Assetto Corsa Rally has been unveiled

All of us who have regularly played the Italian developer Kunos Simulazioni's 12-year-old racing simulator know that the game has eternal life thanks to the partially open source code and the ability to change the game yourself, to add and upgrade things like the graphics, sound, weather, cars, and even tracks.

This has led to Assetto Corsa being expanded with rally cars and rally tracks via various passionate hobby modders, something that has naturally led to Kunos being asked thousands and thousands of times: When is Assetto Corsa Rally coming?

Now, apparently, is the answer to that question, or soon at least. On November 13, Kunos, publisher 505 Games, and developer Supernova will roll out Assetto Corsa Rally via "Early Access" and then reach version 1.0 next year. The game was shown to the motoring press and gaming press with a sim-racing focus yesterday and it's noticeable that the emphasis here is on realism, realism, and more realism.

Supernova talked about how Kunos' physics engine combined with Unreal Engine 5 allowed them to create what they believe is the most realistic rally experience ever, and from the images and videos, it certainly looks like they're telling the truth.

The Early Access game, which will be released on November 13th, will feature four rally stages totalling 33 kilometres, and they're all based on real rally roads in Wales, all of which have been laser-scanned to achieve the level of realism that Kunos promises here. There'll be both gravel and asphalt, ten cars (Group B, WRC, and Rally2), support for three screens, dynamic weather, and terrain that destructs and reshapes as you drive. The finished game (due next year) will offer 120 kilometres of laser-scanned rally roads spread across ten rally stages in five countries. We can also expect 30 cars.

"A rally version of Assetto Corsa, when?! It has been one of the most frequent questions I've received over these years and I can finally provide an answer," explains Kunos' Marco Massarutto. "A proper rally simulation requires a dedicated approach that can leverage the unique aspects of this motorsports discipline. Racing primarily against the chronometer, rather than against dozens of real-time processed AI opponents, frees up noticeable CPU resources, and this allows developers to push the boundaries of physics, as well as mechanical behaviour and tire models, across different surfaces that Assetto Corsa Rally will feature and simulate. The result is a dedicated and genuine rally simulation, powered by the Assetto Corsa physics engine, that can fully exploit its potential without compromise. Combining this advanced engine with some of the best real rally stages reproduced using laser-scan technology, the most iconic rally cars, adding up on the passion and competence of the Supernova dev-team, will allow to deliver an ultimate experience that fans have been anticipating for decades."

Check out a bunch of images of the game below.