We were big fans of developer Bugbear Entertainment’s demolition derby racer Wreckfest when it launched back in 2018, so there was some excitement when a sequel was announced last year. And now, the studio has now confirmed similarly enthusiastic sorts can slam pedal to the metal from 20th March, when Wreckfest 2 launches into Steam early access.
Wreckfest 2 promises what Bugbear is calling the “next evolution of full-contact racing”, and there’s talk of an overhauled physics engine, a more intricate component damage simulation, and “even higher crash fidelity” – all working together to conjure “absolute vehicular mayhem”.
Course-wise, Bugbear is promising a blend of high-speed circuits, “crazy courses with obstacles and jumps”, plus intersections and oncoming traffic. Initially these’ll be available in Racing, Derby, and multiplayer modes – supporting up to 34 players – with more to follow. Sometime into Wreckfrest 2’s early access release, for instance, Bugbear is introducing a revamped career mode designed to adapt to individuals’ playstyles, plus a skill-based matchmaking system and server queues for online players.
Vehicle customisation also has a major role, and players can spruce up their cars with new armour and component types suited to different driving approaches. New components will arrive as early access continues, with other future additions set to include tournaments, high-score challenges putting players in “unconventional vehicles”, and mod support.
Bugbear says the goal of early access is to ensure Wreckfest 2 is “shaped by [player] feedback” from day one. And while there’s no indication of how long early access will last as yet, the original Wreckfest notably remained in early access for four years. The results, however, were worth it, with Martin Robison calling it a game of “primal pleasures” and “little by way of pretension” in his Recommended review.
So if you’re eager to get behind the wheel as Wreckfest 2 heads toward the early access finish line, you can do so when it comes to Steam on 20th March.