As the spiritual successor to the classic realistic simulation racing game series "Project CARS," the debut performance of Project Motor Racing last December was nothing short of a disaster—although it featured many real-world famous cars and tracks, and the visuals looked quite good, the controversial physics simulation effects, weird penalty scales, and crazy AI drivers completely destroyed the players' gaming experience.
The game received quite poor reviews after launch, but the production team did not give up on improving the game because of this—on the contrary, they have been working hard to improve the game over the past few months, and launched the largest update since release on March 25th. This includes improved UI readability for navigation, menus, settings, systems, and race information, as well as comprehensive improvements to systems such as grip performance, handling experience, force feedback, and collision simulation. A few days later, the game's first DLC, "Japanese GT500 Pack," was officially released, bringing players 9 Japanese GT cars and a brand new track.
It seems that this game, which had a rough start, is gradually getting back on track and finding its own path to "best operations."
Taking this opportunity, we interviewed Alex Martini, Community and Marketing Lead at Straight 4 Studios, the production team. They will tell us what lessons they have learned in the past few months and what efforts they have made in which areas.
Below is the full interview transcript.
Q: Now that Project Motor Racing has been online for several months, the team has released multiple update patches based on global player feedback, and even publicly apologized, admitting that the initial launch did not meet the expectations of players or the team itself. When sorting through player feedback across all dimensions such as physics performance, AI behavior, control response, online features, and UI/UX, what was the most tricky challenge that exceeded development expectations, and how was it finally overcome?
A:Thank you for the question. We have addressed some of the issues you mentioned in the previous seven updates, and made more systematic and comprehensive improvements in Version 2.0.
If we had to name the most important, and in a way unexpected, challenge, it was not the core physics engine itself, but the tire model and the way information is transmitted between the vehicle and the driver.
Although the underlying physics system operated as expected, the presentation of grip and slip states lacked sufficient clarity and progression. As a result, the vehicle felt "unpredictable" and "not very intuitive" to players. For a racing simulation game, the "dialogue" between the driver and the vehicle is crucial, but we did not get this right at launch.
Only by adjusting the development model can this problem be solved. We have brought in a group of more experienced sim racing players and developers to work directly with the vehicle handling team, enabling faster iteration cycles and more precise feedback.
The updated tire model and handling performance for several classes already reflect the results of this work, including: GT3, GT4, Porsche 992 Cup, GT, N-GT, Mazda MX‑5, and the GT500 included in the Japanese GT500 Pack. The driving experience is now more progressive and predictable, with a clearer transition from grip to slip, higher stability, and stronger force feedback.
Another core area is UI, UX, and usability—we underestimated the learning curve players (especially beginners and intermediate players) face when using features like vehicle setup and force feedback systems. The systems have depth, but lacked sufficient guidance.
In Version 2.0, we addressed this by completely redoing the UI and introducing contextual hints. These hints tell players what each option does and explain how it affects the vehicle's actual characteristics, making the simulation experience easier to understand and get started with, without reducing system complexity.
These two directions share a common point: the key is not just the systems themselves, but whether the information is clearly communicated to the players.
This is the core principle of our improvement work, and the guideline we will follow in future sim game development.
Q: Physics simulation and AI opponent performance are the core soul of racing simulation games, and they have been the two modules with the most concentrated player feedback since launch. We have also seen the team continuously optimize physical parameters for different car classes, tire grip logic, as well as AI collision behavior, racing lines, and braking logic in multiple patches. What is the core adjustment philosophy the team adheres to in optimizing these two core modules? Meanwhile, how do you balance the hardcore sim players' demand for extreme realism with casual players' expectation for a low barrier to entry and smooth driving experience? Will professional racers continue to be invited to participate in the game's optimization and tuning work in the future?
A:This question not only involves Project Motor Racing itself but also touches upon the core challenges of the entire racing simulation field.
Our physics engine is a proprietary engine built specifically for Project Motor Racing. This brings high flexibility and long-term potential, but it also means we must constantly learn and refine during the development process.
We have always maintained strong confidence in the core physics engine. The issues at launch were not with the physics engine itself, but with the tire model. More accurately, it was the feedback method for grip and slip characteristics. This has been the main focus of improvement efforts since launch. In other words, if you imagine the physics engine as a blank canvas, and the "paints" themselves are fine, then the problem lies in the picture—the image we presented on this canvas did not meet player expectations.
The core principle of the improvements in Version 2.0 is actually very simple: Listen.
During development, we executed a "Manufacturer Driver Program," where professional drivers and experienced sim racers provided feedback. The problem was not the quality of the feedback, but our understanding of it. Highly skilled drivers could often "work around problems" to achieve good results, but we failed to fully realize the extra effort they put in at the time.
Now we have adjusted our strategy, collaborating closely with experts from more specific fields (such as Michi Hoyer and Jesper Pedersen), inviting them to directly participate in the handling mechanics design team. This will lead to faster iteration speeds, clearer feedback focus, and greater consistency between "perception" and "implementation."
From Version 1.7 to 2.0, the various handling improvements clearly demonstrate this.
Regarding AI, we have a similar philosophy: continuous iteration based on real characteristics and player feedback.
The focus of Version 2.0 is to lay a more solid foundation, ensuring that AI pace, consistency, and racecraft perform stably across different tracks (especially in Career Mode). Overall, as long as AI is treated as ordinary drivers to race against, they can provide clean and competitive race experiences.
Extreme situations still need strengthening, such as huge speed differences, or when players make very aggressive overtaking moves at very late timings. These issues are currently under active review, with continuous testing and analysis by the internal team.
We do not believe that realism and accessibility are opposing goals. Whether in the real world or in a simulation environment, driving a vehicle to its limits should be an attractive and rewarding experience. The key is not to "artificially simplify" this experience, but to make it easier to understand.
This is currently the focus of our work: creating clearer tire characteristics, more solid force feedback, more appropriate default settings, and smoother tutorials for beginners.
There are indeed some practical differences in how players interact with the simulation experience, especially between steering wheel and controller users. Controller input has been one of the main focuses of Version 2.0, aiming to make it more intuitive and consistent, so the changes are quite significant. Controller players will see a significant improvement in their performance in short-distance races.
Professional drivers and experienced sim racers will continue to play an important role in the development process. Their opinions remain important, but now we combine them with tighter feedback processes and more structured evaluation methods to translate this experience more directly into improved simulation effects. This is a distinctive part of sim development; the most valuable opinions often come from drivers who possess both real-track experience and high-level sim skills. With the development of modern motorsport, using simulators has become a norm in the training process for professional drivers.
The situation with historical cars is slightly more complex. Drivers from earlier eras did not grow up with simulators like today's drivers, so their feedback methods naturally differ. We focus more on how cars were driven and set up at the time, and what drivers expected during actual driving.
These insights help us better fine-tune simulated models, making vehicles not only conform to data but also closer to their inherent characteristics and performance.
Q: The stability of online multiplayer and the richness of race modes directly determine the long-term vitality of a racing game, and were the core areas of player complaints at launch. We have seen targeted optimizations in subsequent patches for lobby, ranked matches, penalty systems, and server stability. Has the current optimization of the online module met the team's expected goals? Regarding players' continued concerns about online experience, diversity of race gameplay, and UGC-related features, what core content can the team reveal in advance for future update plans?
A:You are absolutely right. Online stability and race structure are crucial to the long-term success of any racing simulation game, and this is an area where we fell short at launch.
We have been steadily rebuilding player trust in multiplayer mode ever since. The Version 2.0 update integrates these elements more systematically. To maintain competitive fairness, we introduced an anti-cheat system and improved the race flow, making it smoother for players to join races without disrupting ongoing events.
We have also optimized the license point system to encourage more civilized racing styles and establish a more stable and consistent competitive environment in ranked matches.
In addition, we have brought several supporting improvements:
· Backend system for incident reports
· Optimized scheduling for ranked and social races
· Online ranked races will be added for all classes starting April 1st
· Integrated ModHub functionality in certain multiplayer modes.
Our goal is simple: to make online races more stable, structurally stronger, and more rewarding.
Version 2.0 is an important step forward, but like other aspects, we will continue to improve in the future.
Q: The responsiveness of controls, the nuance of force feedback (FFB), and the usability of UI/UX, along with game performance, are fundamental to the daily playing experience for players at all levels. We have seen concentrated feedback from the player community on these aspects, and the team has optimized steering delay, FFB tuning, frame rate caps, and visual adaptation in patches. Apart from the adjustments already made, will the team further differentiate and deeply optimize for different input devices such as keyboards, controllers, and steering wheels? On the UI/UX front, will more customization options be opened up in the future to accommodate different players' operation and browsing habits?
A:Sim racing players are very sensitive to places where the "feel is off." This clear feedback is precisely the accelerator driving improvements. Whether the issue lies in input response, force feedback, or vehicle characteristics, community players quickly and accurately point them out. This precision is invaluable to us.
Since the game's release, what we have done is transform this feedback into a more systematic and reliable process. Currently, we conduct a community feedback review every week and directly incorporate the results into development priorities. At the same time, there is a dedicated external driving test team that works closely with our handling team and an expert consultant in the handling field every day.
We are not reacting emotionally to individual comments, but analyzing patterns in the feedback. We observe whether feedback is consistent across different players, platforms, and data, and use this to guide our adjustments in input response, force feedback clarity, UI convenience, and performance.
This shift from reactive responses to structured analysis, from scattered opinions to verified trends, is exactly the core improvement players are experiencing now.
Ultimately, when building a sim game for such a community, listening is only half the job. The other half lies in translating this feedback into truly meaningful improvements. While the principle is not complex, doing it well takes time. Version 2.0 is the result of adopting a new process and collecting player feedback since launch.
Q: We understand that the game will undergo a Steam price adjustment in late March, which will undoubtedly attract a large number of new players. Will this Steam price adjustment be accompanied by exclusive benefit events or special rewards for veteran players? We would also like to ask the team about the overall update plan for the whole year of 2026. For example, will there be DLC content with new tracks, new vehicles, or entirely new gameplay modes? After the twists and turns of the initial launch, what are the team's expectations and core plans for the long-term lifecycle of this game?
A:The next phase of Project Motor Racing is crucial for us.
With the release of Version 2.0, we are not just releasing another update, but establishing a new foundation for the entire simulation game. Now is the best time to open our doors to a wider audience, so there are price adjustments and promotions across various platforms.
From late March through April, all sales channels will offer discounts of up to 50%. We want more players to experience the current state of the game, rather than the version at launch.
On the other hand, there are those players who supported us from the beginning. They experienced the initial version, gave us a lot of direct feedback, and stayed with us through seven consecutive updates. Version 2.0 is prepared for new players, but it is also dedicated to these veteran players.
Therefore, while expanding the player base, we are more concerned with letting existing players truly feel the value of this journey (whether in terms of handling, force feedback, UI, online systems, or overall stability improvements).
For us, the most important thing is to ensure that the game itself truly rewards the time and trust players invest.
Because this moment is not only about welcoming new players, but also about showing all players what Project Motor Racing looks like today. The roadmap we announced last December remains unchanged, and we are still actively developing core features including VR support, triple-screen support, richer online modes, the Spotter system, and career mode expansions.
Our goal hasn't changed; what has changed is the way we achieve it.
Since the game's release, we have slowed down to focus more on development order and execution discipline. Our current priority is clear: stabilize the core experience first, then expand content depth. This means ensuring that handling, performance, UI, and online systems are stable and up to standard before adding more features.
Since November, our work has been centered around community feedback. The early post-launch phase was mainly about listening, learning, and responding. Through a series of targeted updates, we addressed key issues such as handling, tire characteristics, performance, and online stability.
Version 2.0 is an important milestone in this process, laying a more solid and consistent foundation for the entire simulation game.
Looking ahead to 2026, our overall strategy will unfold along two parallel directions.
The first is to continuously polish the core experience, including:
· Continuously improve handling and tire models for all classes
· Optimized UI and UX
· Optimize performance and enhance graphics
· Improved AI behavior and race performance
· Enhanced online stability and system reliability
· Further refine audio, input, and haptic feedback
The second is expanding features on a solid foundation, including:
· VR support on PC
· Native triple-screen support
· Added Spotter system
· Added rolling start functionality
· Expand online modes
· Continue to develop Career Mode
These features have not been canceled or reduced, but are being advanced in a way that focuses more on quality and completeness.
Our goal remains consistent: to make Project Motor Racing a deep racing simulation game that grows and evolves together with the community.
This means a longer-term lifecycle strategy, achieved through continuous updates, meaningful system improvements, and new content releases aimed at enhancing the experience, rather than piecemeal additions.
The biggest shift for us since launch is that we no longer try to do Everythinggj at once, but instead focus on step-by-step progress to make the product right.
Q: Finally, do you have any message for Chinese players who have played the game?
A:To all players in China: We sincerely thank you for the time you have invested in Project Motor Racing, especially those who supported us in the early days of launch and provided us with clear and passionate feedback.
We are aware that the game's experience at launch did not meet expectations, especially disappointing those who truly love sim driving and racing culture. The team has seriously listened to your feedback, which has directly influenced the series of improvements made since launch.
We have deep respect for the history of racing games in China. Version 2.0 represents an important leap, but more importantly, it marks a shift in our way of working: more rigorous, more focused, and closer to player expectations.
We also understand that motorsport holds significant importance in China, and the rapidly growing sim racing community in China reflects players' high pursuit of authenticity and competitiveness, which we will always respect. Through this major update, we hope that Chinese players can truly feel our passion and respect in their gaming experience.
Thank you again for your support, patience, and honesty. We will continue to work hard to earn your trust through quality.