Assetto Corsa EVO vs Competizione – What’s New?

Head-to-head between Assetto Corsa EVO and Assetto Corsa Competizione.

Posted By | On 14th, Jan. 2025

Assetto Corsa EVO vs Competizione – What’s New?

Details on Assetto Corsa EVO have slowly been revealing themselves since its initial announcement trailer back in September 2024. The long-awaited follow-up to 2014’s racing simulation champion was thought of in some parts as an expansion, but the clue is in the name: EVO represents an evolution, and we have enough information now to publish a feature on its biggest gameplay differences versus the series’ 2018 spin-off Assetto Corsa Competizione 

EVO powered by in-house game engine

Assetto Corsa EVO_10

Like it’s 2014 forebearer, Assetto Corsa EVO is being created via a photorealistic in-house game engine unlike 2018 spin-off Competizione for which developer KUNOS-Simulazioni used Unreal Engine 4. Whilst this first point isn’t related to gameplay directly, it does indicate the Italian studio’s commitment to portraying the racing sim’s laser-scanned tracks more realistically than before. Think of it this way: a track with intricate tarmac detail will support the game’s enhanced physics, including your perception of grip. How grip feels through the steering wheel is a two-way conversation with how your eyes view the road, providing – hopefully – a deeper immersiveness.

EVO has most authentic road feel to date

Expanding on the point just made, Assetto Corsa EVO is touted by KUNOS as redefining asphalt simulation by featuring the most authentic road feel to date. They say they’ve developed an intricate mathematical model to meticulously simulate the feel of tarmac through your fingers, grip that’s shaped dynamically via camber, track temperature, weather, and more. Thankfully, KUNOS haven’t shared details of their mathematical equations as it sounds too complex to reinterpret here. Just know that the feel of the road promises bar raising authenticity.

VR implementation

The question of whether Assetto Corsa EVO will support VR has already been answered by KUNOS. Yes, it will; the upcoming sim will support SteamVR, Oculus, and OpenXR virtual reality platforms from day one, and unlike its two predecessors VR implementation is being developed together with engineers from Nvidia and Epic Games to ensure smooth optimisation, hopefully minimising the VR performance issues which affected Assetto Corsa and Competizione.

Rebuilt physics engine

Assetto Corsa EVO_02

Excellent driving physics is what we’ve come to expect from KUNOS’ racing series. Competizione raised the bar for in-car feel and fidelity, and this time around the Italian team are upping the benchmark once again with newfound emphasis on handling, aerodynamics, and braking. We’ll expand in the next entry how the car feels when you slam on the brake pedal, but for mechanical handling and aero performance EVO pledges extreme likeness to real life. An early preview published by Top Gear states this is felt mostly in slower speeds, where moving through gears whilst cornering delivers a sensation of tyres complaining.

The feeling under braking

Again, coming from Top Gear’s preview, they define the feeling of braking at high speed as ‘terrifying’, citing in particular your vehicle’s weight transfer from back to front, the demands of applying precise brake pressure, and the resulting unsteadiness as you aim squarely for an apex. Mastering braking, it seems, will elevate good EVO drivers to great.

Vehicle roster

A huge difference between EVO and Competizione is in their respective roster of cars. Competizione, after all, was a racer focusing solely on GT racing, it being an officially licensed GT World Challenge videogame designed specifically to replicate the atmosphere of SRO motorsport after all. EVO, instead, will feature a vast roster of road and race vehicles. Whilst the complete list of cars available hasn’t been shared by KUNOS, there’re plenty to salivate over in the development footage shared by the studio. The Lamborghini Huracan GT3, Nissan 350Z, BMW M2, and Alfa Romeo Junior have all been taken for a spin by the team, so whilst unconfirmed they’ll likely appear in due course. KUNOS co-founder Marco Massurutto confirms at least twenty cars will be available on launch, and with models from some of the most prestige names in motorsport appearing in preview videos we can expect a mix of Ferrari, Porsche, McLaren, Lancia, and so on to be in that twenty.

More comprehensive career mode

Assetto Corsa EVO_05

We don’t have a lot to go off, just some hype-inducing comments from Massurutto and the game’s director Davide Brivio whereby they claim EVO will be akin to an ‘RPG for petrolheads’. Both have identified the lack of career mode in EVO’s predecessors, so are keen to establish something worth striving for here in their latest entry. In addition to their RPG claim, EVO’s career will be open-ended, giving total freedom in how players want to progress, earn their currency, and fill out their garage. Specifically, Brivio states in an interview with Multiplayer.it that if you want to buy fifty Alpines, you can buy fifty Alpines.

Upgrades to dynamic weather and time simulation

Dynamic weather and a full day-night cycle were features notably absent from the original Assetto Corsa’s vanilla build, and whilst these were introduced in Assetto Corsa Competizione, EVO – thanks to its proprietary hi-spec game engine – will bring newfound tactile-ness to the effect of changing weather on-track, be it a scorching sun-baked day or sodden night. The jump from Unreal Engine 4 allows KUNOS to introduce ever-more dynamism to its weather effects, with some of the most notable innovations felt when the track is wet.

Real-time water displacement

Assetto Corsa EVO_07

And on that note, a boon which EVO has over Competizione is the realism in which water displaces across a track’s surface. Thanks to the laser-scanned tarmac, during heavy rainfall water will pool in the same places it does in real life. If the rain stops, a dry racing line will slowly emerge, again true to life. These racing lines can be deliberately created by taking an alternative line through the puddles for a couple of laps, which, should you correct any resulting aquaplaning, can reveal faster racing lines as the weather improves.

AI improvements

Opponent AI is another area recognised by KUNOS as lagging behind the competition, so for EVO the AI has undergone wholesale changes. Much like the authentic road feel, EVO’s AI has some complex algorithms working behind the scenes, and here’s what they reckon it’ll be capable of: AI opponents will respect the on-track conditions just like the player, their mistakes will be unscripted, and they’ll auto-learn. Expect their lines and braking points to improve lap after lap. Intriguing too is their distinct personalities, tied to their names. Should an AI driver defend over-aggressively in the last race, then perhaps consider giving them a wide berth next time.

Car purchasing

Assetto Corsa EVO

The process of entering a dealership to purchase a car, for obvious reasons, wasn’t available on the GT3 focused Assetto Corsa Competizione, but for EVO the options for car buying are another step towards realism. In the aforementioned interview with Multiplayer.it, game director Davide Brivio confirms that all the car models within the game will feature all the configurations, engines, and fuel types available in any real-life dealership. The example he gives, for instance, is if your favourite car is available with 17-inch wheels and a sunroof, then it’ll be available in Assetto Corsa EVO.

Aftermarket upgrades

In Assetto Corsa Competizione there’re no mechanical upgrades to vehicles as such, although in a 2019 update a fantastic livery editor first appeared. In EVO, via another confirmation from Brivio, there will be opportunity to improve your purchased vehicles with modifications centring on performance-enhancing aerodynamic upgrades.

Open world free roaming

In addition to all the on-track action, Assetto Corsa EVO will feature a 600km open world within the Eifel Mountains region surrounding infamous German circuit the Nürburgring. The entirely of this vast open space won’t be available on launch, instead more and more miles will appear in staged updates. It’s an enticing prospect though, with players said to be able to interact with businesses across the region: car hire firms, tuning and customisation shops, the aforesaid dealerships, these will add vibrancy to the world. There’ll also be refuelling and recharging, the necessity of which hasn’t been shared just yet.

Multiplayer modes

Assetto Corsa Competizione offered three types of multiplayer experience: standard, casual racing and more hi-octane competition, via public and competition servers respectively. The third multiplayer iteration is via private leagues. For Assetto Corsa EVO, online racing will be undertaken via a ‘companion portal’ powered by The SimGrid in partnership with Speed Capital Ltd. Details are slim given its another feature that won’t be available on launch, but expected are driver profiles, detailed stats, plus daily races and events like Gran Turismo 7.

Mod support

Assetto Corsa EVO_08

There’s an air of speculation with this one as it hasn’t been confirmed outright by KUNOS that EVO will continue the widespread mod support of its 2014 forbearer. We know for certain that mods will appear given the studio’s promise to include a mod editor after the game’s early access period ends, but the shape this’ll take is up in the air at present. What they may impose, due to licensing and copyright, is that modders work officially with manufacturers and circuit owners before bringing them to the game. Either way, it sounds more expansive than Assetto Corsa Competizione which featured very limited mod support; in fact, only three mods are presently listed for Competizione on Nexus.


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