Publisher Bandai Namco has today confirmed that crowdfunded racer Project Cars has been delayed until 2015.
Previously, Slightly Mad Studios’ simulator was expected to release across current-gen consoles and PC on November 21st, while the Wii U version was pushed back to next year. However, as per this recent news, the title will now launch on March 20th, 2015.
In doing so, Bandai Namco hopes to avoid the myriad of racing sims due this holiday season, with The Crew, DriveClub and Forza Horizon 2 already making genre fans a little spoilt for choice. Speaking about the delay, Slightly Mad’s boss Ian Bell stated that postponing Project Cars until next year will help the company deliver on their initial promise.
“Our goal has always been to deliver a landmark title that encompasses the wishes and desires of racing fans from all around the world; something with features and content powered by the community that provide a truly unforgettable and pioneering experience.
“Whilst a tough decision to make, the change in release date allows the game the greatest chance of success and visibility, and the opportunity to polish the game even further to the high standards that both ourselves and our community demand and expect. We’re eager for you all to see what we’ve been working on in just a few months.”
For a studio of Slightly Mad’s stature, sheltering Project Cars from 2014’s chaotic release window may turn out to be the best possible decision for the company to take. Not only is the simulator a new IP, but it’s also worth noting that a significant chunk of funding for the game was raised by the community over on Kickstarter.
As such, there’s certainly potential for Slightly Mad’s crowdfunded racer to carve out an audience of its own — safe from the noise of larger brands such as Forza Horizon 2. Whether this delay has any relation to the current server woes facing Evolution’s DriveClub is another question, but for now, we can look forward to Project Cars on March 20th, 2015.