Review

This is the Thrustmaster T598, and it’s one of the most interesting and unusual sim-racing wheels to come out in quite some time.

It’s been a bit over 13 years since the last game in the Test Drive Unlimited series, TDU2, and while that had something of a mixed reception it did gain a niche following. As such, the third game in the series has been one much anticipated on GTPlanet.

With F1 24 nearly upon us — and a little earlier than usual — GTPlanet has been getting familiar with the title through a review code (for Playstation 5) provided by EA. However, we’re not going to do a traditional review of the title for two reasons.

Fanatec has just revealed the “Gran Turismo DD Extreme”, a completely new product which is now the flagship in terms of Gran Turismo-branded hardware and will be used at all Gran Turismo World Series live events moving forward.

Although it’s hard to believe, there’s been no Forza Motorsport game available to buy for close to two years, with the last title — 2017’s Forza Motorsport 7 — removed from the store as old content licences expired.

You can hardly have missed the news that Sony Pictures was producing a feature film based on the Gran Turismo franchise: we’ve been covering it here on GTPlanet from when it was first floated back in 2013.

It’s an odd time to be a Forza fan. After eight successive years with a full title in the franchise — Motorsport in odd years, Horizon in evens — it’s been three years since the last game in the series, and that was 2018’s Forza Horizon 4.

On our long list of “things we weren’t expecting to read” this year was renowned Italian motorbike simulator developer Milestone being the studio behind a toy car game.

Although the 2021 F1 season hasn’t been quite as chaotic as 2020’s, it’s still been a bit all over the place. Quite literally in fact, as some grands prix are cancelled, postponed, reinstated, and even cancelled again.

It’s always exciting when a new racing game comes out, more so when it’s an entry in a long-running, fan-favorite series.

Earlier this month, peripheral manufacturer Logitech brought out a new racing wheel and pedal set. Going by the official name of “G923 TRUEFORCE Sim Racing Wheel“, it’s the brand’s first new wheel in five years — following on from the G29 and G920 in 2015.

This year’s real world motorsports calendar has, so far, been rubbish. Right now we should be half way through the 2020 season but, following the last-minute cancellation of the Australian event in March and almost every event since either going in the bin or into a perpetual holding pattern, we’re only one race down.

When Assetto Corsa Competizione first launched on PC, there was one question ringing out from console gamers: when do we get it? Kunos Simulazioni had previously ported its first title, the renowned PC simulation Assetto Corsa, across to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One back in 2016.

A quarter of a century. That’s how long Need for Speed has been part of the gaming landscape. In fact the original game — The Need for Speed — predates the PlayStation itself by three months, and initially launched on the 3DO console. If you remember that, you’re showing your age.

A lot of ink, both traditional and digital, has been spilled on the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio. This will not be one of those reviews.

Fair warning to our international readers here: things are about to get locally Canadian for a minute.

It’s hard to believe, but the GRID franchise is 22 years old. If it were a person, it could legally buy you a beer.

“Know your enemy, know his sword.”

If 2017 was the year of circuit-based sim racing, and 2018 was all about arcade racers, rally is undoubtedly in the spotlight this year.

I think after this weekend we can all agree on one thing: this F1 season is boring.