Being a professional MotoGP rider will sadly remain a dream for many of us. Blame it on money, opportunity, or in my case a definite lack of skill, but at 40+, I don’t think a works Honda will be coming my way. Fortunately the new MotoGP 20 game might provide some consolation when it’s released on April 23, 2020.
Motorcycle games have come a long way in recent years. Due in shops not long after the MotoGP season gets under way, there are some interesting changes to this year’s officially licensed title which should make it more strategic and challenging.
You get the choice to either jump in at MotoGP level, or go through a career starting out in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup. And all the Moto3 and Moto2 bikes and riders will be trying to stop your journey to the front. Along with the new KymiRing circuit in Finland.
But the managerial side of motorcycle racing has been expanded in the game, so you can join an official team or create your own. And you’ll have a proper MotoGP entourage helping you out, including a personal manager, chief engineer and data analyst to guide you in picking the right career option, looking at your performance, and improving your bike through developing all the various parts.
You’ll be able to develop aerodynamics, electronics, power, fuel economy and more to try and get a better performance out of the manufacturer you choose. So you could end up taking a MotoGP championship for KTM or Aprilia if you’re good enough.
And the on-track action is similarly in-depth and detailed. The developers have been using an AI system to model the behaviour of the rest of the grid since the 2019 version of the game, and it’s now been enhanced to factor in tyre wear and fuel consumption.
So the virtual Andrea Dovizioso might slow the pack down to save rubber on his Ducati just as he’s done in the real world. Which means you’ll actually have to be strategic in deciding when to push your own bike to the limit.
And the race rubber simulates asymmetric tyre compounds and wear. Along with any aerodynamic damage which will have an effect on bike performance. Apparently all those wings actually make a difference to stability and cornering after all!
There’s a historical mode, which rewards you for winning races by unlocking legendary bikes and riders. Examples from the previous game include Stoner, Doohan and Simoncelli, so expect to find similar in the new MotoGP 20 game.
Or you can while away the hours designed custom liveries for your team, and playing around with stickers, helmets, racing numbers and lower back patches.
So the new MotoGP 20 game looks really good, has loads of new features, and will let you pretend you’re one of the Marquez brothers battling for the 2020 title. It’s out on April 23rd, 2020, and will be released for the PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Google Stadia.
Here’s a video to get you in the mood.
But there’s more. For the fourth year, the MotoGP eSports Championship is returning. So you can not only show your virtual speed in competition, but end up being signed by one of the official GP teams to be their representatives in the virtual world. It kicks off on March 5th 2020, before the new game is released, so will use the previous MotoGP 19 title (which you can pick up from Game or Amazon). You’ll need to also register at the MotoGP eSports site to take part.
All you need to do now is prepare your post-race interviews to either thank your virtual team and sponsors, or make an excuse for not winning!
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