the time of review.[5] According to OpenCritic's summaries, GameSpot found that the game improved on its predecessor's handling and scope but still suffered from "unruly AI and a slew of bugs", while PC Gamer called it "Serious racing for serious racers."[20]
On Steam, the game holds a "Very Positive" user rating, with 80% of 9,182 English-language reviews positive as of October 2026.[7]
Features
System requirements
The requirements below are from the Steam store page.[7] Both tiers also list DirectX 11, a broadband internet connection and a DirectX-compatible sound card.
Windows
Minimum
- OS: Windows 10 (+ specific versions of 7)
- Processor: 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5 3450, 4.0 GHz AMD FX-8350
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: GTX680 or equivalent
- Storage: 50 GB available space
Recommended
- OS: Windows 10
- Processor: Intel i7 6700k
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVidia GTX 1080 or AMD Radeon RX480
- Storage: 50 GB available space
Setup Instructions
The VR mode for this game can be played with a gamepad or a keyboard and mouse. Racing wheels are also supported, and Road to VR recommended a wheel and pedal set for VR play.[7][5]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Project CARS 2 Revs Up for September 22 Launch with New Trailer". Bandai Namco Entertainment America. Bandai Namco Entertainment. 2017-09-20. https://www.bandainamcoent.com/news/project-cars-2-revs-up-for-september-22-launch-with-new-trailer. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Chris Martin (2017-09-21). "Project Cars 2 release date, gameplay and trailer". Tech Advisor. https://www.techadvisor.com/article/729523/project-cars-2-release-date-gameplay-and-trailer.html. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Dominic Brennan (2017-02-10). "'Project CARS 2' Revealed with PC VR Support, PSVR in Development but Still Unconfirmed". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/project-carts-2-revealed-oculus-rift-htc-vive-vr-support-psvr-playstation-vr/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Jamie Feltham (2017-04-11). "Project Cars 2 Dev 'Hard at Work' On PSVR Support". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/project-cars-2-dev-hard-work-psvr-support/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 Dominic Brennan (2017-09-27). "'Project CARS 2' VR Review - An Ambitious Sequel With Serious Potential". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/project-cars-2-vr-review-oculus-rift-htc-vive/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Justin Melillo (2022-08-22). "Both Project CARS and Project CARS 2 to be delisted from sale". Traxion.GG. https://traxion.gg/both-project-cars-and-project-cars-2-to-be-delisted-from-sale/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
- ↑ 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 "Project CARS 2 on Steam". Steam. Valve. https://store.steampowered.com/app/378860/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Slightly Mad Studios (2017-09-22). "Creating Living Tracks in Project CARS 2, Available Now on Xbox One". Xbox Wire. Microsoft. https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2017/09/22/project-cars-2-available-now-xbox-one/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Phil Iwaniuk (2017-09-18). "Project CARS 2 review". PC Gamer. https://www.pcgamer.com/project-cars-2-review/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Dominic Brennan (2017-02-02). "'Project CARS 2' Leaked Footage Shows Progress on Sequel to VR-capable Racing Sim". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/project-cars-2-leaked-footage-development-vr-racing-sim/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 David Jagneaux (2017-02-07). "Hands-On: Project CARS 2 Could Be The Best VR Racing Sim Ever". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/project-cars-2-preview-racing-sim-ever/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Jamie Feltham (2017-07-25). "Hands-on: Project Cars 2 Offers More Devilishly Detailed Racing In VR". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/project-cars-2-offers-devilishly-detailed-racing-vr/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
- ↑ Asher Madan (2019-11-28). "Codemasters acquires Project CARS developer Slightly Mad Studios". Windows Central. https://www.windowscentral.com/codemasters-acquired-project-cars-developer-slightly-mad-studios. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
- ↑ "Project CARS 2 - Steam store app details (app 378860)". Steam. Valve. https://store.steampowered.com/api/appdetails?appids=378860. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
- ↑ Mack Ashworth (2017-11-28). "Project CARS 2 Update 1.3.0.0 Rolls Out, Adding Online Championship Mode & More". MP1st. https://mp1st.com/news/project-cars-2-update-1-3-0-0-rolls-out-adding-online-championship-mode-more. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
- ↑ Pramath (2017-11-29). "Project CARS 2 New Update Enhances VR, AI, and More". GamingBolt. https://gamingbolt.com/project-cars-2-new-update-enhances-vr-ai-and-more. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
- ↑ Martin Bigg (2022-08-23). "Project CARS and Project CARS 2 are being delisted". RacingGames.gg. https://racinggames.gg/news/project-cars-and-project-cars-2-are-being-delisted. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
- ↑ "Project CARS 2 critic reviews (PC)". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/project-cars-2/critic-reviews/?platform=pc. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
- ↑ "Project CARS 2". OpenCritic. https://opencritic.com/game/4858/project-cars-2. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 "Project CARS 2 Reviews". OpenCritic. https://opencritic.com/game/4858/project-cars-2/reviews. Retrieved 2026-10-09.