It’s not exactly the equivalent of LeBron James’ “The Decision” announcement back in 2010, but it is significant for video game players all over the world. Porsche, a long-time exclusive partner of Electronic Arts and the Need for Speed franchise, is now a free agent. That means that the German automaker is free to appear in any video game that isn’t Need for Speed, where it has resided since NFS: Porsche Unleashed all the way back in 2000.
For those who play the Gran Turismo and/or Forza car racing video game franchises, the absence of Porsche has been significant, although Forza has managed to take advantage of some loopholes, either through expansion packs or RUF-badged models.
But according to German website SpeedManiacs, Porsche is no longer exclusively tied to EA, as confirmed by no less than Porsche Branded Entertainment Manager Sebastian Horning. The end of the partnership between the two companies now gives other car racing video game franchises the opportunity to include Porsche’s long and storied list of performance and race cars to their games.
And just as quickly as the contract between Porsche and EA expired, other platforms are already hard at work in bringing in the brand to their games. Forza Horizon 3, for example, already has a number of Porsche models ready to be driven. There are also rumors that for the first time in its franchise history, Gran Turismo will be able to offer a roster of Porsche vehicles sometime in 2017.
Other games like Slightly Mad Studios’ sequel to Project Cars will also see the introduction of Porsche. Same thing with racing simulators like Assetto Corsa, which are actually now available to visitors at Porsche Experience Centers all over the world.
Anybody who has ever played a racing game that isn’t Need for Speed in the past 16 years will understand the frustration of not being able to drive cars like the Porsche 911 Turbo or Porsche Cayenne. But now that the German automaker is free to appear in any game, all that waiting is going to finally have its long overdue payoff.
Continue after the jump to read the full story.
from Top Speed http://ift.tt/2gLWmcL
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