EA has decided to end the Project Cars series.
In a statement made to GamesIndustry.biz, the publisher confirmed that the series would be coming to an end, with Slightly Mad Studios staff being moved to other EA Sports and racing games where possible.
Slightly Mad was acquired by Codemasters in November 2019 for $30 million, and as part of the deal Codemasters retained the rights to the Project Cars IP.
Codemasters was then acquired by EA in 2021, giving EA the rights to all of Codemasters’ existing IP, including Project Cars.
“Following an evaluation of the next Project Cars title and its longer-term growth potential, we have made the decision to stop further development and investment for the franchise,” EA’s statement reads.
“Decisions like these are very hard, but allow us to prioritise our focus in areas where we believe we have the strongest opportunity to create experiences that fans will love.
“We are focusing on our strengths in our racing portfolio, particularly licensed IP and open-world experiences, and expanding our franchises to be more socially-led with long-term live services that will engage global communities.
“Games are at the heart of sports and racing entertainment, and with shifting fan expectations, we recognise the need to evolve our games beyond pure play, providing experiences for fans to also watch, create and connect with their friends.
“We are working with everyone impacted by this decision to place them into suitable roles across our EA Sports and racing portfolio, as well as other parts of EA, wherever we can. Our priority now is on providing as much support as possible to our people through this transition.”
The original Project Cars was released in 2015 and was critically acclaimed for its attempts to create a realistic driving experience.
Project Cars 2 followed in 2017 and received similar praise, with 140 track layouts in 60 locations and 189 cars to choose from.
However, the third (and now final) game, Project Cars 3, was met with a far more tepid response when it was released in 2020, with critics accusing it of ditching its simulation roots in favour of a more challenge-based arcade style.
The digital versions of Project Cars 1 and 2 were delisted in October and September respectively this year, due to expired car and track licences.