Is The Arcade Racer A Dead Genre Now? General Gaming

[Fraser]

I picked up Xenon Racer in a PSN sale the other day. Plays identically to Ridge Racer which for me is a great thing.

It got me thinking is the Arcade Racer genre dead or close to death?

I don't want an open-world racer with a corny storyline.

I want a path with a championship I can follow and complete unlocking stuff along the way. Simple.

Arcade racers like Sega Rally or Outrun where I need to get to checkpoints to continue seem to be dead along with Ridge Racer and the like.

Is there just no market for it. It took a small studio to create the budget title in Xenon Racer for example.

 

[Son Of Jack]

I'm a huge fan of the arcade racer genre, but they seem to be getting rare alright.

There's Dangerous Driving, released last year by some of the original burnout devs. It's fun but very rough around the edges. And I will be getting the hot pursuit remaster, that was great fun but can't really think of anything else. (Burnout Paradise doesn't count, it's a terrible mix of arcade racing and open world, and easily the worst in the series imo)

I think new IP arcade racers had struggled from the last generation. I remember Blur and Split Second came out around the same time and I enjoyed both immensely (I still play them from time to time), but as far as I recall neither were financially successful and the Split Ssecond studio ended up being closed. It's possible that unique, big-budget arcade racers just aren't considered financially viable anymore.

I would love a Split Second sequel, a remaster of Burnout 2 and a new wave race but I can't see any of those things happening, unfortunately.

 

[Random Guy]

Forza Horizon is carrying the torch and it's an incredible series of games.

There are a few indie games that are coming that carry the Sega Blue skies aesthetic but remains to be seen if they are going to be good.

If you want a great Outrun 2 clone then get Oh Deer. It's only available now on the humble bundle store but it's awesome if unfinished.

 

[Gemma]

It got me thinking is the Arcade Racer genre dead or close to death?

Retro racing game fans rejoice: the fantastic-looking Hotshot Racing finally has a release date. The long-awaited title, which has more than a nod to the likes of Virtua Racing and OutRun, will hit Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PC and PlayStation 4 on September 10.

While the budget title is yours for just $19.99 (£15.99 / €19.99), Xbox Game Pass subscribers won't need to shell out any extra cash to give it a go: Hotshot Racing will be available through the service from launch day.

Hotshot Racing | Release Date Trailer | Curve Digital

• Gemma
• 28 Aug 2020

Drift. Boost. Boom! Hotshot Racing will launch on 10th September! Hotshot Racing is a...

Don't let the budget price point fool you into thinking you're getting a limited experience; the finished product promises 60fps gameplay on all four platforms across 16 racetracks, alongside single-player championships, eight-player online racing, and four-player local split-screen–tapping into increasingly vocal gamers who demand couch multiplayer.

Alongside your classic Grand Prix and Time Trial modes, Hotshot Racing also offers a Need for Speed-lite Cops and Robbers mode, as well as Drive or Explode: a more cartoonish take on Speed, where you have to stay above an ever-increasing speed to avoid being blown up by a bomb attached to your vehicle.

No idea if it will be any good but it is an arcade racer

 

[David76]

I remember Blur and Split Second came out around the same time and I enjoyed both immensely

Split/Second has the worst rubber banding AI in the history of racing games, but myself and my friends were addicted to playing it split screen for multiple years. Will always have a lot of affection for its dumb Michael Bay thrills, and how it takes the endless appeal of racing game shortcuts to a new extreme.

 

[Son Of Jack]

Split/Second has the worst rubber banding AI in the history of racing games, but myself and my friends were addicted to playing it split screen for multiple years. Will always have a lot of affection for its dumb Michael Bay thrills, and how it takes the endless appeal of racing game shortcuts to a new extreme.

Yep, nothing like dropping an air traffic control tower on your mate as he's heading into the home stretch

AI rubber banding was horrible alright, but there was enough variation in the tracks and modes (loved the one where you had to avoid missiles) that I can still enjoy it from time to time.

 

[Micro Dave]

Would you classify GRID as an arcade racer?

 

[David76]

Retro racing game fans rejoice: the fantastic-looking Hotshot Racing finally has a release date. The long-awaited title, which has more than a nod to the likes of Virtua Racing and OutRun, will hit Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PC and PlayStation 4 on September 10.

Hotshot Racing (previously called Racing Apex) is visually inspired by games like Virtua Racing with its lovely low poly graphics. It could be a hit!!!

 

[Micro Dave]

I'm also reading that the new Project Cars game is much more of a pick up and play game like Forza than a simulation like the previous two Project Car games. MIght not be classed as an arcade racer but it is definitely aimed at both casual and hardcore racing fans this time around.