Official 24 Hours of Le Mans Game, Le Mans Ultimate, available today

February 20, 2024
  • Official game of FIA World Endurance Championship and 24 Hours of Le Mans
  • Registrations of interest break target numbers ahead of highly anticipated global launch of new game
  • Internally developed title leverages RaceControl, Motorsport Games’ Online Service platform to deliver complete product-to-play ecosystem

MIAMI, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Le Mans Ultimate, the official game of the FIA World Endurance Championship, and 24 Hours of Le Mans (ACO), goes on sale in Early Access today. The game is the first officially licenced and dedicated 24 Hours of Le Mans video game for over twenty years, created by Motorsport Games Inc. (NASDAQ:MSGM) (“Motorsport Games”) development team, Studio 397. The adrenaline buzz of being able to drive all the cars and circuits from the celebrated Le Mans Centenary year in 2023 is now available to motorsport fans and gamers the world over.

Developed with extensive manufacturer support, including detailed collaboration with Ferrari on the Le Mans Centenary winning 499, to make the included cars as realistic as possible. With improved realism, handling and graphics – all Hypercars, LMP2 and GTE-Am models from iconic manufacturers such as Porsche, Ferrari and Aston Martin feature in the PC-based game, built upon Studio 397’s own physics technology, further advanced for this release. Players will experience the thrill of driving at circuits featured in the 2023 FIA WEC: Sebring (USA), Portimão (Portugal), Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium), Monza (Italy), Fuji (Japan), Bahrain and the legendary Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans (France). All recreated with the utmost accuracy, utilizing laser-scan data to capture every detail.

“This is a significant milestone for a business we have worked to transform and give focus to over the last several months,” enthused Stephen Hood, CEO of Motorsport Games. “Studio 397 are recognised as one of the very best technology teams in the business. From powering bespoke racing simulators used within F1® Arcade, for Formula 1 using our Factor 2 platform to the launch of Le Mans Ultimate, the first officially licensed Le Mans game in over twenty-years, Studio 397 can now proudly call themselves a complete game development studio. The simplification of our business to focus on game, technology and platform provides complete ownership of an ecosystem rarely found at a company of our size. This will help realise our vision for how community will transform the experience of enjoying racing and driving games and dovetails nicely with plans for our Le Mans Virtual Series, the record-breaking esports property which last attained over 10 million views.”

“Finally, I’m pleased to say our partnership with the ACO has today been reaffirmed and at a wonderful time with the 24 Hours of Le Mans and World Endurance Championship enjoying incredible attention. Our immediate focus is now on continued development and expansion of Le Mans Ultimate to provide gamers with a world-class entertainment experience.”

The 24 Hours of Le Mans and World Endurance Championship is currently undergoing a renaissance with renewed interest thanks to the new Hypercar machinery. Last year over 113 million viewers across 196 countries watched the event across all platforms, as recorded by YouGov Sport, an increase of 2.5 times more than the previous year. It is expected the interest will grow as even more prestigious competitors such as BMW and Lamborghini join the grid in 2024, which provides a rich and appealing content roadmap for future game updates.

Motorsport and sim racing fans alike can start their endurance racing experience in two ways on day one – offering the perfect blend of offline and online racing excitement. Regular online events, powered by the latest version of our RaceControl service, which enables a multiplayer service that scales to potentially thousands of concurrent users, having exceeded well over 33,000 registrations already so far in rFactor 2, and many more expected in Le Mans Ultimate. The service provides the opportunity for multiplayer participation in ranked Daily, Weekly and Special Events that pair drivers with those similarly ranked for the best experience. Races run regularly throughout the day, providing an accessible, fun environment for players of all abilities.

Single Player mode Race Weekend will offer the chance for players to test drive the sophisticated machinery and learn the circuits ahead of customizable race events. Striving for ultimate realism, users will be able to adjust the time of day for day/night transitions, session duration and weather conditions before racing against competitive AI drivers.

Supporting the game early allows players immediate access to the game and the ability to provide feedback throughout its journey, helping contribute to future development priorities. Game development will be a collaborative process, with Le Mans Ultimate providing regular updates on the build of the game, fixes, features, content development and quality of life updates.

These updates will form part of the initial day one price offering and will see incremental price increases for new purchasers throughout the latter stages of the Early Access period.

For further information on Le Mans Ultimate visit www.lemansultimate.com or the game’s social media channels @LeMansUltimate. You can now purchase Le Mans Ultimate through the Steam store page. Strap yourself in, and fire up Le Mans Ultimate - https://bit.ly/LeMansUltimateOnSteam

About Motorsport Games:

Motorsport Games, a Driven Lifestyle Group company, is a racing game developer, publisher and esports ecosystem provider of official motorsport racing series throughout the world. Combining innovative and engaging video games with exciting esports competitions and content for racing fans and gamers, Motorsport Games strives to make racing games that are authentically close to reality. The Company is the officially licensed video game developer and publisher for iconic motorsport racing series including the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Motorsport Games also owns the industry leading rFactor 2 and KartKraft simulation platforms. rFactor 2 also serves as the official sim racing platform of Formula E, while also powering F1 Arcade through a partnership with Kindred Concepts. Motorsport Games is also an award-winning esports partner of choice for the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Formula E. Motorsport Games is building a virtual racing ecosystem where each product drives excitement, every esports event is an adventure, and every race inspires.

Forward-Looking Statements:

Certain statements in this press release which are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are provided pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed forward-looking statements. Words such as “continue,” “will,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “expect,” “expected,” “plans,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning the expected Le Mans Ultimate and/or Studio 397’s attributes, performance, benefits and features, the benefits and positive attributes of competing or playing Le Mans Ultimate game. All forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, many of which are generally outside the control of Motorsport Games and are difficult to predict. Examples of such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation: difficulties, delays in or unanticipated events that may impact the timing and expected benefits of the new Le Mans Ultimate game and/or related products and features, such as due to unexpected release delays, whether the reveal of Le Mans Ultimate will be well received and/or successful, whether the final product will meet the expectations of the fans, users and spectators, whether being able to drive the cars and circuits from the celebrated Le Mans Centenary year in 2023 will be available to motorsport fans and gamers around the world and if such experience will meet the fans’ and games’ expectations, whether motorsport fans and gamers will perceive the cars realistic, whether the cars realism was further advanced for this release, whether the players will experience the thrill of driving at circuits featured in the 2023 FIA WEC, whether Studio 397 will be perceived as one of the very best technology teams in the business, whether Studio 397, with the launch of Le Mans Ultimate, would operate as or perceived to be a complete game development studio, whether the simplification of Motorsport Games’ business to focus on game, technology and platform is providing complete ownership of an ecosystem and whether such attribute is rarely found at a company of the size of Motorsport Games, whether this release and game will help realise Motorsport Games’ vision for how community will transform the experience of enjoying racing and driving games or whether it will dovetail with Le Mans Virtual Series, whether Le Mans Virtual Series would be Motorsport Games’ record-breaking esports property, whether Motorsport Games’ and Studio 397’s focus on continued development and expansion of Le Mans Ultimate will provide gamers with a world-class entertainment experience, whether The 24 Hours of Le Mans and World Endurance Championship interest will grow as even more prestigious competitors such as BMW and Lamborghini join the grid in 2024, whether these competitors will provides a rich and appealing content roadmap for future game updates, whether Motorsport Games’ RaceControl service would successfully enable multiplayer service that scales to potentially thousands of concurrent users, whether the races will provide an accessible, fun environment for players of all abilities, whether supporting the game early will allows players the ability to provide feedback or help contribute to future development priorities, whether the game development will be a collaborative process, and whether Le Mans Ultimate will provide regular updates on the build of the game, fixes, features, content development and quality of life updates. Factors other than those referred to above could also cause Motorsport Games’ results to differ materially from expected results. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements can be found in Motorsport Games’ filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC during 2023, as well as in its subsequent filings with the SEC. Motorsport Games anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause its plans, intentions and expectations to change. Motorsport Games assumes no obligation, and it specifically disclaims any intention or obligation, to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by law. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and should not be relied upon as representing Motorsport Games’ plans and expectations as of any subsequent date. Additionally, the business and financial materials and any other statement or disclosure on, or made available through, Motorsport Games’ website or other websites referenced or linked to this press release shall not be incorporated by reference into this press release.

Website and Social Media Disclosure:

Investors and others should note that we announce material financial information to our investors using our investor relations website (ir.motorsportgames.com), SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls and webcasts. We use these channels, as well as social media and blogs, to communicate with our investors and the public about our company and our products. It is possible that the information we post on our websites, social media and blogs could be deemed to be material information. Therefore, we encourage investors, the media and others interested in our company to review the information we post on the websites, social media channels and blogs, including the following (which list we will update from time to time on our investor relations website):

WebsitesSocial Media
motorsportgames.comTwitter: @msportgames & @lemansultimate
lemansultimate.comInstagram: msportgames & lemansultimate
 Facebook: Motorsport Games & lemansultimate
 LinkedIn: Motorsport Games


The contents of these websites and social media channels are not part of, nor will they be incorporated by reference into, this press release.

Contacts:

Investors:
investors@motorsportgames.com

Media:
pr@motorsportgames.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/30b19143-a040-48c6-8a56-f10cc83b98ab