DRIVECLUB delayed to 2014

Aaannndd… the rumors were correct. DRIVECLUB, Evolution Studios’ PS4 launch racer, has been delayed into early 2014 to give the studio some extra time to work on the game. Considering how slow the news has been regarding DRIVECLUB and the fact that we never heard about it going gold, we can’t say this announcement came as a huge surprise. But yes, it does kinda suck if it’s a game you were purchasing the console at launch for.

This delay also means one of the first PS Plus Instant Game Collection releases for the console won’t be available at launch. Contrast will step in to take its place at launch as a free download.

Read on for the official announcemnt from Sony’s Shuhei Yoshida.

SCE Worldwide Studios and the team at Evolution Studios have made the difficult decision to delay the release of DRIVECLUB and DRIVECLUB PlayStation Plus Edition until early 2014. DRIVECLUB will be a truly innovative, socially connected racing game, but the team requires more time in order to deliver on their vision ? and I?m fully confident the game will surpass your expectations.

This decision also affects PlayStation Plus members? Instant Game Collection for launch. To be clear, DRIVECLUB PlayStation Plus Edition will still be part of the Instant Game Collection when it is released. For the PS4 launch, in addition to Resogun, I?m pleased to announce that Contrast, the highly anticipated game from Compulsion Games will also be available to PlayStation Plus members for free as part of Instant Game Collection. If you?re not aware of Contrast, it will whisk you away to a surreal vaudevillian, film-noir inspired reality full of performance, intrigue, shadow-play and drama. Please check out the trailer below. I?m sure you?ll agree that it is unlike anything you will have played before.

We?re also offering members access to an exclusive ?Open Weekend? trial of Killzone Shadow Fall multiplayer on December 28-29.

We understand that the delay is disappointing news, but can assure you that the reason we have made this decision is to ensure that when DRIVECLUB launches, it will realize the next-gen racing vision. And PlayStation 4 gamers will have no shortage of titles to play this year. At launch alone, we have Killzone Shadow Fall, Knack, Assassin?s Creed IV Black Flag, FIFA 14, Call of Duty: Ghosts, and Battlefield 4 to name but a few, as well as the incredible list of indie games coming to PS4. A broad portfolio of games will be available on PS4 before the end of the year, and with games such as inFAMOUS Second Son, The Order 1886, Destiny, Watch Dogs and now DRIVECLUB coming next year, the strength of the software line-up on PS4 is unprecedented.

DRIVECLUB is a really ambitious racing title and the game is looking stunning. The extra time we?re giving the team means the visuals and overall experience are only going to get better. We can assure you that it will be worth the wait.