Brendan Rorrison

Racing games take many shapes, forms and sizes. There’s no denying that for every superb title there are just as many others that fall short. For me, that is very curious. At the end of the day, a racing game is a simple premise: cars on a track, some drama thrown in there — boom — enjoy the game. So long as the gameplay is good, then that’s a good racing game, or so you’d think.

Following from the worldwide release of Onrush last week, GTPlanet has had the chance to chat with the game’s director Paul “Rushy” Rustchynsky. We picked his brain from the game’s beginnings to a potential jump into esports. Check out all our questions below to see what inspired Onrush and what it could become in the near future.

Another licensed vehicle is making its way to Rocket League. The popular car football (not soccer) game has added a few real cars over the years and the Jeep Wrangler is next in line. The premium DLC comes as a tie-in to the latest Jurassic World movie, due out next week.

When word arrived that Evolution Studios alumni would be joining forces with Codemasters, racing game fans were intrigued by what would come next from the studio. With a portfolio that includes various original IPs and some of the best WRC games ever, Evolution brought serious talent to Codies that could be used for its various existing IP. However, in November 2017, the wraps were taken off OnRush – a brand new series that looked deceivingly like a certain Sony exclusive franchise.

Ghost Games has detailed the latest update for 2017’s Need For Speed Payback. Among a host of gameplay changes, some new content will arrive for players with both paid and free additions arriving next month.

It looks like Microsoft Studios is branching out to include a new racing IP in its roster. Coming into the spotlight this week, Miami Street is a new (seemingly freemium) racing game for Xbox One and PC.

After a positive release into the wild, the first content update for TT Isle of Man: Ride on The Edge arrives this week. The new addition is something a bit cooler than you might expect though, as players will be able to pilot sidecars around the famous circuit.

After what feels like an eternity since it was announced, OnRush is finally in player’s hands. The full release comes next month, but Codemasters has launched an open beta this week to give us a feel for what lies ahead.

Arcade racer Onrush is just under a month from release. The newest title from the house of Codemasters is certainly turning heads with a innovative spin on the genre. Coming across as a mash-up of Motorstorm, Burnout and er, Overwatch, Onrush seems to be its own unique beast. Courtesy of True Achievements, we can get our first look at the achievements and trophies players will be challenged to attain.

My relationship with esports is pretty complex. In all honesty, I’ve always had an indifference towards the idea of competitive gaming since it hooked its flag onto extreme brands like Mountain Dew and energy drinks. It’s pretty much the anti-thesis of what sport is all about, so this was one of a few reasons that I didn’t care for it. However, in recent years, the field has matured with professional organizations and established championships. Hell, even the Olympic Committee is starting to take notice.

Alongside the documented changes found in the latest GT Sport update, there are naturally some hidden features to be found too. These can be minor tweaks here and there but this time around, there’s something that’s certainly of note. It looks like GT Sport could be getting a car “ticket” system in the near-future.

With release slowly but surely approaching, players will finally get a chance to play The Crew 2 soon enough. Following a disappointing delay earlier in the year, Ivory Tower is preparing the ambitious open world racer for the end of June. The vehicle roster in the title will span land, sea and air but there’s a special treat for hot hatch fans. Meet the Renault Megane RS 2018.

After many rounds of online qualifying, the DiRT Esports World Championships is reaching its final stages. 36 drivers have made the cut for the next phase of competition and it’s only going to heat up from here.

The latest round of the WRC Esports Championship is now live. After a frantic trip to Barcelona, the calendar shifts over to France for one of the toughest challenges so far.

This week’s Project CARS 2 Community Event is now live. After a fairly mental karting challenge at the Nurburgring, this week returns to a more simple combo: take the wheel of the Aston Martin V8 Vantage GTE on Silverstone for a British showdown.

Amongst the many goodies included in the latest GT Sport update, one was especially welcome for sim enthusiasts. Fanatec’s fantastic CSL Elite wheel is now officially supported by the title. It’s a big deal for those who own the wheel and now potential buyers have an even stronger case to pick one up. Fanatec is going one step further too, with a special Easter deal this week for the peripheral.

Milestone has announced that the latest entry in the MotoGP series will arrive this summer. Reaching players on June 7, MotoGP 18 promises to be a big step forward for the franchise with new features, more accurate tracks and a new engine powering the title.

Two new Community Events have been added to Project CARS 2. Keeping the theme going from last week, one of the events features a kart on an unlikely track. You might want to set some time aside for this one.

A new host of discounts are now live on the EU PlayStation Store. This latest sale celebrates Easter with a load of tasty racing titles available at a reduced price.

The latest round of the WRC Esports Championship is now live. Following the previous round’s trip to Mexico, we’re back in Europe this time around. Players will face off against the best Spain has to offer.