REVIEW – After many years of early access, Rennsport has finally been released in its complete form. However, it should be noted that there are many higher-quality titles in the genre for players who want to race, while console choice is thinner than on PC. Regardless, it is worth exploring whether this game is really a failure or if it has any redeeming qualities.

The game uses Unreal Engine 5 and may be worth trying for hardcore audiences, though that’s not certain.

From Road Atlanta to Spa

There are legendary tracks (Monza, Spa-Francorchamps) and baffling choices (Jeddah Corniche, perhaps a forced pick due to Saudi ties), plus four fictional tracks. The car roster ranges from TCR touring cars to GT3 machines and two hypercars (Porsche 963, BMW M). It’s an unusual mix of cars and circuits, yet refreshing versus the usual lineups elsewhere. As for handling, it feels more authentic. Overheat the tires and grip drops. Think Project Cars or Assetto Corsa Competizione. But the whole thing feels like a small illusion. Alone on track you may not notice everything properly; add other cars and the feel changes. You sense this even in single-player, which probably deserves quotation marks. You can set up custom races (cars, tracks, race length) and championships. That’s where the AI’s clumsiness shows. On street circuits rivals love head-butting walls.

Consequently, single-player is forgettable, leaving online multiplayer. Plenty of official daily events, a rating and penalty system, and a multi-platform approach – it’s clear the devs focused here from day one. If only it were great. Rolling starts can hand you penalties immediately, and if that happens, don’t be shocked to see your pit crew floating in midair. Still, racing can be atmospheric and fun, and in that respect the game can keep up. Elsewhere, not so much. Graphically, R is surprisingly weak on a base PlayStation 5. Track and car models are acceptable but look ghostly in motion. Pop-in is common, and the rearview mirror resolution is laughably low. If you somehow miss all that, the too-tall grass at trackside will catch your eye. Why is it that high everywhere? Was there no budget for lawn care? You don’t see this in peers, which makes R’s weakness here truly puzzling.

Monetization in the Silliest Places

In a game like this, you’d expect robust livery editing to craft cars that stand out. Not possible. Instead, you can pay in-game currency for a handful of DLC liveries. Few options, and their quality is dismal for a product of this genre and caliber. It reinforces how unfinished the game feels right now. Don’t expect a Hello Games arc here: over nine years they turned No Man’s Sky into a heavyweight, with free updates, no less. We don’t see Rennsport doing that, and the publisher, Nacon, may be part of the issue.

Perhaps the devs lacked the time or money to ship what they wanted. DualSense rumbles firmly on gearshifts and under heavy tire load, and the game likely massages handling so pad users can keep up with wheel players. It’s moot, because the game is content-light. Audio is fairly solid, so it’s not a lost cause, but it’s hardly what a soon-to-release title should tout — though knowing who is behind the competitor mentioned below gives some hope.

Rennsport 0.5

Rennsport gets a 6/10, and that’s generous. The simulation layer is in place, but almost everything else needs work. The first patch arrived the day this was written, but this review reflects the launch build. Either way, it has a long road before it can stick around. For now, expect a Driveclub trajectory. Remember that? As for the game teased above: Project Motor Racing from Straight4 Studio. Ian Bell is at the helm. Project Cars, GTR. That pedigree inspires confidence — maybe we’ll talk about it in two weeks. Or not.

-V-

Developer: Competition Company
Publisher: Nacon
Release Date: November 13, 2025
Genre: Simulation, racing