GTPNewsWire
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This is the discussion thread for a recent post on GTPlanet:
This article was published by Kyle Patrick (@SlipZtrEm) on January 28th, 2019 in the Driveclub category.
Driveclub is the Most-Played PS4 Driving Title with Estimated 10.5 Million Players
- Thread starter GTPNewsWire
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- TurboJunky34
It's saying something about the path GT went when Driveclub has more players. Shoulda just did GT7 and never made Sport.
- 6,281
- Ottawa
- Pyano1132
I don't recall GT ever being a free game for PSN users. The Driveclub player base was most likely inflated because of that. It's like saying Wii Sports is the most popular Nintendo game of all time.
GT Sport is about 7 million right now, so I think it has a higher number of players who actually bought the game.
Edit: I’m pretty sure DC’s full version was also free game of the month on PSN. So, it's easy to move units when you're literally giving them away.
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- 27,387
- Toronto
- NewAesthetic
- SlipZtrEm
Eh, it also had a three year head start on GTS to amass a player base, was the only exclusive racer for much of that (if not all; I'm not 100% on that), and had a free version available to PS+ subscribers for three months when it was still actively in post-launch support.
I don't think PD is chasing the biggest figures in the genre anymore: it's made the focus pretty clearly on realism and online racing. A better example IMO of what can hit the right note with the general gaming population and not just car folks is FH4 hitting 7 million players not even four months after release. That too has an asterisk — it's available on PC and XB1 thanks to Play Anywhere — but considering the latest estimates have XB1 global sales figures at less than half the PS4's 91 million, that's remarkable market penetration. And I think it's because FH4 strikes the right balance for people to just have fun.
Keeping this on the topic of Driveclub though: when I first realized this news, my initial thought was just how much of a mistake it was for Sony to close up the shop.
- 669
- United States
- bkfountain
- fozzie bear
Driveclub still rules, I recently got the Platinum and the solo campaign stuff is fun with the challenges. You don't even have to win races in Forza Horizon anymore, it sucks.
The PS4 absolutely could use an arcade racing game alongside Gran Turismo. Driveclub 2 could have improved on the issues or Evolution could have done a Motorstorm. Sony messed up dumping this.
The PS4 absolutely could use an arcade racing game alongside Gran Turismo. Driveclub 2 could have improved on the issues or Evolution could have done a Motorstorm. Sony messed up dumping this.
- 269
- WyldAnimal_
Driveclub is still my Favorite Racer.
Hands down the best atmosphere, and simply beautiful graphically, even if it is 30 FPS and lower resolution.
It Looks great.
It's VR mode, while still not Multiplayer on-line, pits you against 7 ai cars.
I think there are a number of key elements that GT could take from DC and add to make GT much better.
On-line multi player is great as well...
Hands down the best atmosphere, and simply beautiful graphically, even if it is 30 FPS and lower resolution.
It Looks great.
It's VR mode, while still not Multiplayer on-line, pits you against 7 ai cars.
I think there are a number of key elements that GT could take from DC and add to make GT much better.
On-line multi player is great as well...
- 2,611
- Brazil
DriveClub was the first big driving game for the PS4,was offered for free on PSN and has 3 years ahead of GT.Keep in mind that 5 million people already played GTS and that's with barely one year of the game coming out.
Keeping this on the topic of Driveclub though: when I first realized this news, my initial thought was just how much of a mistake it was for Sony to close up the shop.
The launch disaster was probably what killed Evolution Studios,Motorstorm already wasn't a big moneymaker and their new IP fell on its face at launch,which is kinda sad because Onrush also fell on its face when it launched.
- 596
Driveclub is average at best, the physics are just odd especially when breaking traction, just not fun at all. Not a fan of the progression either.
- 124
- London
Thankfully i got Driveclub a few months after release & all it's problems. I loved it to be honest, Came free with the ps4, got the season pass for £15. Loved the courses, cars, sounds, amount of content, graphics which still haven't been beaten, weather & lighting effects etc. The best season pass I've ever got, added a huge amount of content to a game already packed with content. Unlike many i even enjoyed the handling/physics. It definetly wasn't a perfect game but it was really enjoyable.
I think Sony made a big mistake scrapping Evo studios & ending work on driveclub or a sequel. I would've happily paid for another season pass or bought a Driveclub 2. They clearly did it from the games early problems & bad reviews/sales based on those reviews. Also the fact they had GT Sport arriving soon & didn't want to shoot themselves in the foot with their baby, Gran Turismo. To me, they're both great, different styles of racing games.
I think Sony made a big mistake scrapping Evo studios & ending work on driveclub or a sequel. I would've happily paid for another season pass or bought a Driveclub 2. They clearly did it from the games early problems & bad reviews/sales based on those reviews. Also the fact they had GT Sport arriving soon & didn't want to shoot themselves in the foot with their baby, Gran Turismo. To me, they're both great, different styles of racing games.
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- Brazil
It's not really a sim ya know...
Scaff
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- ScaffUK
I agree that the progression system is odd, particularly the locking of cars behind the Club system.
However, average, in what regard? Its arguably one of the best looking titles on the platform despite its age and lack of Pro support and the absurdly detailed environments, and rain physics that have yet to be bettered visually in a racing title. Its audio is good; the handling is a solid arcade feel with a more detailed model hidden under the surface (just switch on Hardcore mode), for an arcade title it has level of detail to the handling and FFB that its peers lack. Its VR implementation is better than GTS, and it had amazingly good post go-live support. Support that lasted well beyond what was needed to make up for the launch, so good that it prometed a number of reviewers to revisit the title.
Fun I'm more than happy to accept, as its a totally subjective area, but I certainly found it fun and a long. long was from average.
Switch on hardcore mode and it will surprise you with how much depth it actually has (and it does FFB for understeer and FWD torque steer better than GTS does).
- 669
- United States
- bkfountain
- fozzie bear
The progression is great. You go through and have to do meta challenges during races or beat times. It fits well for an arcade game that isn't trying to be Forza or Gran Turismo. They did a campaign series with the Motorstorm buggy and turned off track limits so you could take some unique off road lines. It was fun.
The weather still looks nice and I wish other racing games did real shadows from headlights.
- 7
- Hungary
The VR version of Driveclub is probably not soo popular, I gave it up after awhile, cause servers where so deserted, which is a shame, it was a fun experience racing in VR online, you also could chat with your opponents,
- 111
- Ontario
It's a shame this title had such a rough launch, it's still one of the graphically strongest racing games I've ever seen. Incredible post launch support too, while they could at least.
- 360
- Germany
What confuses me always, why did Sony close Evolution? According to Sony's Jim Ryan the game sold very well and I don't think it was as expensive as GT5 when it came out.
https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/...absent-from-sonys-show-the-jim-ryan-interview
https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/...absent-from-sonys-show-the-jim-ryan-interview
Scaff
Moderator
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- ScaffUK
That's the million dollar question
It was an odd thing to do at the time, and this new data only makes the choice that much stranger.
- 3,177
- St helens, merseyside, England.
- crazybuttocks198
- Crazybuttocks19
Makes you wonder why they (Sony) shuttered Evolution with this many users playing it. Whether they played it a lot or not.
- 6,377
- Nantes
- P308R
@SlipZtrEm I thought I was reading @Scaff 's video 
Don't understand at all why with such incredible figures Sony closed down the studio.
Maybe they were straight out afraid for Polyphony's GT Sport as you think how barebones that was after such a developmenttime. DRIVECLUB became the victim of its own success?
There is a lot more going on in the drivingmodel than people give it credit for. The feedback through a wheel and the lovely use of throttle to control the car is very well done. Probably even better than some 'sims' out there.
This game deserves so much a DRIVECLUB 2
Don't understand at all why with such incredible figures Sony closed down the studio.
Maybe they were straight out afraid for Polyphony's GT Sport as you think how barebones that was after such a developmenttime. DRIVECLUB became the victim of its own success?
There is a lot more going on in the drivingmodel than people give it credit for. The feedback through a wheel and the lovely use of throttle to control the car is very well done. Probably even better than some 'sims' out there.
This game deserves so much a DRIVECLUB 2
- 804
- São Paulo
- Corredor_Y
I wonder how much the PS Plus free version has influenced the game's numbers, given its infamous launch disaster which labeled it as a "bad game".
Driveclub made me buy the PS4 and IMO is still one of the best racing games of this generation. Too bad Sony didn't see its potential.
Driveclub made me buy the PS4 and IMO is still one of the best racing games of this generation. Too bad Sony didn't see its potential.
- 63
- United States
Not having played it since I don't own a PS4 I would assume it's more arcade like than even GT? If so, not surprising it would be more popular. The more "sim-like" a title becomes the less appeal it has mass market. That's why I find it odd that some people associated with iRacing somehow think it's numbers can grow to huge bases like this. Just is not going to happen with true sims no matter how much you dream about it.
- 816
- London
- And-War
I fired it up this weekend, it's still a great racer, hater gona hate we miss you evolution studios
- 10,007
- Upside-down in the final corner
- rallymorten
I made what I think is the perfect analogy for Driveclub some time ago: it's a spiritual successor to ye olde NFS and Test Drive games - and it (sort of) knows it.
It's such a quintessentially late-90's arcade racer in most of what it does that, once you've come to terms with uber-realistic sims not being the be-all-end-all, you simply can't not enjoy it. The fast-paced nature, the environments it takes place in - heck, a significant amount of the car list (especially post-launch) is pulling all the right strings. Yes, I'm thinking of a yellow Diablo SV again. Judge me.
It's all that, but with all the features modern games are expected to come with. You've got your clubs and whatnot (though I doubt how many people took that feature seriously), you've got a basic livery editor if that's your thing (or, if you're an old sport like me, you could turn liveries off entirely and make the game even better - get triggered), a photomode about on par with GT, everything else that's already been mentioned.. Frankly, even with the only-car-game-on-PS4 factor accounted for, it's not difficult to see why it's become as popular as it has. It's the best of the past mixed with the best of the then-current.
The single big whoopsie Driveclub made, in my opinion, remains the pre-release marketing. I mean, I get that the whole club thing was supposed to be a big deal, but.. can we, for just a moment, tone it down a bit with the social-media-ing, please, and just have exciting vehicles racing against eachother? Simplicity is also a virtue, you know.
That being said, it is one of only a few games to have earned a permanent spot on my PS4 hard drive.
It's such a quintessentially late-90's arcade racer in most of what it does that, once you've come to terms with uber-realistic sims not being the be-all-end-all, you simply can't not enjoy it. The fast-paced nature, the environments it takes place in - heck, a significant amount of the car list (especially post-launch) is pulling all the right strings. Yes, I'm thinking of a yellow Diablo SV again. Judge me.
It's all that, but with all the features modern games are expected to come with. You've got your clubs and whatnot (though I doubt how many people took that feature seriously), you've got a basic livery editor if that's your thing (or, if you're an old sport like me, you could turn liveries off entirely and make the game even better - get triggered), a photomode about on par with GT, everything else that's already been mentioned.. Frankly, even with the only-car-game-on-PS4 factor accounted for, it's not difficult to see why it's become as popular as it has. It's the best of the past mixed with the best of the then-current.
The single big whoopsie Driveclub made, in my opinion, remains the pre-release marketing. I mean, I get that the whole club thing was supposed to be a big deal, but.. can we, for just a moment, tone it down a bit with the social-media-ing, please, and just have exciting vehicles racing against eachother? Simplicity is also a virtue, you know.
That being said, it is one of only a few games to have earned a permanent spot on my PS4 hard drive.
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- Melbourne
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#Driveclubforever
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