Assetto Corsa: Evo 0.4 - A Grand Reopening
Assetto Corsa: Evo 0.4 arrived with all the subtlety of a Touristenfahrten red flag.
One moment, Evo was a slightly under-furnished early access sim politely clearing its throat; the next, it kicked down the door carrying the Nürburgring, a stack of new cars, and the promise of competitive online racing, yelling “ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?”
Naturally, we clapped. However, to use the ‘Grand Reopening’ analogy: the carpets are lovely, the atrium is breath-taking, but one elevator still has a slightly disconcerting, but not dangerous, squeal.
The “Oh… That’s Quite a Lot” Update
Let’s address the content drop first, because 0.4 does not mess around. I’ll save specifics - I’m sure you’ve seen by now, but in general we got:
Ten new cars.
The Nürburgring Nordschleife — the entire, terrifying, ego-destroying thing — complete with multiple layouts.
Three other circuits (Oulton, Monza and Road Atlanta).
A staggering 126 other updates.
This is not a token update. This is a statement. Kunos didn’t just add content; they committed loudly, the way someone does when they’ve been quietly side-eyed by the community for a few months. It wasn’t me. I promise.
And, honestly? The tracks are spectacular. Nordschleife, in particular, is detailed to a borderline unhealthy degree. It feels like someone at Kunos went out with a clipboard and found a meticulous German who said (insert your own accent here) “no, no - that bump is wrong.” The result is a circuit that feels alive, hostile, and fully prepared to remind you that talent and confidence are two very different things.
Other circuits are strong too, though some changes, like Monza’s softened edges and friendlier kerbs, have sparked debate. Purists grumble. Casual drivers rejoice. History weeps quietly in the corner while the modern F1/GT friendly track takes precedence. Road Atlanta stuns in all of its due glory.
Being from the UK, it’s all too easy to be in love with the tracks scattered across the UK, and the virtual representation of Oulton Park is the same. A gorgeous, fun, track represented in perfect detail in both the full and Fosters layout. Bliss. Now, where is Goodwood?
The ten new cars in 0.4 arrive like an enthusiastic shopping spree where someone had the credit card, a vague plan, and no one supervising. The selection spans eras, drivetrains, and intent — from purpose-built weapons to things that look like they wandered onto the grid by accident. It’s eclectic in the most ‘Assetto Corsa’ way possible. There’s no clear theme beyond “wouldn’t this be cool?” - and to be fair, it is.
What helps is that each car feels meticulously crafted. Interior detail, materials, animations - this is Kunos at their best, and it shows. Even if the list feels slightly random, none of the cars feel cheap or rushed. They all carry that familiar AC DNA where mechanical components do something believable, rather than simply existing for decoration. You can sense differential behaviour, weight distribution, and suspension geometry working underneath you - each car adding its own delight and fun.
It gives us a little glimpse into what's coming - and I can only wait with bated breath to see the various classics (dear god is an E46 a classic?!) and modern vehicles fill out our virtual grids in patches to come.
Multiplayer: The Promise of Order (Eventually)
Ranked online racing arriving in 0.4 was meant to be the moment Evo put on a clean shirt and said, “Look, I can be responsible.”
Conceptually, it’s great. Daily races, structure, matchmaking — the bones of something genuinely compelling.
In practice? It’s… early. Integration into the game itself is needed: no more clunky browser popups. The few bugs on the servers (to be expected with the onslaught of over 6 thousand people playing currently) need to be ironed out. But it’s here, and it works, and is enough to show potential, though not quite enough to fully relax into.
Still, this matters. A lot. This is the update where Evo stops being a promising sandbox and starts flirting with being a place to stay. Personally, I’ve found the racing clean, full and generally fun. A vision of Evo’s future, and it looks to be bright.
Performance: When Your GPU Starts Breathing Loudly
Ah. Yes. Performance.
Before 0.4, Evo was starting to behave itself. Smooth drives. Acceptable frame pacing. Hope.
Then 0.4 arrived.
Stuttering. Frame drops. Inexplicable slowdowns on systems that really should know better. Machines with RTX 3080s staring at the floor wondering what they’ve done wrong in life, while 1080s are simultaneously running along fine, delivering a more than playable experience. General oddities.
Some players are fine. Others describe the experience as “cinematic” ... if the cinema projector were being kicked intermittently. Upscaling helps - until it doesn’t. DLSS appears to introduce its own abstract art exhibition in the form of ghosting, which has seemed to increase over the previous versions.
Nothing kills confidence faster than a sim that runs beautifully one session and like a slideshow the next. It’s not broken - but it’s fragile.
Physics & Feel: Brilliance, Argument, Confusion
Ask ten sim racers what they think of Evo’s physics and you will receive twelve opinions, three forum posts, and one unsolicited force-feedback preset. That’s the nature of sim racing.
Some drivers adore the FFB — claiming it’s communicative, nuanced, and full of promise. Others feel like they’re steering the idea of a car rather than the car itself. I’m in the midway house.
The FFB does communicate a lot, it produces a good front end feel under certain conditions (like pronounced understeer) and allows a very communicative rear, which is very welcome. It allows you to enjoy a car, catch a slide and feel when those fronts start to slip. It’s very nearly on-par with the greats, though it does have a few quirks: no weight while stationary, and a rather dead feel to the centre of the wheel.
It’s workable, and for those chasing Touristenfahrten laps with a podcast, this is perfect. For those closer to the edge, looking for the competitive grip no one has found - there is a little tweaking to do.
Grip at the limit remains a talking point: recovery sometimes feels generous, sometimes punitive, and occasionally like the laws of physics briefly stepped out for a cigarette. It’s reliably getting to the edge of the limit that is tricky. There isn’t much communication at the edge in any way - aural, visual or FFB.
Rotation happens spontaneously and can be overzealous. If I was in a real car I'd assume the great ‘Maxy V’ had set it up - it's on the nose, pointy and ready to kill. Almost like too much front wing, no rear wing - but in all cars. Something to dial in, but not a million miles from the mark.
Yet - and this is important - the cars look right. They move like real machinery. Weight transfers convincingly. Suspensions work, visibly and meaningfully. You get the sense that the maths underneath is sound, even if the messages making it to your hands are still being translated. It’s a step forward from the physics delivered in previous versions.
That’s encouraging. Physics can be tuned. It’s an iterative process, and we have many more iterations in front of us to get this nailed!
The Vibe: Hopeful, Bruised, Still Showing Up
Community sentiment after 0.4 is split, but not toxic - and that’s notable.
There’s frustration, yes. Performance complaints are loud and justified. Some players feel burned by earlier promises and would prefer the developers talk less and ship more.
But there’s also energy again. People are driving. Comparing laps. Arguing about kerbs. That’s the lifeblood of a sim - and 0.4 put it back on the IV drip. This update feels like Evo saying, “I know I’m not finished, but look how serious I am about becoming something.” And I believe it.
So… What Is AC Evo 0.4, Really?
Assetto Corsa Evo 0.4 is a major milestone wrapped inside a “rough edge” warning label.
It is ambitious. It is flawed. But, it is, for the first time, genuinely exciting.
If you’re performance-sensitive, risk-averse, or expecting polish - wait. Let the patches land. Let the dust settle. There is still a long way to go before this is released.
If you’re the kind of sim racer who enjoys watching a platform grow, occasionally swearing at it, but secretly rooting for it to succeed? This is the update where Evo finally earns your attention, with more to do than ever, and a fun time to be had.
It’s not looking for trust. Nor loyalty. But attention - and in early access, that’s the most valuable currency there is. It has mine, and I think it should have everyone else’s too, to push it further towards being a masterpiece.
Let’s hope the next update tightens the bolts instead of adding another wing.
