‘F1 23’ Game Brings Back Story Mode and Improves Car Dynamics
This year’s installment drops June 16, so get your sim rigs—or your controllers—ready.
Formula 1 fans won’t have to wait long to see how the Las Vegas strip will become a racetrack. (Which, I still can’t even, but it’s better than a parking lot.) Electronic Arts announced Wednesday that the latest installment of its F1 game franchise, F1 23, will be released June 16 with Vegas and Losail (Qatar) built into the game, along with other improvements above the 2022 installment.
Notably, among the changes from last year’s game is the return of “Braking Point,” a single-player storyline that follows fictional characters Aiden Jackson and Devon Butler through a single season. Braking Point took a year off last year—developers have said the story modes will appear every other year—and this year it appears there’s competition in the Konnersport Racing Team from a female F2 driver. If you’re a regular to the series, the story mode might not be the most exciting addition. If you’re new to F1 23, then it’s a good way to acclimate to team dynamics and a season story arc that’s easy to follow.
Beyond Braking Point, F1 23 promises upgrades to the racing engine that underpins the series, which was overhauled last year. EA (and Codemasters) touted last year’s AI system to help rookie racers more, and this year developers say handling has been improved along with physics that dictate how the cars brake, accelerate, and corner. For people who play on controllers instead of dedicated wheels, EA says “Precision Drive” technology should help pad players better control the cars.
Additionally, EA said it now offers a 35% race distance length—between the short and long race distances—and the races will now feature red flags for severe crashes. Presumably, with the addition of red flags, there’ll now be mid-race standing starts too, which would offer another level of strategy for dedicated racers.
Along with Las Vegas and Losail, F1 23 will offer Paul Ricard, Shanghai, and Portimao tracks, along with a new driver progression system to unlock upgrades, offline sportsmanship monitoring, and an improved matchmaking system for online play. The game will be released June 16 for everyone—or June 13 for F1 23 Champions Edition pre-orders—on PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series S and X, and PC.
