The original Project CARS from Slightly Mad Studios was a crowdfunded project that aimed to provide hardcore racing fans an authentic and comprehensive racing experience. It executed on multiple levels, eventually providing over 100 unique tracks and 125 cars across multiple racing disciplines and platforms over the course of its release.
Eventually, virtual reality capability for the Rift, Vive, and OSVR was unveiled last year and it quickly became one of the definitive immersive racing experiences. Via unknown means, the trailer for Slightly Mad Studio’s forthcoming sequel, Project CARS 2, has leaked and it looks like they’re taking the incredible attention to detail of the original game to the next level.
The trailer was spotted by TrustedReviews and is the only video on the RaceDriver YouTube channel thus far. In the trailer itself, the cars and tracks are as beautiful as ever. We’re treated early to a snow covered track with piles of white powder that truly look like they can be scattered if you veer too far off the track and we wouldn’t be surprised if that were the case in the final game.
The focus in this trailer is on the more dynamic changes these tracks can undergo as we’re shown shots of the weather and time of day changing rapidly and how the racing venues reflect that. We even witness what appears to be water pooling up on the sides of the tracks as rain continued to pour down.
Slightly Mad Studios is really looking to solidify their Project CARS racing franchise as a premier experience across platforms. With a planned track roster of over 200, 8 racing disciplines including rallycross, eSports functionality mixed into their online matchmaking, and the visual fidelity shown in this trailer, it doesn’t look like they will have too much of a problem. It remains to be seen if the game will launch with VR capability, but it is very likely considering the previous game’s compatibility with HTC Vive and Oculus Rift. Maybe even the PS VR will be included this time around?
Project CARS 2 is currently planned to be released on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.