Out with the new and in with the even newer! 

Setting The Scene & Welcoming A New Publisher (And Partner)

For Straight4 Studios, partnering with GIANTS Software, the makers of the incredibly popular Farming Simulator franchise, is a big win, introducing a new and important player to the sim racing genre. Let’s look at what this partnership means for Project Motor Racing.

The “Ident” & Logo

We have kept the “ident” (but with subtle changes) since it continues to represent the competitive core of Project Motor Racing, one of the defining elements of the sim. Two helmets squaring off denote our passion for delivering the most robust online and offline career modes in sim racing.  

Say “Hi” To Project Motor Racing

The name Project Motor Racing will make a lot more sense post-gamescom when certain details of the overall direction of the sim will be clarified. However, if you’re familiar with GIANTS Software’s massive Farming Simulator franchise, you probably already have a good sense of where this is all going. And you’d be exactly right, too. The new name represents that direction, and we’re excited to finally be able to lift the lid to show you what’s bubbling under the hood in August. 

The Partnership

When Straight4 went “silent” at the start of the year, negotiations were already well underway with GIANTS Software. Part of the excitement for Straight4 having GIANTS as publishers is the way the Swiss-based company goes about making and publishing games. 

GIANTS Software’s journey—from game developers to publishers who maintain all their capabilities in-house (alongside their successful history of strategic brand alliances and an infrastructure proven through multiple projects)—means Straight4 has a partner that understands the challenges of creating simulators in what is a rough landscape (both for sim racing and gaming in general). 

Our mutual vision for what Project Motor Racing will bring to this new era of sim racing is a shared one, and it’s reassuring to know we have a partner who just “gets” what we’re doing with Project Motor Racing.

As GIANTS Software’s CEO Christian Amman notes, “We are very excited about Project Motor Racing, and welcome Straight4’s genre-leading talents with their decades of know-how recreating the world of adrenaline-fuelled motorsports to our simulation venture.”

What Does This All Mean For Project Motor Racing?

The base-content of Project Motor Racing remains unchanged. 

One of the main reasons for that is the acknowledgment of the value of Project Motor Racing by GIANTS from our very first dialogue at gamescom in 2023. Added to that, of course, is that a significant portion of the content was already well-advanced by the time negotiations first began in late-2023. 

All of that means that the content, gameplay, and physics development for Project Motor Racing has been unaffected by this deal, and the direction of the sim has not altered. Not because we couldn’t do a U-turn, but because there’s a mutual awareness between S4 and GIANTS that Project Motor Racing is going to offer something special on release. This was driven home all the way through negotiations when the overall direction of Project Motor Racing was never raised as a subject of discussion. As noted, GIANTS understands our community, and we couldn’t be more excited about what the future holds.

A new physics engine, content we trust will excite you on release, and, of course, a hardcore simulation made by the team that has worked on many of the most significant sim racing titles in history—all of that remains the fuel that powers Project Motor Racing.

The Newsletter

The S4 newsletter went into a hiatus at the end of 2023 while S4 and GIANTS concluded negotiations. We apologise for that, but we could not communicate what was happening for legal reasons. 

The good news for those of you who enjoyed the newsletter is that it will resume regular activities after gamescom (where we will also have another major announcement about our partnership with GIANTS). 

You can therefore expect the newsletter to resume its monthly rotation at the end of August 2024. 

This will also coincide with an expanded presence on social media as we gear up toward something we’re unbelievably excited to unveil. 

“Early Access”

In October this year, Ian Bell and his team will celebrate 20 years since the debut of their first-ever sim racing title. Those who know the history of the studio will remember that the genesis of S4 began a year earlier, in 2003, when they developed the mod that would evolve into GTR. 

The studio doesn’t just talk about community: our origin is the community. As such, engaging with the community during development Project Motor Racing has always been a priority. 

The great news is that GIANTS and S4 both have a keen appreciation of what it means to work side-by-side with their communities and, as publishers of Project Motor Racing, GIANTS have now signed-off on what we are comfortable calling the most ambitious “early access” program ever seen in sim racing.  

Stay tuned for more details on this program soon.

Release Date

We are now planning the next steps on the way to release of Project Motor Racing on PC and all major consoles.

And that’s it. Exciting times for Project Motor Racing and, we hope, the sim racing community, too.

As Ian Bell, CEO at Straight4 Studios, said, “Our partnership with GIANTS is the last piece of the puzzle for the development of Project Motor Racing. … Those who are familiar with GIANTS’ best-selling franchise will recognise why this partnership is going to refresh the sim racing genre in ways that the community is going to love.”   

The entry of GIANTS Software into the sim racing genre is a significant development and we can’t wait to explain how their commitment to simulation, community, and innovation will enrich the whole industry.

Bring on gamescom! 

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