‘Assetto Corsa EVO’ Debuts on PC VR Headsets in Early Access: Here’s Why You Might Hold Off

Yesterday marked the exciting release of Assetto Corsa EVO’s Early Access on Steam, the latest chapter in this popular racing series, now available for both flatscreen and PC VR enthusiasts. While anticipation was high, the initial feedback is somewhat mixed. VR players, in particular, are advising others to hold off until upcoming patches potentially smooth out the game’s notorious optimization issues.

Developed by KUNOS Simulazioni, the creators behind the original Assetto Corsa from 2014 and its 2018 follow-up, Assetto Corsa Competizione, this new installment in the franchise has been eagerly awaited. As it stands, the Early Access version includes five tracks, 20 vehicles, single-player mode, support for SteamVR headsets, and the option for triple-screen play.

KUNOS Simulazioni has promised that the full version will roll out more content through future updates, eventually offering 100 cars, 25 tracks, an open-world map, plus career and multiplayer modes. Despite these exciting promises, many VR users currently find the game’s performance less than satisfactory.

With over 2,700 reviews so far, the game holds a ‘Mixed’ rating. While some reviews mention the absence of features that are yet to be introduced, the criticism from VR users consistently points to poor optimization, rendering the game nearly unplayable on VR headsets.

One Steam user, Poloman, points out, “I won’t comment on the performance issues, as this is early access, only remark is that VR is currently unplayable. I have 150 fps on 3440×1440, but can’t get more than 30 FPS in VR.”

Another user, Mattios, adds, “Unplayable in VR with a RTX 4090 and i9 13900k at the lowest settings (only targeting 80Hz too). It has constant latency spikes making the game unplayable at any setting. Flatscreen works fine, maxed out it barely hits 80% GPU and 10% CPU usage without upscaling.”

Then there’s Dan, who notes, “Can’t recommend it in its current state, performance optimization is just not there, at least for VR. [I have a Radeon] 7600X + 7900 XT getting 50 fps running on a Quest 3 with Link and OpenXR, and that’s with a single car on track in practice, on the minimum graphics settings,” also highlighting visual glitches and subpar force feedback settings. Their advice? “Wait for the coming patches to even consider it.”

KUNOS Simulazioni’s history with Early Access isn’t new, as all Assetto Corsa games have followed a similar launch pattern. This doesn’t make the gradual release of features unexpected. VR might not have been included from the start in older versions, but it’s always been a significant part of the experience.

Initially, Assetto Corsa was an early VR pioneer, offering experimental VR support for Rift headsets as early as 2013, expanding to more headsets by 2017 with OpenVR integration. For Assetto Corsa Competizione, full VR support followed about a month after its traditional release.

KUNOS Simulazioni assures fans that the full 1.0 release will be available “within less than one year from the start of Early Access.” Between now and then, the community is hopeful for the necessary optimizations to make the VR experience worth its $32 price tag.