Project Motor Racing (PMR) launched today amid much anticipation and immediately among the most controversial releases in simracing history.
After months of intense hype positioning it as the true spiritual successor to the Project CARS series and the multi-platform saviour the genre desperately needed, PMR arrived on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S with a staggering 70 licensed cars, 28 laser-scanned tracks, True2Track dynamic surface technology, full dynamic weather, a deep career mode and promised mod support.
Throughout the buildup to the release today, trailers featuring ex-Stig Ben Collins and glowing preview coverage had raised expectations to a fever pitch.
The reality was catastrophic. Within hours Steam reviews collapsed into “Very Negative” territory (as low as 16% positive in the opening wave) and the game flirted with entering the platform’s all-time lowest-rated list if it reached 1,000 reviews.
Players encountered a broken Day-1 experience: multiplayer lobbies were down for emergency maintenance, force feedback felt lifeless or completely disconnected, physics were widely described as snappy, undriveable and lacking any sense of downforce.
Scathing criticism of PMR from the simracing community
AI drove in rigid single-file lines and routinely punted players off track, graphics were criticised as dated with low-resolution textures and fuzzy weather effects, and promised features such as multiclass racing, functioning pit stops, fuel strategy and tyre wear were either missing or non-functional. Console versions suffered additional performance issues and CPU bottlenecks.
Influential creators were scathing. Super GT called it “the biggest disappointment I’ve ever played” and urged the industry to stop overhyping and releasing unfinished games. Jimmy Broadbent, Dustin Eden, Jardier and many others echoed the sentiment, with clips of cars spinning uncontrollably or sliding sideways at 30 mph going viral.
The phrase “Ian Bell’ed” quickly trended as shorthand for overhyped launches that crash on arrival. Ian Bell himself issued a personal apology on launch day, admitting the released build contained elements of an older development version and promising rapid fixes. Patch 1.5.0.0 followed within hours, dramatically improving force feedback detail, physics stability, visual fidelity and online functionality.
Some players who persevered post-patch reported noticeable progress, praising the underlying sound design, career mode structure and modding potential, but for thousands the damage was already done — refund requests flooded Steam’s two-hour window.
iRacing and Le Mans Ultimate save the day
Amid the chaos, brighter news still emerged elsewhere. iRacing surprised the community by releasing the free Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992.2) — the updated +10 hp successor to the current 992.1 car — ahead of its official Season 1 2026 debut, instantly boosting excitement for the upcoming build.
Le Mans Ultimate continued preparations for its groundbreaking first public 24-hour driver-swap race running 28–30 November, featuring Hypercar, LMP2 and LMGT3 classes in 62-car grids — a major milestone for team-based endurance sim racing. Black Friday discounts also hit the title hard, with the base game reduced by 30% and DLC packs cut by 10–25%.
Black Friday itself exploded across the hardware market. Fanatec’s sale went live at 8 am UTC with strong stock levels on Podium DD2 bundles, Load Cell kits and popular rims.
Moza, Simagic, Asetek and Simucube saw deep discounts through retailers like SimRacerZone and Advanced SimRacing, while Revosim offered an aggressive €599 “Pure” direct-drive bundle including gloves.
Last but not least
Reports also surfaced that Asetek had received takeover bids, hinting at potential consolidation in the premium wheelbase segment.
Smaller updates rounded out the day: Assetto Corsa Rally received a mirror optimisation patch, community leagues like EnjoyRace and IMSA Esports continued their seasons, and the sim racing world debated everything from Porsche Cup driving aids to the long-term implications of yet another high-profile launch disaster.
Ultimately, headlines today belonged to Project Motor Racing, a launch that began with sky-high hopes and ended in one of the most dramatic review-bombings the genre has ever seen.
Whether the rapid patches and promised roadmap can salvage its reputation remains the biggest question heading into the final weeks of 2025.