EA cancels Project CARS series

EA has announced it is stopping development and investment in the Project CARS series after a lukewarm reaction to its most recent game.

While racing games like Forza and Gran Turismo see long activity and plenty of sales, Project Cars could not find similar success. Picture: EA

The Project CARS series will no longer be developed or invested in, Electronic Arts has revealed in a statement to GamesIndustry.biz.

The series, which was acquired by EA alongside publisher Codemasters in 2021, is reported by GamesIndustry.biz to have been “unlikely to become a successful game” within EA’s racing game portfolio, which includes series like GRID, Need for Speed, Burnout, Dirt Rally, and F1.

EA’s statement to the outlet said that “decisions like these are very hard”, adding that the decision to drop the series allows the company to refocus their staff on experiences that fans will love, with a focus on licensed IP and open world games. The company spokesperson added that there was a need to evolve EA’s games beyond what it calls “pure play” by adding social experiences.

“We are focusing on our strengths in our racing portfolio, particularly licensed IP and open-world experiences, and expanding our franchises to be more socially-led with long-term live services that will engage global communities. Games are at the heart of sports and racing entertainment, and with shifting fan expectations, we recognise the need to evolve our games beyond pure play, providing experiences for fans to also watch, create and connect with their friends.”

Project Cars’ cancellation will affect approximately 150 employees. Picture: EA

EA has said that employees at Slightly Mad Studios – the developer behind the series – who were working on the next Project CARS game would be placed into other positions within EA’s sports and racing portfolio, as well as other parts of the company. Slightly Mad Studios had approximately 150 staff when it was acquired by Codemasters in 2019.

The Project CARS series, initially published by Bandai Namco before Codemasters was acquired by EA in 2021, is a motorsports racing simulator with a big focus on realism, allowing players to tweak hundreds of settings to finetune their vehicles. The first game in the series was released in 2015 and it, along with its follow-up Project CARS 2, was well-received by racing sim fans.

A third game in the series, Project CARS 3, released in 2020 to heavy criticism, with players and press alike criticising the game for its radical departure from the first two games. The game moved away from the series’ previous realism and offered a far more arcade-style experience, which led to poor sales and negative social media buzz.

Electronic Arts recently confirmed its commitment to single-player games in an investor call, despite previous comments and financial reporting showing that its live-service multiplayer games are significantly more profitable for the company. It was also announced that Electronic Arts is to develop three new Marvel games, starting with a single-player Iron Man game that’s currently in early development.

Written by Oliver Brandt on behalf of GLHF.