Le Mans Ultimate

Last updated
Le Mans Ultimate
Le Mans Ultimate cover art.jpg
Developer(s) Studio 397
Publisher(s) Motorsport Games
Engine isiMotor 2.5
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows
Release20 February 2024 (early access)
Genre(s) Racing simulation
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Le Mans Ultimate is an upcoming racing video game simulating the FIA World Endurance Championship. It is being developed by Studio 397 and published by Motorsport Games. [1] The game was originally slated for release in December 2023, [2] but the release date was pushed back and the game was released on Steam in early access on 20 February 2024. [3] [4]

Contents

The game is only on PC, but console versions are being considered with porting agencies the likely method, according to Motorsport Games CEO Stephen Hood. [5]

Gameplay

Le Mans Ultimate features three distinct classes of race cars, all of which feature in the 24 Hours of Le Mans as well as the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship, those being Le Mans Hypercar (LMH), Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2), and Grand Touring Endurance (LMGTE). [6]

All seven tracks from the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship are present in the game, including Sebring, Portimão, Spa-Francorchamps, Circuit de la Sarthe, Monza, Fuji, and Bahrain. [7]

Race Weekend is Le Mans Ultimate's single-player mode where players can set how many classes will be on track, weather forecast, time scaling, fuel usage scaling, and tyre wear scaling. [8]

Online multiplayer is present in early access. Players can compete in daily races, limited timed special events, or create a private session for select players to join. [8]

DLC

New content is being added to LMU in the form of DLC cars and circuits. The first new content was the free LMDh BMW M Hybrid V8. This is a Hypercar class vehicle, the top ladder of WEC competition. There will be four more DLC releases that will drop roughly one or two months apart through January 2025. These DLC will provide users with access to all the 2024 cars, liveries and tracks used by the WEC Endurance Championship in 2024, Imola, COTA, Sao Paulo, and Bahrain. Also included within the 4 DLC releases will be the first official LMGT3 cars that, as of 2024, have replaced the GTE category. Two of the LMGT3 will be provided free, similar to the BMW M Hybrid V8 so that all LMU users can compete in the LMGT3 category without having to purchase the cars. It is unknown (as of late September) which cars will be the free releases.

Reception

Le Mans Ultimate logo LeMansUltimateLogo.png
Le Mans Ultimate logo

Le Mans Ultimate was met with fairly positive reviews when it entered Early Access. Many players stated that the game had potential, praising the physics model and the driving experience, but it was criticized for its lack of game modes and the large amount of bugs present at launch. [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Le Mans Prototype</span> Sportscar endurance racing class

A Le Mans Prototype (LMP) is a type of sports prototype race car used in various races and championships, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, FIA World Endurance Championship, IMSA SportsCar Championship, European Le Mans Series, and Asian Le Mans Series. Le Mans Prototypes were created by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO). The technical requirements for an LMP include bodywork covering all mechanical elements of the car. As of 2023, there are two classes within Le Mans Prototypes, designated LMP2 and LMP3.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FIA World Endurance Championship</span> Auto racing championship held worldwide

The FIA World Endurance Championship, abbreviated as WEC, is a world championship for automobile endurance racing organized by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) and sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The series supersedes the ACO's former Intercontinental Le Mans Cup which began in 2010 and is the revival of the World Sportscar Championship which ended after the 1992 season. The World Endurance Championship name was previously used by the FIA from 1981 to 1985.

W Racing Team is a Belgian auto racing team founded in 2009 by engineer and former head of Volkswagen Motorsport René Verbist, racing driver Vincent Vosse, and entrepreneur Yves Weerts. Between 2010 and 2022 the team campaigned Audi R8 LMSs in several international sports car series. In 2010 the team won the Belcar Drivers' and Teams' Championships, while in 2011 they won the Spa 24 Hours. After winning multiple titles in various GT championships, WRT is considered to be one of the best teams worldwide in GT racing. In 2019 and 2020 WRT ran two Audi RS5 Turbo DTMs in the highly competitive DTM championship. In 2021 WRT added a full time LMP2 program, by entering an Oreca 07 in both the FIA World Endurance Championship and European Le Mans Series, and won the LMP2 class of the 2021 24 Hours of Le Mans. From 2023 on WRT switched their partnership in GT racing from Audi to BMW and will run the BMW M4 GT3. The team will also run two factory backed BMW M Hybrid V8s in the FIA World Endurance Championship Hypercar category from 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ByKolles Racing</span> Endurance racing team

ByKolles Racing, formerly known as Kodewa, is an Austrian-German auto racing team based in Greding, Germany. The team most recently fielded the No. 4 Vanwall Vandervell 680 in the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2023. It was founded in 2000 by Romulus Kolles and his son Colin Kolles as Kolles Racing, but has undergone several rebrands over the years. These include a sponsorship deal with Lotus Cars from 2012 to 2014, a failed takeover of Tyrrell's naming rights, and a subsequent switch to Vanwall that went to court in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rebellion R13</span> Sports car racing prototype

The Rebellion R13 is a sports prototype racing car built by French constructor Oreca on behalf of Swiss-based team Rebellion Racing. It is a variation of the Oreca 07, created to compete in the LMP1 class. It would later be renamed by Alpine to Alpine A480 when it was rebadged to run as a grandfathered into the Hypercar class in 2021 and 2022.

The 2021 FIA World Endurance Championship was the ninth season of the FIA World Endurance Championship, an auto racing series organised by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO). The series is open to prototype and grand tourer-style racing cars divided into four categories. World Championship titles were awarded to the leading manufacturers and drivers in both the prototype and grand tourer divisions.

The 2022 FIA World Endurance Championship was the tenth season of the FIA World Endurance Championship, an auto racing series organised by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO). The series was open to prototype and grand tourer-style racing cars divided into four categories. World Championship titles were awarded to the leading manufacturers and drivers in both the prototype and grand tourer divisions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toyota GR010 Hybrid</span> Sports racing car

The Toyota GR010 Hybrid is a sports prototype racing car developed for the 2021 Le Mans Hypercar rules in the FIA World Endurance Championship. The car is the successor of the Toyota TS050 Hybrid, which competed in the WEC from 2016 to 2020, achieving two double WEC world titles and three straight victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans from 2018 to 2020. The GR010 Hybrid was revealed online on 15 January 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alessio Rovera</span> Italian racing driver

Alessio Rovera is an Italian racing driver. He is a Ferrari factory driver and currently competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship with AF Corse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peugeot 9X8</span> Sports racing car

The Peugeot 9X8 is a sports prototype racing car built by French car manufacturer Peugeot for the Le Mans Hypercar category in the FIA World Endurance Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iron Lynx</span> Italian auto racing team

Iron Lynx Motorsport Lab is an Italian auto racing team founded by Andrea Piccini, Deborah Mayer, Claudio Schiavoni and Sergio Pianezzola. The team is based in Cesena, Emilia-Romagna. They currently operate two racing teams in the form of Iron Lynx and Iron Dames, who both primarily participate in sports car racing. Iron Lynx are also currently partnered with Lamborghini in operating their Lamborghini SC63 LMDh prototype.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 FIA World Endurance Championship</span> Eleventh season of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC)

The 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship was the eleventh season of the FIA World Endurance Championship, an auto racing series organised by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO). The series was open to prototype and grand tourer-style racing cars divided into three categories. World Championship titles were awarded to the leading drivers in both the prototype and grand tourer divisions and to the leading manufacturer in prototype division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 FIA World Endurance Championship</span> Twelfth season of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC)

The 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship was the twelfth season of the FIA World Endurance Championship, an auto racing series organised by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO). The series was open to Hypercars and, for the first time, LMGT3 racing cars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 24 Hours of Le Mans</span> 92nd edition of the endurance race

The 92nd 24 Hours of Le Mans was an automobile endurance race for teams of three drivers each racing Le Mans Prototypes (LMP) and Le Mans Grand Touring Car (LMGT3) cars held from 15 to 16 June 2024 at the Circuit de la Sarthe, near Le Mans, France. The Automobile Club de l'Ouest's 92nd 24-hour race drew 329,000 spectators and was the fourth round of the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship. There was a test day on 9 June, a week before the event.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 Qatar 1812 km</span> Endurance sportscar racing event

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps</span> Sports car endurance race

The 2024 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps was an endurance sportscar racing event held on 11 May 2024, as the third of eight rounds of the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship. It was the 58th running of the event, and the 13th running of the event as part of the World Endurance Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 6 Hours of São Paulo</span> Sports car endurance race

The 2024 6 Hours of São Paulo was an endurance sportscar racing event held on 14 July 2024, as the fifth of eight rounds of the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship. It was the fourth running of the event as part of the World Endurance Championship, and the first running of the event since 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 Lone Star Le Mans</span> Sports car endurance race

The 2024 Lone Star Le Mans was an endurance sportscar racing event held on September 1, 2024, as the sixth of eight rounds of the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship. It was the seventh running of the event as part of the World Endurance Championship, and the first running of the event since 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 6 Hours of Fuji</span> Sports car endurance race

The 2024 6 Hours of Fuji was an endurance sportscar racing event held on 15 September 2024, as the seventh of eight rounds of the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship. It was the eleventh running of the event in its current format in the World Endurance Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2025 FIA World Endurance Championship</span> Thirteenth season of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC)

The 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship will be the thirteenth season of the FIA World Endurance Championship, an auto racing series organised by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO). The series will be open to Hypercars and LMGT3 racing cars.

References

  1. ↑ "Home". Le Mans Ultimate. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  2. ↑ msoweb (2023-06-05). "Official 24 Hours of Le Mans game announced and named 'Le Mans Ultimate'". Le Mans Ultimate. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  3. ↑ msoweb (2024-02-01). "Le Mans Ultimate announces Early Access release plan ahead of February launch". Le Mans Ultimate. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
  4. ↑ ben.buesnel (2024-02-20). "Official 24 Hours of Le Mans game, Le Mans Ultimate, available today!". Le Mans Ultimate. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
  5. ↑ Harrison-Lord, Thomas (24 June 2024). "Le Mans Ultimate considering "partners" for console versions, code refinements underway". Traxion .
  6. ↑ "Cars". Le Mans Ultimate. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  7. ↑ "Circuits". Le Mans Ultimate. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
  8. 1 2 "Everything You Need To Know About Le Mans UItimate | Feature | CarThrottle". www.carthrottle.com. 2024-02-23. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
  9. ↑ Harrison-Lord, Thomas (2024-02-20). "Le Mans Ultimate Hands-On: A Work-In-Progress Sim". OverTake. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
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