Just yesterday, the much-anticipated Assetto Corsa EVO made its debut on Steam through Early Access, expanding the beloved racing series to both traditional screens and PC VR headsets. While the launch has certainly generated buzz, it’s met with a spectrum of reactions, especially from VR enthusiasts who are suggesting a pause before diving in, as future patches aim to fix the current optimization hurdles.
KUNOS Simulazioni, the creative minds behind Assetto Corsa (2014) and Assetto Corsa Competizione (2018), have finally rolled out their newest project, Assetto Corsa EVO. This Early Access release includes five tracks, 20 cars, single-player modes, and is compatible with SteamVR and supports triple screens.
The development team assures fans that more content will be added through updates, promising a final package with 100 vehicles, 25 tracks, an open-world map, and a career and multiplayer mode. However, for those diving into the VR experience right away, the sentiment isn’t quite positive at the moment.
The game has attracted over 2,700 user reviews, leading to a ‘Mixed’ score. While some critiques point to missing features that KUNOS has committed to introduce later, it’s the VR support that’s under scrutiny. Users report it’s not up to par, rendering it nearly unplayable for virtual reality setups.
Steam user Poloman shares, “I’m not focusing on the performance woes since it’s early access, but VR is just not playable. I can achieve 150 fps at 3440×1440 resolution, but in VR mode, it’s difficult to exceed 30 FPS.”
Another user, Mattios, shares their frustration: “Even with a powerful RTX 4090 and i9 13900k, and settings at their lowest, VR is a struggle. I’m aiming for just 80hz, yet constant latency spikes ruin gameplay. Meanwhile, the flatscreen version runs smoothly with GPU at 80% and CPU at just 10%, no need for upscaling.”
Dan throws in their two cents, reporting, “I can’t give it a thumbs up at this stage, the performance optimization isn’t there, especially for VR. With my Radeon 7600X and 7900 XT, I’m getting 50 fps at best on a Quest 3 via Link and OpenXR, under minimal graphics settings and only one car on the track. Visual glitches are another issue, mostly experienced in the menu. Not to mention, the default force feedback settings fell short of my expectations from Kunos. Best to hold off until more updates are released.”
Historically, all of KUNOS Simulazioni’s Assetto Corsa games have taken a similar path with Early Access launches, so the gradual rollout of new features isn’t unexpected. Although VR isn’t always a launch-day staple, it’s been an essential element of the franchise over the years.
Going back to 2013, the original Assetto Corsa was an early adopter of VR with its initial Rift support, followed by broader headset compatibility in 2017 thanks to OpenVR. Full VR support for Assetto Corsa Competizione was introduced shortly after its traditional screen release.
KUNOS has set an ambitious timeline, planning a full release within a year from the start of Early Access. Between now and then, we anticipate significant VR improvements, which will justify the $32 investment in an enriched virtual driving experience.
