Marco Massarutto of Kunos Simulazioni recently had to opportunity to sit down and take part in an interview with ilvideogioco.com (“The Video Game” in Italian). With the site being an Italian site, it goes without saying that the entirety of the interview is in Italian. However, a quick pass through Google Translate has shared some interesting information regarding the future of Assetto Corsa!

The interview talks a bit about the state of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, which will be the first United States based track to be featured as first party content in Assetto Corsa. Marco mentioned there were a few logistical and bureaucratic issues, which sound like they have since resolved. It sounds like they’re still on track for a late 2017 release, but they couldn’t go further into detail.

Another topic discussed in the interview is the rising emergence of E-Sports. The Sim Racing world has been working to adopt the E-Sports mindset, with titles such as iRacing, Project CARS 2, Forza Motorsport 7, and Gran Turismo Sport looking to create online ranking systems for drivers. Marco mentioned that a “First-Part E-Sports System” will likely not be implemented in Assetto Corsa. The translation of the interview is a bit rough, but it sounds like Kunos is considering the possibility in a new “scratch product”. However, with the open ended modding community, it leaves options such as Sim Racing System prime to fill that void.

Other topics mentioned in the interview are if Assetto Corsa is planned for release on the Nintendo Switch (spoiler alert, Nope) and if “Assetto Corsa 2” is being planned (it’s being considered, but nothing concrete). For more information, you can read the (Google-translated) interview down below!

Assetto Corsa continues to be one of those very popular driving games played and especially by fans.

It ‘s definitely one of those games made in Italy that has had the merit of reviving the video game our local industry internationally. Merit of the passion and dedication of Kunos Simulazioni that from the title has always been able to support it better and to stimulate wide audience by offering an alternation of content and updates that have filed and expanded increasingly making the product even grow the contents. For now Assetto Corsa counting circuits 18, 19 with Laguna Seca incoming in over 30 different configurations with 143 cars. By year’s end, the title will count on over 150 cars.

The output of PS4 and Xbox One is also increasing its user base with the game that travels to the million and a half copies distributed on all three platforms. The figure also includes the bundle and is definitely remarkable.

The near future has the flavor red Ferrari saw that soon will be released a new dlc dedicated to 70 years of Ferrari. But beyond the red there’s more. And to know more details about this real phenomenon which is Assetto Corsa, we heard Marco Massarutto, one of the key figures of Kunos Simulazioni.

We talked with him about the present, the future and some little anecdote. Here’s what he told us in our interview.

Your success continues even on consoles, what is your recipe for success, what keeps you think the players glued to Assetto Corsa?

The first build of Racing Assetto development was created in 2011, we have been working on the project full time for six years, we’ve had enough, yet even we of Kunos “play” with trim every day running, still taking care of the more details, when possible. I believe that the public perceive it, and be able to appreciate and enjoy our “creature.”

Besides the dlc dedicated to 70 years of Ferrari, what are you preparing?



The Ferrari DLC itself is not a joke: we chose several legendary cars and are working to play them with incredible care. The work on the Quadrifoglio Giulia are no secret, as well as those relating to the Laguna Seca circuit, now that we have passed some logistical and bureaucratic problems with the structure that brought us a lot longer than it should. On the rest, it is early to unbutton.

Have you had the merit of bringing after years of Porsche in a video game, you have in mind more shots, maybe even for officers or other championships?

More than this? 😀 However, at that time you will know everything. 🙂

More features?



We are in the process of finishing: the latest build was an important evolutionary step in terms of features and behavior of artificial intelligence, which is widely accepted. Now we are working to bring about these features console. E ‘at this stage that complicates everything, because Sony and Microsoft approval procedures are not simple.

Assetto Corsa as proposed on the side eSports?

Since our platform open to modding and not being conceived from the start for eSports, fits perfectly to a discipline which is essential to ensure a strict ranking system and that all vie for the same conditions. This phenomenon growing in us we can possibly spend with a different approach in the coming years. And with a scratch product.

How and how much the game has changed since you released your version Early Access?

Taking as reference the Early Access would not be correct: let’s say that the degree of evolution, content and updates that had Assetto Corsa since the launch of version 1.0 in its 14th build today, in other games normally occurs between a product and the chapter It comes out the following year, and which typically buys back: those who have trusted us in 2013 – and we are infinitely grateful to him – can still enjoy a product that was again significantly updated and only six weeks ago. Without spending a euro more.

And how much will change?

This is hard to say, the series of changes we made at the Engine has almost reached the maximum level of evolution since we designed it.

Andy Tudor (Slightly Mad Studios) launched its Project of Cars 2 stating that their way is the most advanced technologically, Yamauchi has spoken of the cars present in GT Sport saying he will be long-lasting. In agreement with these statements? How does Assetto Corsa?

And ‘normal that every developer points to direct attention to the characteristics that knows best or she believes more, of its product. The challenge for developers, including us, is to be able to help the public appreciate those aspects on which they worked harder. pCARS2 And GT Sport are new games that will come out this year, and will have to demonstrate whether the words spent by their authors are true, the evidence shows. As for us, I think Assetto Corsa has already answered several questions. The challenge for us will be riconfermarci in the future, not immediately.

In all these years, what was the most difficult moment?

If you were to isolate one, the launch of netKar PRO, our first title, in 2006. It was not an easy time, but ricavammo an absolute determination. We served us, because we have not made a certain type of errors. With the difficult times we might write a book, but they allowed us to appreciate even more the escalation we have experienced since 2012, and it has not yet stopped. The 2016 was an exciting year, but stayed for an extended period of time under pressure, due to the launch of the console version, and the parallel development of PCs. I’m glad we came out well, as a team.

And one in which you feel fulfilled?



I can not speak for others, perhaps except for Stefano Casillo, with whom I shared every moment of my working life in the last 14 years. Stefano can only be proud of the work she has done on Assetto Corsa: wrote alone much of the source code, of Engine graphic and physical, artificial intelligence and multiplayer. For myself, I am proud to have managed one from a team of 5 people war machine and an initial budget of 70,000 euros. Today we are always 25, and are one-eighth of the people working in pCARS and a 20th of those working in Turn10. And of course the results obtained in terms of licenses – Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini, the Nordschleife played for the first time in Laserscan, all this in an independent production racing, those will always carry with me.

The criticism and the praise that you have more appreciated?



When we write ” You make me feel proud to be Italian .” It always excites.

Have you thought about a version of Assetto Corsa Switch for Nintendo? If you Talk to us, we are curious, if not, tell us the reasons *



No, and I’ll explain why: to bring Assetto Corsa on 3 platforms went way beyond our means. We are proud to have succeeded, but you also need to be realistic about the workload that you can sustain.Publishing a console game is much more than just porting work. The workload to manage overall, logistics, commercial terms, legal, can be exhausting.

What are the trade-offs in the publishing industry console?

Mostly in graphics, since the physical engine and AI much leverage the processors, we had a lot of work to ensure the best possible compromise between fluidity and graphic impact, looking for the best balance in the use of hardware resources.

dry and inevitable question: are planning Assetto Corsa 2?



Assetto Corsa came out in 2014, we are in 2017. If I said that we are not thinking, I would not be credible. But every other consideration is premature.

Well, what should be the sequel different from the first chapter and what would make it better for the difficulties of the title you have achieved and you are supporting?

I am convinced that with Assetto Corsa, we proposed a truly unique driving experience: in the future, we’ll have to confirm the good things we have done in terms of the driving model, focusing more on the “experience” as a whole, at the level of the championships balance , career, AI, and using a more user friendly approach to the user interface, which for Assetto Corsa was designed in 2012, when we had no idea that the game would come to include more than 150 cars of all kinds.

At what point are the works on the new headquarters?

They ended in March, we are now fully operational.

Thanks always for availability.



It ‘s always a pleasure, thank you for the attention that you continue to dedicate ourselves.

And finally a bit ‘of images. Good vision.