Following the first deep dive into F1 25, the second batch of information on the upcoming Formula One game covers year-on-year improvements and presentation updates.
F1 25 is on its way, and EA Sports and Codemasters are slowly unveiling more information about the upcoming Formula One game. The first deep dive on April 10 covered the changes that will be in place regarding MyTeam and Career Mode where quite a few things are set to be a bit different once the game releases on May 30, 2025.
That was not the entire extent of it, however. Next to the return of the Braking Point story mode, there will be numerous year-on-year improvements, adjustments and changes, which are covered in the second deep dive. This includes tech advancements and different ways to play the game.
However, it is only a fraction of the calendar that got to enjoy the treatment - five, to be exact. Bahrain, Miami, Melbourne, Suzuka and Imola will be improved this way, which also means that they receive update track surface shaders and improvements to the foliage surrounding the track, such as correct placement and species of trees.
"I'm sure a lot of our fans are gonna think it's as simple as picking the car up and spinning it around, but there is a huge amount of work that goes into the tracks beyond the visuals", Cooper stated. This includes the placements of DRS zones, the starting grids and marshals, as well as adjusting the AI lines - so there is a bit more than meets the eye.
The three tracks that players can race in reverse are actually the three that could already be seen in the reveal trailer, namely Silverstone, the Red Bull Ring, and Zandvoort. We could imagine more tracks to be added after the game's release - although initial reactions to their inclusion have been mixed at best.
Meanwhile, players will also be able to set the font and color of their driver numbers.
PC players can also look forward to improved visuals, as Path Tracing will make its debut in F1 25 - console racers are out of luck regarding the technology, though.
"Path tracing is essentially an improved ray tracing solution that allows you through global illumination not just directly from a light source, but also indirectly from the light bouncing off other surfaces. It gives you a much more realistic view and is a big step up in terms of visual fidelity", explained Cooper, who also stressed that the feature will require one of the more beefier models of GPU on the market.
On the audio side of things, the pool of real-world voice lines has been doubled. Drivers and engineers can also go back and forth now. For one of the more logical changes, engine sounds are now tied to the engine a car uses, not the model - so all MyTeam cars sounding alike will be a thing of the past.
As EA Sports and Codemasters put it, "each Invitational you acquire is a one-time key to a multiplayer race with gameplay mods/properties specific to that Invitational" - so it sounds like every Invitational will present players with a different scenario.
Furthermore, the Driver of the Day system will be expanded to highlight the race winner, the driver who set the fastest lap, driver of the day, most overtakes and the cleanest driver.
What do you make of the latest F1 25 deep dive? Let us know in the comments below and join the discussion in our F1 game series forum!
F1 25 is on its way, and EA Sports and Codemasters are slowly unveiling more information about the upcoming Formula One game. The first deep dive on April 10 covered the changes that will be in place regarding MyTeam and Career Mode where quite a few things are set to be a bit different once the game releases on May 30, 2025.
That was not the entire extent of it, however. Next to the return of the Braking Point story mode, there will be numerous year-on-year improvements, adjustments and changes, which are covered in the second deep dive. This includes tech advancements and different ways to play the game.
Five Tracks Get The LIDAR Treatment
One of the more notable features mentioned when F1 25 was officially announced is the arrival of LIDAR-scanned tracks. A staple in many modern sims, this adds more detail and accuracy to the track models as well as their surfaces, something many have criticized in the past.However, it is only a fraction of the calendar that got to enjoy the treatment - five, to be exact. Bahrain, Miami, Melbourne, Suzuka and Imola will be improved this way, which also means that they receive update track surface shaders and improvements to the foliage surrounding the track, such as correct placement and species of trees.
Three Reverse Circuits
There will be no new additional tracks in F1 25, but a new way to race a few of them will debut: Reverse tracks were subtly hinted at in the reveal trailer and later confirmed, but as with the LIDAR tracks, only fraction of the locations in the game are set to feature this - and for good reason, as Creative Director Gavin Cooper explained."I'm sure a lot of our fans are gonna think it's as simple as picking the car up and spinning it around, but there is a huge amount of work that goes into the tracks beyond the visuals", Cooper stated. This includes the placements of DRS zones, the starting grids and marshals, as well as adjusting the AI lines - so there is a bit more than meets the eye.
The three tracks that players can race in reverse are actually the three that could already be seen in the reveal trailer, namely Silverstone, the Red Bull Ring, and Zandvoort. We could imagine more tracks to be added after the game's release - although initial reactions to their inclusion have been mixed at best.
Deeper Customization
Refined customization options are also part of F1 25. The decal editor for creating liveries, for instance, will do away with the predetermined sponsor logo slots, instead focusing on areas of the car in which players can place logos freely. Similar to livery editors in other titles, logos can be moved, rotated and scaled. They will also have more color options for more believable looks.Meanwhile, players will also be able to set the font and color of their driver numbers.
New Presentation & Path Tracing
F1 25 will introduce new cinematics and have Naomi Schiff join Natalie Pinkham and Anthony Davidson as a presenter in MyTeam and Career Mode. Crowd sizes during podium celebrations will now also depend on the track, with some seeing bigger crowds than others.PC players can also look forward to improved visuals, as Path Tracing will make its debut in F1 25 - console racers are out of luck regarding the technology, though.
"Path tracing is essentially an improved ray tracing solution that allows you through global illumination not just directly from a light source, but also indirectly from the light bouncing off other surfaces. It gives you a much more realistic view and is a big step up in terms of visual fidelity", explained Cooper, who also stressed that the feature will require one of the more beefier models of GPU on the market.
On the audio side of things, the pool of real-world voice lines has been doubled. Drivers and engineers can also go back and forth now. For one of the more logical changes, engine sounds are now tied to the engine a car uses, not the model - so all MyTeam cars sounding alike will be a thing of the past.
F1 World Introduces Invitationals
Multiplayer-focused F1 racers can look forward to a new online mode: Invitationals enable you to compete against the AI in groups and score points, with different prize tiers requiring more points. The more friends you grab for an Invitational, the easier it is to score more points for better rewards.As EA Sports and Codemasters put it, "each Invitational you acquire is a one-time key to a multiplayer race with gameplay mods/properties specific to that Invitational" - so it sounds like every Invitational will present players with a different scenario.
Furthermore, the Driver of the Day system will be expanded to highlight the race winner, the driver who set the fastest lap, driver of the day, most overtakes and the cleanest driver.
What do you make of the latest F1 25 deep dive? Let us know in the comments below and join the discussion in our F1 game series forum!
