TOCA has confirmed that a new, dedicated BTCC game and esports series for consoles and PC will be released in 2022, with the game to be published by Motorsport Games.
Confirming a “long-term” agreement, the announcement will mean that the BTCC officially features in a game for the first time since 2001, when TOCA Race Driver was released.
Motorsport Games has previously published the NASCAR Heat series of games, developed by 704Games.
“Finally, I’m proud to say that the huge demand from the BTCC and TOCA game fans is being answered,” said BTCC Chief Executive Alan Gow.
“Just like the original BTCC/TOCA game, this will be a dedicated BTCC game featuring all the cars, all the teams, all the drivers and all the circuits – not merely some elements partially incorporated into an existing game.
“It is hugely important to me, our teams, drivers and fans that any new BTCC game reflected exactly what everyone loves about our championship; the incredibly close non-stop action, intense competition and great enjoyment. I’ve no doubt that Motorsport Games will deliver exactly that.”
The game is to be developed and published by Motorsport Games, which has secured a multi-year licence for the game, scheduled to be released in 2022. An option to develop a mobile game is also included in the deal.
Stephen Hood, President of Motorsport Games, says that the ambitions of TOCA and Motorsport Games are ‘perfectly aligned’.
“This partnership is a clear signal of the enormous trust that the BTCC has placed in Motorsport Games,” said Hood.
“Our team demonstrated real enthusiasm for the project from day one, and our ambitions were immediately aligned.
“The opportunity is clear for all to see and we look forward to deploying the significant and proven capabilities of our esports, game development and media teams to return this series back to the forefront of gaming.”
Motorsport Games’ Creative Director Paul Coleman believes that there is demand for a new touring car game. At present, gamers can obtain a touring car gaming fix by playing titles such as Raceroom, Assetto Corsa or iRacing, although none feature official BTCC cars, teams or the full calendar of circuits.
“There is a clear demand and appetite for a new touring car game, and we are delighted that we are going to make that a reality,” said Coleman.
“Many of the staff in our studio have fond memories of the TOCA game series and my first job in the games industry was actually working on TOCA Race Driver 2 as a QA Tester. We have some exciting plans that we cannot wait to reveal.”