No Nascar Game This Year

by pastapadre
Posted February 26th, 2009 at 5:58 am

nascar090225

An interview on Sporting News brought into question the plans for EA Sports’ Nascar branded titles. Since then First Cuts and ESPN have been able to confirm that there will be no Nascar 10 released. The only Nascar branded game this year will have been Nascar Kart Racing for the Wii.

NASCAR Kart Racing on the Wii is the only NASCAR-licensed videogame that will ship this year from EA SPORTS. Due to the family-friendly atmosphere of NASCAR, we felt that a title developed exclusively for the Wii platform (NASCAR Kart Racing), was the best scenario for the NASCAR racing video game franchise and fans of racing alike.

I don’t know if this can be considered a surprise but for the yearly release cycle that everyone has become accustomed to. Nascar had not been a big seller and there really doesn’t seem to be much potential to grow the game’s fanbase at least in a traditional way. No word if this is just the series taking a year off or if they are done with producing Nascar simulations. There is also discussion from the Nascar side on whether they want to open up the licensing to other developers instead of sticking with the exclusive that had been owned by EA.

It does make a lot of sense now looking back on why Tiger Woods 10 was pushed up to June. Nascar’s slot had been falling in June and now Tiger can take its place ahead of the NCAA Football and Madden. It also increases the liklihood that Fight Night Round 4 will arrive in June.

Tags:

GTA_Racer_24

YAY!

Sidewinder

This is sad for NASCAR, but to be fair, the game hasn't improved at all in the last 3 or 4 years. Sound familiar? I wouldn't be surprised if 2K halts production of their baseball games. I know they have a license for a couple more years, but I can't see how their turning that much of a profit.

SSCONCEPTZ

Actually all of EA Sports NASCAR games have sucked that is why they do not sell, noone will buy them, the only ones who buy them religiously are the NASCAR fans, when they dont buy, sales decline. 2K Sports or someone else will pick it up, make a great game and IT WILL SELL! EA put themselves in this situation.

nba fan

ok....some personal issues huh

ACREYMAN

I predicted this in here a couple months ago...EA is finished with that game. After all the problems they had with the 360 and then no patch to address the problems was writing on the wall to me.

? * ?

Thank Jesus

Nascar is the most white trash event ever and should be discontinued forever

They just waste gas to go around in a circle 500 times in a row

Makes White people look like trashy drunks to

Go kill and innocent Deer You inbreed monkeys

823

Are you stuck in the 70's or something. I'm guessing you have never seen NASCAR, you just listen to what all of your braindead moron friends say and agree with what they say. Who's the monkey then?

harvick

pasta whenever you find something out about possible downloadable content (rosters/ratings) could you let us know? i sure hope they do but i got a feeling they arent gonna do it.

adtj

check out the person who posted the link.........iracing.com I've read that game's engine that they run for racing is from the old Papyrus Nascar engine. i've yet to subscribe but from what i read, its pretty awesome!!!

Andrew

This is good and it sucks at the same time. I'm a NASCAR fan, and it sucks that they won't make it; but hopefully as some others have mentioned Papyrus will come back and make new games.

It really does suck though, not being able to have a new game for NASCAR. :(

mvpv

what a shame, there is still alot of people who play this game online that are die-hard nascar fans. what a let down

try this

www.iracing.com

JimBone

Interesting thought, because that's what ultimately destroyed Madden...

Mr. Saito

Can anyone tell me if there was a patch for this game (NASCAR 09 PS3) and what it addressed? I've tried searching around and there is precious little chatter regarding this game. I suppose that's why it's being MD'd...

cdj

Yep - found that in an article about the game right after my post. So what happens to that studio now? It sounds like its a small studio, but that's still a group of people who are in limbo.

pastapadre

I'll ask around, but my sense is that they aren't going to put more resources into 09.

pastapadre

I think thats who made the Kart Racing game.

Skihawks

I have enjoyed several installments of the NASCAR series but I would rather have a NASCAR game that is more arcade-like than the simulation.

SSCONCEPTZ

Sorry but it is arcade like, not simulation, NASCAR 09 tried to be a simulation but EA wasnt even close, you should do more racing before making assumptions.

Tarheelia

Man I hope this article means the end of EA & NASCAR. Please can it be so?

cdj

So what happened to the planned NASCAR-only EA studio in Morrisville, NC? It seemed that not so long ago, EA planned to go full speed ahead with NASCAR by creating this new studio.

For the time being, this is very bad news for NASCAR sim fans. However, in the long run this may be good news if EA and other companies start making NASCAR titles. (Though, if sales are low for it, I question if any other companies would want to develop a NASCAR title.) It seemed like NASCAR 09 was considered a solid step-up in the NASCAR franchise. I'm not a big NASCAR fan, but thought it was fun.

cdj

So what happened to the planned NASCAR-only EA studio in Morrisville, NC? It seemed that not so long ago, EA planned to go full speed ahead with NASCAR by creating this new studio.

For the time being, this is very bad news for NASCAR sim fans. However, in the long run this may be good news if several companies start making NASCAR titles. (Though, if sales are low for it, I question if any other companies would want to develop a NASCAR title.) It seemed like NASCAR 09 was considered a solid step-up in the NASCAR franchise. I'm not a big NASCAR fan, but thought it was fun.

steven

pasta do you think they could possibly have downloadable content as far as updated drivers/paint shemes/overall ratings?

nbafan

thank you!! i tired of accidently picking up the game when looking for something else at gamestop!

badboy49er

Honestly NAscar should really go the way of no exclusive license and allow other devs to make a NASCAR game. I really miss the days of Papyrus making the best NAscar sims on the market. I am heavy into sim racing, especially on my PC so non exclusive i would definitely favor

Trev

but are there enough sales for other companies to care? maybe they can find their niches but if one Nascar game cant sell enough how will several? kinda like college basketball no one else even thinks its worth trying.

pat oak

people actually like college basketball. the problem is now only ea sports make the game and its a shame what they have done to it!!

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