Assetto Corsa EVO has just debuted in Early Access on Steam, bringing with it the newest chapter of this popular racing series, ready for both flatscreen play and PC VR headsets. While the game shows promise, the reviews are mixed at best, especially from VR enthusiasts who suggest holding out for future patches to tackle its current optimization woes.
The game is developed by KUNOS Simulazioni, the driving force behind Assetto Corsa (2014) and Assetto Corsa Competizione (2018). This anticipated follow-up offers players five tracks, 20 vehicles, a single-player experience, and compatibility with SteamVR headsets, along with triple screen support.
KUNOS Simulazioni assures fans that a wealth of content is on its way in future updates. Expectancies include an expansive roster of 100 cars, 25 tracks, an open world map, career mode, and a multiplayer option. However, VR users have expressed their dissatisfaction with the game’s current state.
With over 2,700 reviews, the game’s reception is marked as ‘Mixed’. While some users understand that not all features are available yet, many specifically point out VR limitations, painting a picture of poor optimization that renders the game nearly unplayable in virtual reality.
Steam user Poloman commented, “I’m holding off judgments on performance since this is early access, but regarding VR, it’s unplayable right now.” He notes achieving 150 FPS on a flatscreen resolution of 3440×1440 but struggles to get more than 30 FPS in VR.
Another user, Mattios, expressed similar frustrations, reporting the game was “unplayable in VR with a RTX 4090 and i9 13900k at the lowest settings, aiming only for 80hz.” He highlights constant latency spikes making gameplay difficult, while the flatscreen version performs better, utilizing just 80% GPU and 10% CPU at max settings without upscaling.
Dan shared his experience, saying, “In its current state, I can’t recommend it, particularly for VR. My Radeon 7600X + 7900 XT achieves 50 FPS on a Quest 3 with Link and OpenXR, with one car in practice at minimum graphic settings.” He further remarks on visual glitches mainly in menus and notes the default FFB settings fall short of KUNOS’ usual standards. His advice? Wait for the patches.
It’s worth noting that past Assetto Corsa titles have followed similar Early Access paths, so the gradual introduction of features isn’t unexpected. VR, although not always part of the initial package, has played a significant role in the series. The original game embraced VR early on, starting with experimential Rift support in 2013, and expanded this further in 2017 via OpenVR. Assetto Corsa Competizione also rolled out full VR support shortly after its initial release on traditional screens.
As we await further developments, KUNOS Simulazioni assures us that the full 1.0 version is set to launch within a year of the Early Access release. Let’s hope for the improvements that will truly make VR a worthy investment at $32.
