We love F1 2020 and gave the official Formula 1 game a very positive review on RealSport when it was released in July.
F1 2021 is a long way off, it’ll likely be released in Summer 2021. So, the question on some fans' lips is will F1 2020 come to next-gen?
The PS5 and Xbox Series X are now both on the market but will F1 2020 make the leap to next-gen before next year’s game comes out though? We’ve got everything you need to know right here!
Possible next-gen release
We pondered whether F1 2020 will be released on PS5 and Xbox One shortly after the game’s release. Four months have passed since then though and now the PS5 and Series X are out.
If F1 2021 is released in July like this year's game, there's still eight months to go. That’s a long time for games like Gran Turismo 7 and Forza Motorsport to embed themselves on the new systems.
The advantages of the next-gen systems go far beyond better textures and graphics. It also extends to improved sound, better resolution, higher frame rate, and far shorter loading screens.
F1 2020 fans can already experience some of that by installing the game on the new consoles. But it's far from the total package.
It’s not just software either, the hardware which will be available on PS5 in particular is really impressive.
Haptic Feedback
A lot has been made of the PS5’s revolutionary DualSense controller and one of the buzz terms that’s being regularly mentioned is Haptic Feedback. Haptic Feedback takes controller vibrations to the next level for PS5.
On PS4, the controller only changes the intensity of the vibrations going through your hands. For PS5, that changes, as Haptic Feedback vibrates in different ways to simulate different feelings.
For example, in F1 2020, this would mean that the controller vibrates in different ways for if you run over kerbs, grass or gravel. Making contact with other cars or barriers will also use an alternate vibration.
This will aid the immersion for players in racing games, it’s a real game changer!
Adaptive Triggers
Another new technology the PS5 DualSense has in its arsenal is the adaptive triggers. A common complaint when racing on the pad is that braking and accelerating feels too on/off rather than pressing a car’s peddle.
Adaptive triggers make the L2 and R2 buttons more sensitive to being pressed. This will help eliminate some of the advantages that wheels users currently have over pad gamers and make esports more accessible to casual players.
Can it be done?
It’s not uncommon for games from the previous generation to be adapted to the next, just look at GTA V. Doing so for F1 2020 will be tricky though, as so many of Codemasters’ resources will already be working on F1 2021.
Plus, Codemasters’ employees had to work from home in the closing stages of F1 2020’s development. It’s safe to assume that this will have taken many work hours away from 2021 already and they’re likely playing catchup.
Furthermore, Codies have been working on other projects such as the recently-released DIRT 5. This title is available on next-gen too, so it's not as if Codemasters are missing out on the PS5 and Series X.
The Official F1 Game in some ways has no competition, there is no other Formula 1 game out there on the home consoles. Therefore, it’s possible to take their time and perfect F1 2021 ahead of its release next year.
Plus, Codemaster’s last effort to rush onto the new generation of consoles ended very badly with F1 2015.
We’ve got faith in Codies to deliver, the Formula 1 game has been going from strength-to-strength since 2016 and doesn’t show any sign of slowing down.
We can’t wait to see what the British developer will deliver next year with more powerful systems at their disposal in the PS5 and Series X!