Category: Codemasters

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Formula 1 Racing Game ‘F1 24’ Revealed, Offering PC VR Support at Launch Next Month

Codemasters and EA revealed its next official video game of the Formula One World Championship, F1 24, which includes VR support when it launched on PC next month.

Coming to consoles and PC on May 31st, F1 24 is set to launch with PC VR support, letting you race down digital versions of real-world F1 tracks.

In comparison to previous F1 titles in the series, Codemasters says F1 24 includes “[a]ll-new suspension kinematics, an upgraded tyre model, advanced aerodynamic simulation, and new engine and car setup options enhance the driving experience.”

“All driving aspects are improved with cornering, rolling resistance, brake pressure, ambient track temperature, and variable conditions enabling drivers to receive immediate feedback to maximise their on-track performance,” the studio says on the game’s Steam page.

“Our biggest Career innovation since 2016 delivers more of what our players want with greater variety away from the track. Alongside new handling and Career innovations, updated circuits, new audio, and a refreshed broadcast presentation give players the feeling of being closer to the grid,” said Lee Mather, Senior Creative Director.

The game’s VR mode will be exclusive to PC, the studio says. If it’s anything like the prior F1 23 (2023), racing fans are in for another gripping driving experience in VR, as the entire game is playable from within the headset.

There will be two versions of the game in pre-order right now, a Standard Edition ($70) and the Championship Edition ($90), which features a number of extras, including stuff like more in-game currency and more liveries to show off on track.

Image courtesy EA, Codemasters

The post Formula 1 Racing Game ‘F1 24’ Revealed, Offering PC VR Support at Launch Next Month appeared first on Road to VR.

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EA’s ‘F1 23’ Racer Coming to PC VR Headsets Next Month, PSVR 2 Still Uncertain

Codemasters, the EA-owned developer behind the F1 racing franchise, announced F1 23 is coming to consoles and PC next month, again bringing its high-profile racing game to VR.

F1 23 is coming to PlayStation 4|5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC on June 16th, which is confirmed to include VR support on PC.

Codemasters hasn’t said whether it’s also coming to PSVR 2 on PS5, so we’ll just have to wait and see. As it is now, F1 22 only supports PC VR headsets, and not PSVR.

Here’s how the studio describes the upcoming installment:

A new chapter in the thrilling “Braking Point” story mode delivers high-speed drama and heated rivalries. Race wheel-to-wheel at new Las Vegas and Qatar circuits, and earn rewards and upgrades in F1 World. New Red Flags add an authentic strategic element, and the 35% Race Distance feature delivers more action and excitement. Drive updated 2023 cars with the official F1 lineup of your favorite 20 drivers and 10 teams. Create your dream team and race to win in My Team Career Mode, compete in split-screen or in the expanded cross-platform multiplayer, and be more social with new Racenet Leagues.

Preorders are now available, priced at $70 across Steam, Epic Games, and EA Play.

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F1 22 Developers: ‘No Plans’ For PSVR Support

In an interview with TechRadar, the developers of F1 22 stated they have “no plans at this time” to bring PSVR support to the game on PS5.

Back in April, developer Codemasters announced that F1 22, the upcoming title in the annual F1 game franchise, would release with full optional VR support on PC. The game is also set to release on other platforms, including PS5, so we remained hopeful that we might see PSVR 2 support down the line.

However, with PSVR 2 now unlikely to launch this year, we might have to wait for the next annual installment for that to eventuate. In an interview with TechRadar, F1 22’s Senior Creative Director Lee Mather stated there was “no plans at this time” for PSVR support, with the VR mode staying exclusive to the PC release for now.

“We’ve been investigating VR for some time and we want to bring it to our F1 game without compromise,” Mather told TechRadar. “We have partnered with a team who has worked on other Codemasters’ titles and it has taken several years to get us to this point where we know we can deliver a premium experience for our players.”

We got our first look at PC VR gameplay of F1 22, and it’s a shame that it won’t be coming to PSVR 2 in any capacity just yet. That being said, even if the developers intended to add PSVR 2 support for F1 22, by the time the headset actually releases, we’ll likely be closer to the release of F1 23. Here’s hoping that something is being planned for that release, at the very least.

If nothing else, we’re still  holding out for eventual PSVR 2 support for Gran Turismo 7 later down the line.

You can read more about PC VR support for F1 22 here and check out some gameplay here.

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Here’s How ‘F1 22’ Racing Looks in VR, Coming in July

Electronic Arts is bringing VR support to the PC version of F1 22, the upcoming Formula One racing game developed by Codemasters. Although the game isn’t due out until July, the studios have tossed out a few codes to YouTubers to show off just how the game will look in VR.

Update (May 10th, 2022): YouTuber Alex Gillon takes us around the Miami circuit in VR, revealing some of the game’s detailed environments whilst racing on Quest 2 connected to a PC, replete with racing wheel.

In the video, seen below, Gillon says he can’t speak too much about the VR support since EA says the build is considered a work in progress, although impressions so far seem very favorable. During one of his full speed laps, Gillon spins out and says this:

“I really enjoyed that, oddly. In VR, to have the spin really felt real. And I was looking around, thinking ‘Oh no, we’re going to hit the wall’. You really do get a sense of danger.”

Gillon drives a few full laps at various speeds, which gives us a good opportunity to see the scale of the world and the detail within. The cockpit also seems to be on point, as you can even see certification seals by the driver’s legs—a subtle but important plus for immersion.

The original article follows below:

Original Article (April 22nd, 2022): F1 22 is slated to launch on July 1st across P4, P5, Xbox, and PC via the EA App, Origin, Steam, and Epic Store.

In F1 22, you get a chance to race new cars of the Formula 1 2022 season, and can play as 20 drivers across 10 teams.

Developers Codemasters say VR users will get “the ultimate immersive F1 experience with virtual reality compatibility on PC that lets you feel the drama of the race from right inside the cockpit.”

“Create a team and take them to the front of the grid with new depth in the acclaimed My Team career mode, race head-to-head in split-screen or multiplayer, or change the pace by taking supercars from some of the sport’s biggest names to the track,” the game’s Steam page says.

Although this is first F1 title to support VR, Codemasters is known for several VR-compatible games throughout the years, including Project Cars (2015), the Dirt Rally series, and pioneering VR racer Toybox Turbos (2014). The UK-based Electronic Arts subsidiary was also behind F1 2020 and F1 2021.

If you’re looking to jump in before July 1st, there’s also a pre-ordering incentive applied to the F1 22 Champions Edition, which gets you in three days earlier (June 28th).

The post Here’s How ‘F1 22’ Racing Looks in VR, Coming in July appeared first on Road to VR.

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EA Leads Bid To Acquire Project Cars, Dirt Publisher Codemasters

EA may soon own the publisher behind some of VR’s biggest racing games.

The videogames giant has bid $1.2 billion to acquire UK-based Codemasters. Codemasters specializes in driving games, including annual entries in an official F1 series and the Dirt franchise. In November 2019 Codemasters acquired Slightly Mad Studios, developer of VR-compatible racing series, Project Cars. The company also implemented VR support into both its Dirt Rally spin-off games.

Most recently, Slightly Mad put out Project Cars 3, which was published by Bandai Namco. We thought the game made a decent attempt at making the series more accessible to all.

EA’s offer reportedly outbids an offer of nearly $1 billion from Take-Two, owner of Grand Theft Auto maker, Rockstar Games. The offer will be decided on in a shareholder vote, with hopes for the acquisition to be completed next year.

EA Codemasters Deal: What Does It Mean For VR?

It’s difficult to predict what EA buying Codemasters could mean for either company’s future VR support. In October, EA published the VR-compatible Star Wars: Squadrons, which around 15% of people played with a VR headset. Perhaps these figures might be encouraging enough for the company to continue to pursue optional support in games that fit best. Certainly, Codemaster’s stable of racing series seems to fit the bill quite nicely.

Not to mention that EA itself owns two of the biggest racing series on the planet – Need for Speed and Burnout. In fact, Slightly Mad Studios itself developed two entries in the series years ago; could the team be reunited with the long-running franchise?

Which other Codemasters series do you hope to see get VR support in the future? Let us know in the comments below!