Everyone’s Talking About DriveClub Again, PS4’s Underappreciated Racer

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These days, it’s unusual to feel genuinely happy when opening X, the platform previously known as Twitter.

But the past few days have been lovely: our feed is full of people talking about DriveClub again.

The conversation began after someone shared a video clip of the game, highlighting its well-known rain visuals. The post said, “It’s amazing this game still looks good after 12 years.”

Okay, so this is video games, and the discussion isn’t all positive.

People are reacting to the video, with some suggesting game developers aren’t working as hard as they used to, pointing to how impressive the game Evolution looked on the PlayStation 4 (even with its limitations of 1080p resolution and 30 frames per second). Others believe the racing game was visually appealing but lacked depth in gameplay.

But by and large, fans are just remembering a really good game.

DriveClub had a rocky start. It was initially planned to be a game available when the PlayStation 4 first launched – I actually got a preview at an event before the console was even released – but it ended up being delayed for over a year and felt a bit rushed when it finally came out.

While other racing games were embracing vast, open worlds, this game stood out with its traditional track-based racing and straightforward single-player mode, which felt old-fashioned at the time. Ironically, many players would likely appreciate that focused approach today.

Evolution continued working on the game, incorporating features like realistic rain, a huge selection of cars, and even motorcycles. It ultimately became a beloved title that players still remember fondly.

A version for the PSVR was also released, though it came out after the game’s developers in Runcorn sadly closed down. While it didn’t look as good as the original game, it was still enjoyable.

The last twenty years haven’t been easy for racing game developers. While games like Gran Turismo, Forza Horizon, and Mario Kart have become incredibly popular and successful, it’s been hard for other racing games to stand out and find an audience.

We recently gave Milestone’s racing game, Screamer, a positive review, but sales haven’t been strong. SEGA has also expressed concerns about how Sonic Racing CrossWorlds is running, and the game deserves a smoother experience.

It’s likely DriveClub was always destined to fail, which is disappointing. Still, we’ll fondly remember it as a great racing game that didn’t get the recognition it deserved.

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2026-04-03 23:07