Wreckfest 2 just dropped its fifth major content update, and it's packed with everything destruction fans have been waiting for. Released on December 15th, this update marks a significant turning point for the early access title by finally introducing new game modes alongside fresh vehicles and tracks.
If you've been holding back on jumping in, now might be the perfect time to start smashing cars.
Two Wild New Vehicles Join the Carnage
The star of this update is definitely the pair of new cars that just rolled into the garage. First up is the Grandstar, an American minivan that was never meant for the racetrack, but that's exactly what makes it perfect for Wreckfest. There's something deeply hilarious about taking a family hauler and turning it into a battering ram on the track, and the developers clearly get that vibe.
Joining it is the Phaser, a front-wheel-drive Asian coupe that's described as barely held together with duct tape. This thing is stripped down and built for tight racing and aggressive driving, giving players a totally different experience compared to the minivan's tank-like approach.
Both vehicles fit perfectly into Wreckfest's philosophy of taking cars that shouldn't be racing and seeing what happens when you push them to their limits.
A Muddy New Track Gets Dirty
Beyond the cars, developers Bugbear introduced Moorfield, a brand-new muddy farmfield track that comes with two distinct layouts. There's a traditional Racer route for players who actually want to think about lines and technique, and a Crasher route that's pure muddy mayhem with three intersections begging for vehicular chaos.
The mud effect itself is a gameplay feature now, too. Cars accumulate mud as they drive, adding another layer of visual feedback and environmental interaction that wasn't there before.
Two Brand New Game Modes Finally Arrive
This is where things get really interesting. Until now, Wreckfest 2 felt a bit bare-bones on the mode front. Content Update #5 fixes that by introducing Challenge mode and Multiplayer Cup Mode, giving players actual progression goals to chase.
Challenge mode is exactly what it sounds like: bite-sized racing and derby events designed to test specific skills. Currently, there are 10 challenges available, with Bugbear promising more on the way.
These events range from beating target lap times to being the last person standing in a derby or winning traditional races. It's a smart way to give solo players structured objectives beyond just jumping into free-form races.
Multiplayer Cup Mode is configurable on servers, adding another layer of competitive play for players who live for online chaos. Combined with the existing multiplayer framework, this gives communities new ways to organize events and tournaments.
Physics and Collision Feel Way Better Now
The update didn't just add content; it fundamentally improved how destruction feels. Car-to-car collisions have been completely refined to feel heavier and more brutal. The attacker advantage logic has been improved so the game better interprets who's actually causing the damage, encouraging aggressive crashing in normal damage mode rather than punishing it.
Hitpoints across the car roster have been rebalanced, and environmental damage is now consistent no matter which vehicle you're driving. Wheels don't detach as easily from minor impacts, and tires won't puncture from small bumps anymore. Basically, the game feels more forgiving to aggressive drivers while still maintaining that signature Wreckfest destruction.
Manual clutch has gotten easier to work with, and off-road surfaces are now properly bumpy with tires sinking into soft surfaces. These might sound like small tweaks, but they completely change the handling feel and make the game feel more grounded.
The CRAP-IT Tool Gets Expanded
If you've been customizing your cars with the CRAP-IT livery system, there's plenty of new stuff to play with. Bugbear added new decals, including fresh fonts, the ability to mirror decals to other sides of the car, and grouping functionality so you can move multiple decals together.
Sticker decals can now be layered on top of or below material coats, giving you way more creative freedom. Developers even recreated all the player and AI paint designs using the CRAP-IT system, and you can now use the default car design as a base for your custom creations. Bugbear is committed to making the customization tools actually useful.
Audio, Performance, and Force Feedback Polish
The audio team really leveled up with this update. All the collision sounds got work, handbrake pulls now play a mechanical clunk instead of a ratcheting sound, and the exhaust audio has been rebalanced across different camera angles. For sim racing enthusiasts, force feedback has been completely revised with stronger ramp-up, improved details, and a smoother signal.
Performance improvements are across the board, game stability got better, background terrain flickering is fixed, and rendering glitches on Intel Arc B580 are resolved. Super Resolution now defaults to "AUTO," and Bugbear updated XeSS to version 2.1.1 for better upscaling quality.
Looking Forward
With two solid game modes now in the game and a solid foundation of destruction mechanics, Wreckfest 2 is finally starting to feel like a complete experience.
The early access period is clearly winding down, and players are expecting a full launch sometime soon. For anyone who loves destruction-focused racing with physics you can actually feel, Content Update #5 is absolutely worth the jump.
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