iRacing acquires former NASCAR Heat studio

iRacing is synonymous with the very best and most realistic sim racing, and it looks like that notoriety is only going to improve after the subscription PC service acquired Monster Games, Inc yesterday.

The move brings even more racing expertise and knowledge into the iRacing family, and could well signal a serious push into one subsection of racing. NASCAR.

iRacing acquires Monster Games, Inc

Announced on 4 January, the moves brings the Minnesota-based game studio into the iRacing family, and with it a lot of history.

Monster Games, Inc was home to the NASCAR Heat franchise and Tony Stewart's Sprint Car Racing game.

The acquisition brings a huge amount of NASCAR racing knowledge into iRacing, and could well signal that the simulation platform is looking to step into the void that is NASCAR gaming.

Along with that, MGI will continue work on a currently unannounced project set for release in 2022. While follow up titles from the studio will get to benefit from iRacing's technology and content.

We are really pleased to be able to share this news, it’s been in the works for some time now,” said iRacing president Tony Gardner. “Rich and his team are a proven studio with unique skills that will really add to our already fantastic team here at iRacing.“

“We’ll be able to add a lot to MGI’s products as well in the long run, to include assets, graphics, technologies and physics. We see a tremendous amount of synergies that we can take advantage of between the studios,” Gardner continued. “That being said, our core strategy, values and culture will remain intact – to build the most realistic and best racing games possible.”

The new home of NASCAR?

Following the disastrous release of NASCAR 21: Ignition fans have been left without a viable official game to get their NASCAR fix.

However, for a long time now iRacing has been the best way to go oval racing. With its exquisite physics and handling it produces a super experience, especially as the rest of the grid is made up of other racers rather than bland AI.

Of course, that still leaves those looking for a single-player experience in the cold.

Could this new partnership between iRacing and the previous home of the NASCAR gaming license create a game that combines iRacing's driving experience with a proper AI & career mode for single-player? We certainly hope so!