PC VR Headset Launch of ‘Assetto Corsa EVO’ in Early Access: Why You Might Consider Holding Off

Yesterday marked the Early Access launch of Assetto Corsa EVO on Steam, signaling the next chapter for the racing series on both standard screens and PC VR headsets. The reception has been mixed, especially among VR enthusiasts who suggest holding off until future patches potentially resolve some of the game’s current optimization challenges.

Developed by KUNOS Simulazioni, the team responsible for both Assetto Corsa (2014) and Assetto Corsa Competizione (2018), the much-anticipated Assetto Corsa EVO has arrived. This Early Access release includes five tracks, twenty cars, a single-player mode, support for SteamVR headsets, and the option for triple screen support.

Though KUNOS Simulazioni promises a comprehensive range of content in future updates—with plans for a total of 100 cars, 25 tracks, an open world map, along with career and multiplayer modes—VR users appear notably unimpressed with the game’s current state.

Reviews are flooding in, and the game, with over 2,700 reviews already, currently holds a ‘Mixed’ rating. Some criticisms highlight the absence of certain features that are reportedly on the way, yet feedback concerning VR support is pretty straightforward: the game’s optimization leaves much to be desired, rendering it largely unplayable in VR.

“I won’t delve into performance issues since this is early access, but VR is simply not playable right now,” shares Steam user Poloman. “I hit 150 fps on 3440×1440 resolution yet can’t manage more than 30 fps in VR.”

Another user, Mattios, adds, “It’s unplayable in VR with an RTX 4090 and i9 13900k at the lowest settings—just trying to reach 80hz causes constant latency spikes, no setting seems to make it playable. On a flatscreen, it works just fine, hardly ever exceeds 80% GPU and 10% CPU usage without upscaling.”

Dan chimes in, criticizing, “I can’t suggest it in its present form, performance tuning isn’t there, at least for VR. I’m using a Radeon 7600X and 7900 XT achieving just 50 fps on a Quest 3 with Link and OpenXR, and that’s with no opponents in practice mode and graphics settings minimized,” he remarks. “Besides, the default FFB settings weren’t what I expected from Kunos. Essentially, hold off for updates before considering a purchase.”

The team at KUNOS Simulazioni has a history of rolling out Assetto Corsa games through Early Access, so the gradual introduction of features is typical. Although VR has not always been available from the onset, it remains a core component of the series.

The original Assetto Corsa was ahead of the curve with VR, offering experimental support for Rift headsets back in 2013 and later embracing additional headsets in 2017 via OpenVR. Full VR capability for Assetto Corsa Competizione was introduced a month post its release on traditional displays.

KUNOS Simulazioni assures that the full 1.0 release is on track to be ready in “less than one year from the start of Early Access,” and enthusiasts are hopeful for substantial optimizations by then, making VR a worthwhile investment at the $32 price point.