Asobo, known today as the Microsoft Flight Simulator developer, created groundbreaking technology for large scale maps that was intended to be used in a high quality rally raid title. It was never released and ended up as FUEL, a post-apocalyptic open-world racing game. What happened?
Originally working in military simulator design, this Michigan-based studio developed Zone Raiders for Virgin Interactive before moving to Electronic Arts for publishing their second PC title, Sports Car GT, when Westwood Studios (their SCGT development partner) was acquired by the software giant.
Known primarily for their mod-friendly SCGT and rFactor racing platforms, ISI also developed Formula One and NASCAR titles on PC for Electronic Arts, but perhaps their lasting contribution to the genre was the licensing of the isiMotor engine that allowed studios such as 2Pez, Blimey! Games, KW Studios, Motorsport Games, Reiza Studios, SIMBIN Studios, Slightly Mad Studios, The Sim Factory, Tiburon and rFactor 2‘s ongoing developer Studio 397 to begin with or release on an evolution of their software.
Another fork of the isiMotor engine, rFpro, continues to be developed and is used by a wide array of automotive companies for both road and motorsport simulation.
Join Jon Denton, Tim Wheatley, Simon Croft and guest(s) as they discuss sim racing and racing games past, present and future.
Edit: Second image added below the first.
The image below was posted by the NASCARHeat twitter handle yesterday and shows what looks to be New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The text at the bottom right matches that on previous NASCAR 21 screenshots so it does seem like this is another NASCAR 21 screenshot…
Commenters did point out that the turn 4 grandstands shown in the screenshot no longer exist, so we’ll have to see what comes from that.
The image below was added by the MSportgames Twitter yesterday:
Announced with the acquisition of rFactor 2 and Studio 397, this title is expected to use the rFactor 2 physics as a base on all platforms.