What do you think is the most significant reason AMS2 userbase is so small?

I'm local league (Colombia) AMS2 racing is currently unknown... Actually we're trying to have our first rfactor2 race.
In order of preference in the league:
F1 in console/pc
AC
Iracing/gt3
ACC/gt3

What does it needed to more people joining?,

• First of all racing series and rules not present in other sims like oval racing (still waiting for it)
• Local venues (impossible in AMS2 with no mod support)
• Local series (tc2000) or more cars like the vw Polo (street cars)
• Scheduled competitions, a way to have a predictable race. It could enfoce safety rating to keep race clean and trolls out.
• More exposure in social media via influencers or tournaments (local and international)
• Console port to reach more people.
• Regarding Tournaments, those can be coordinated with Leagues, or create a channel where a league can contact Reiza to have a champinship tailor to it needs.

 

I think AMS2 is going to gain popularity as VR getting main stream for being cheaper and more immersive than screens. After trying out VR racing, I can never go back to flat screen, they basically feel like two completely different games. AMS2 out of the box provides the best VR sim racing experience by far! I cannot get high frame rate and graphics in kartkraft or F1 2022 no matter how I change various in/out game settings; I can get ok-ish frame rate and graphics with a lot of tweaking in AC; but AMS2 is way better on frame rate and graphics, moreover I haven't even touched the VR graphics settings here. My PC has RTX2060s and i5 9400F.

 

IMO the season pass hinders the growth. I purchased it and I think it's incredible value for money, but all the "go to" sim racing tracks are paid DLC.

What i would like to see is at the end of the year Reiza do a GOTY edition and include the base game and season pass together for the price of the base game. throw in some exclusive liveries and or cars for people who purchased the season pass previously.

 

Why would Reiza want to undercut those users who have supported them through the season pass and give away for free their work? I can see a logic in selling the old season pass discounted in bundle with the game, but for free it seems more like telling everyone not to buy the next season pass.

 

I didn't like this when PCARS did that, I wouldn't like it now, especially because you could argue that the game is still in a constant beta status, so there's really been no time except for maybe the last weeks where owning these tracks was really worthwhile in the grand scheme of things.

Also, these DLCs are worth the asking price (except maybe currently the Spa one, but we'll get there). Whoever is convinced by the merits of the main game - and there's enough to convince people, especially now - will be ready to support Reiza a little.

I think there's going to be quite a nice increase in userbase as of 1.4, but let's wait and see.

 

I'm not saying to undercut those who supported them from the early days of AMS2. but you can't deny that having to spend well over $100 to have all the content that AMS2 has to offer is a very big asking price.

If you want to compare, look at PC2. it has the same well-known tracks that AMS2 has and offers a lot more in content but costs half as much. and even though PC2 is vastly inferior in almost every measurable way. If i was looking for a new title to race on and saw that AMS2 and PC2 use the same engine, but PC2 has more value right now. i know what i would go for.

I say all this as someone who absolutely loves what AMS2 offers. it's my go to sim and I'm excited for what's to come. I just want more people to see what a fantastic title it is

 

AMS2 base is small because ACC is so popular. I do see the user base growing, my entire group are now talking AMS2 more and more.
The latest updates are game changers for AMS2. Myself and guys in my acc league are playing way more AMS2 lately and are about to setup a league on it.
Here is a video with some of my thoughts as an ACC guy.

 

If they are able to implement something that other sim communities are wanting, then i think that would certainly help bring people over.

I know they stated in a previous dev diary they were looking at implementing full course yellow. if they were able to do that i think a lot of people would take notice.

Also, the lack of endurance options. ACC showed that there's a big following for sim racers who want to do 4-6-12 hour races with driver swaps. at the moment AMS2 doesn't offer that.

 

But exactly that is the problem with all this policy of DLC content. In short terms, it CAN boost the money earned, but at long terms, just put barriers to new player adhesion, because most people don't know the game, are not that much into the genre or simply can't spend much money. That is exactly what kept me away (the not having that much money to spent) from games like Raceroom, rF2 and, principally, iRacing.

If a company add all future content for free, it will only create value and, probably, bring new players to the userbase.

In the end, none of those options is right or wrong and each case must be analyzed by itself. IMHO, Reiza did it spot on because AMS2 is the simulator with the best relation between quantity, quality and final price in the simulation market and pushing their price policy to one side or another will have unpredictable results. The major AMS2 problem still it's genre and always be. Even the best selling competitors aren't exactly the best examples of market success

 

We've consistently seen huge temporary jumps with all of the major releases starting with 1.1 so I would expect the peak to hit 1100-ish when 1.4 drops. However, with 1.3 we were able to basically double the permanent player base and I don't see why we can't see a similar increase this time, now that the physics and tire updates are just about finished.

As for the DLC, the fact that you can use the content if someone else hosts it is awesome. We just need more people hosting it lol...so hopefully 1.4 can help there too.

It was mentioned last year but I really think weekly time trial events would be a good way to keep people around and introduce content. I would've thought it would be easier to implement than the huge MP features the community is requesting but since it's been so long I am sure it isn't so easy.

 

That sounds pretty real to me...porpoising, etc. F1 seems to get these "updates" pretty often lol.

 

Not really. For the amount of content it is peanuts compared to the unit price for a track or a car in iracing, RF2 or even ACC.
Some of the content is not available in PC2 and for some of the tracks from PC2 there are additional variants of historic or national layouts.
If people want to remain on PC2 because it can be bought for $15 it's ok, but that can't be used to devalue AMS2 and its DLCs. Makes no sense IMHO.

 

Not really. People can race in MP even on tracks they do not own. If they like them then they will likely buy them.
I think popularity for a sim comes from elsewhere: advertising, having affiliated streamers and all that. It's not just about giving content for free, which anyway is not financially sustainable for a developer. If they want free content they can go to AC and use mods.

 

You didn't disagree with my premise or conclusion... the logic of game developers having to deal with the aggregated value vs the "undesired extra paying" (because I doubt that anyone would prefer for an extra track or car if given the option to get it for free, unless the folk go charitable) and any extra pay (subscription, P2W or whatever) when planning their marketing strategy is what it is. That is the reason why that I pay for AMS2 and it's contents but don't for the competitors (other than AC and ACC).

 

PC2's permanent player base is pretty remarkable given the title hasn't been updated in years. It matches RF2 and Raceroom lol, which are still being developed. It's been going down steadily but AMS2 should be able to carry the torch.

Bring on 1.4!

 

A lot of that player base is quite dedicates to the Hyper, Super, Sports ad Road/Rally Car content. Nothing we need to talk about in AMS2. California Highway, Azure Coast, Bannochbrae, those roads go strong there.

 

Which is why I look forward to the Street Supercar and the Adrenaline Pack DLCs!

 

Using pC2 as comparison doesn't really work though because its development budget came from Bandai, the publisher, and the cash revenue was split between SMS and Bandai. And while pC1 was crowdfunded, that also cannot be compared because it was a multi-platform game from the start, with a potential wider reach and a marketing genius who talked (convincing) sh1t out of his ass and got maaany people investing into the game both as devs (WMD) and investors (I know some people who got a nice gain on their spending).

This means both pC1 and pC2 had the money for the initial licenses from the get go and probably some more for the initial DLC content, with DLC revenue ensuring licensing of the remaining content. Their big budget and bigger market potential (PC+Consoles) allowed them to sell the DLC cheaper than Reiza who effectively is doing things at quite the smaller scale.
It takes longer for them to acquire the funds to purchase licenses. SMS' ROI% was perhaps smaller, but the ROI itself was bigger.