Last July, Motorsport Games Inc. released the NASCAR Heat 5: Next Gen Car Update. The upgrade gave gamers an exciting opportunity to drive the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series lineup, which included the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, Ford Mustang GT, and Toyota Camry TRD Next Gen vehicles. These rides were a lot of fun to drive, with authentic paint treatments and full team lineups. This update, which is available for download on Steam, the Xbox Store, and the PlayStation Store, has gamers strapped in for some high-octane action.
However, the celebration may be over—some player talk suggests that this could be the end of the road for racing these next-generation automobiles in the game.
Is the checkered flag flying for NASCAR iRacing games?
In October, iRacing acquired an exclusive license for NASCAR’s simulation-style console games from Motorsport Games Inc. The deal moved the licenses from 704Games, a division of Motorsport Games, to iRacing, who also intended to release a brand-new NASCAR console game by 2025. The move aimed to strengthen iRacing’s existing strong NASCAR link, which has been in place for more than a decade.
But before the gamers could even see what 2025 had in store, it looked like the existing games might have hit a major block. Players have been lighting up Twitter with updates that the “NASCAR Heat 5 servers are officially down for both Xbox and PlayStation.“ To add to the chaos, there are also whispers like “Hearing reports that NASCAR 21 servers are down, NASCAR Heat+ Servers are down, NASCAR Rivals Servers are down.“ It seems gamers are parked at the pit stop for now!
iRacing kicked off its partnership with NASCAR back in 2010 by launching a licensed sim-racing game, and over the years, it’s become a crucial player as NASCAR’s “official simulation partner.” Every day, thousands join in on the action, from late models to Cup cars, across various NASCAR official series on iRacing. Highlights include the $100,000-to-win eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series and the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series, which was a hit during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Back in 2018, Motorsport Games stepped into the scene, acquiring the NASCAR simulation-style console gaming license when it took over 704Games. Their lineup has included fan favorites like NASCAR Heat 5 and NASCAR Rivals. Besides console gaming, NASCAR has been all-in on creating top-notch virtual experiences for fans. Last year alone, they launched the NASCAR Speed Hub on Roblox, rolled out the arcade-style NASCAR Arcade Rush, added team decals to Rocket League, kicked off a mobile game development with Hutch, and wrapped up another action-packed season of the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series.
However, with the recent hiccup of all servers crashing at once, fans are biting their nails, fearing that this might spell the end of iRacing’s run.
Fans are starting to sweat over the fate of iRacing
Even though Motorsport Games’ NASCAR titles weren’t exactly a hit because of their graphics and gameplay, iRacing enthusiasts still had a blast with the games. However, last October threw everyone for a loop when Motorsport Games hinted they were running low on funds and might even transfer the license.
Now, with game servers crashing left and right, the fanbase is buzzing with worry. Comments have been flooding in like, “I think it’s over…” and others expressing frustration, “Gonna be so disappointed if it’s down for good, just started to get my friends into nascar playing it” or “Both platforms and both switch games are done,” and even “I restarted mine, and it went thru, now it just shows no races and no racers online“
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