Writing about job losses is rarely enjoyable, and it’s not one thing to be taken evenly.
Traxion first reported on cuts at Project Motor Racing developer Straight4 Studios in December 2025, less than one month after its release. We began listening to about one other wave final month, earlier than it was confirmed three weeks ago.
Simply over per week earlier than the fourth, and remaining, downloadable content material pack for the Yr 1 Season Go was unveiled, the timing felt unusual. There’s by no means a great second, and it raised additional questions concerning the title’s viability.
Nevertheless, on the SimRacing Expo Frankfurt, Aristotelis Vasilakos, Chief Artistic Officer, and Ryan Swaby, Growth Operations Supervisor, visited to face assembled media.
“As you realize, we sadly needed to let go of some individuals,” stated Vasilakos, who additionally goes by ‘Aris’, to Traxion on the occasion.
“We now have a small crew. It’s unlucky for all of the those that left.
“I perceive the uncertainty. It’s not good.
“[The remaining people] are a really robust core crew. We’ve a great basis, and that basis now’s getting optimised to the intense in order that we will go into the very long run.”
Break even
Each cloud has a silver lining, apparently, and within the case of Challenge Motor Racing, the diminished overheads mixed with a current uptick in gross sales make it self-sufficient, in response to the CCO:
“This small crew permits us to not have any fears anymore [about] what’s going to occur sooner or later.
“Challenge Motor Racing [game] gross sales are actually self-sustaining; we’ve got reached that stage. We’re simply going and going, making this sport as nice as potential.
“Gross sales are actually going up the hill proper now. We’re duplicating each time.”
“We’ve tripled ourselves within the final month, I believe, on a weekly foundation,” Swaby keenly clarifies.
“That each one exhibits that the trajectory is nice,” continues Vasilakos.
“You already know, I’m not telling you that it’s ‘Hey, social gathering time’, however that is the route.”
Plans for 2027/2028
Touting that’s one factor; delivering on participant suggestions is kind of one other. There’s nonetheless an inordinate quantity of labor to be performed on single-player AI skills, on-line stability and the driving expertise.
Regardless of the compact crew, the message is evident: Challenge Motor Racing is right here to remain.
When requested about help in 2027, the convivial sim racing veteran’s response is emphatic:
“Oh, 100 per cent, we’re [already] speaking about what we’re gonna do in 2028!”
“With the small crew that we now have, it’s allowed us to be actually centered,” explains Swaby to Traxion.
“We are able to all work autonomously and do what we predict is finest for the undertaking. As passionate individuals who all really need this sport to succeed, it’s simply pushed us extra to truly do what we predict can profit [the game].”
“You already know whenever you work in huge groups, and you’ve got a gathering every single day for every division?” queries Vasilakos.
“So my week used to [start with] conferences throughout three departments. Then, the following day, one other three conferences. Now we’ve got one assembly on Monday for all of the crew.”
So, what’s subsequent?
It could possibly be (rightly) argued that the sim title ought to have by no means been launched within the state it did. However the amount of post-release updates can’t be critiqued so simply.
Subsequent month will see the launch of one other paid downloadable content material set, the World Endurance Pack, but in addition additional refinements and a brand new Sizzling Laps characteristic.
Right here, a time assault system integrates ghosts of individuals faster than you throughout bronze, silver, gold and ‘alien’ tiers. Set a sooner time, the ghost routinely updates to the following driver forward of you thru dynamic leaderboards.
Alongside that, pressure suggestions undergoes additional tweaks, with “some further sliders for those who wish to tweak,” in response to Aris and the following DLC “additionally brings new options on the physics engine as a result of the LMP1 vehicles have an vitality per lap that will get reset [each tour].”
Additional down the road might be rolling begins, a much-requested characteristic, and continued work on the single-player AI. It was previously confirmed that bigger grids are on the way, because of what’s being coined as ‘SPAM’.
The Simplified Physics AI Mannequin (see what it did there?) will permit for 32-car grids for all three platforms. A minimum of initially, anyway.
“32 [cars] is at the moment working,” says Swaby.
“We even had some enjoyable and tried 100 on PC and 50+ on console, however we’re not going to be doing that immediately as a result of we wish to depart some headroom.
“The AI on consoles, they [currently] undergo each five-to-six cores to calculate, however now [in a future update] it takes solely three cores,” highlights Vasilakos.
“The period of time on these three cores is like eight instances lower than earlier than.”
PMR Join
There’s additionally a partnership with SimGrid to introduce a multiplayer characteristic referred to as PMR Join.
The plan is to permit communities to register on-line and schedule occasions. Every driver has a novel code, which may be tied to a group. As soon as registered, occasions matching that group seem within the personalised in-game schedule. Forward of a race, a notification might be despatched with a one-click be a part of course of.
When quizzed concerning the common on-line efficiency and stability of PMR, Aris states that growth “continues to be ongoing” with “individuals engaged on that.”
Introducing AI-controlled autos into multiplayer races, serving to bulk out grid numbers, can be being created. The profession mode received’t be reinvigorated this yr, however might be as soon as extra elementary parts are up to date, in response to Swaby:
“We’ve nothing set in stone within the speedy future [for career], however 100 per cent we do wish to work on that.
“As soon as we get these baseline options like improved AI, rolling begins and scorching laps, then we will focus.”
“When you’ve got the AI that runs greater grids, think about what you are able to do with the profession mode?” posits Aris.
No Yr 2 Season Go
When the aforementioned World Endurance Pack arrives on tenth November, it can convey with it 11 vehicles and Fuji Speedway (plus the 1966 historic format).
It is going to additionally mark not simply the tip of the Yr 1 Season Go DLC, however the very notion of a ‘Season Go’ for the sport. There might be no Yr 2 Season Go.
Mercifully, that doesn’t imply the tip of content material releases.
“The profit we’ve got now’s we’re not pressured to do one thing we agreed to 2 and even three years in the past,” says Swaby.
“We are able to even have correct conversations, correct licensing with the proper individuals and really do what we actually wish to do.
“We’re at the moment eager about some potential real-world championships, and we will even have an prolonged dialog and take time to see if it’s truly viable.
“I’m truly completely happy we’re not pressured to do a season two. We are able to truly take our time, launch DLC after we need.”