If you’ve been waiting to grab Project Cars 3 on Steam, time is running out. Slightly Mad Studios’ divisive but passionate entry in the racing sim franchise will be delisted from all digital storefronts this summer, disappearing from Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox marketplaces permanently. For fans, it’s a quiet farewell to a game that dared to reinvent the wheel—for better or worse.
The Countdown to Goodbye
According to reports from French outlet Gamekult, Project Cars 3 will be pulled from sale on August 24, 2024. But that’s not the only blow: its online servers will follow suit. Multiplayer modes, leaderboards, and community features will shut down in February 2025, stripping the game of its social backbone. After that, only offline modes—career, time trials, and custom races—will remain playable for existing owners.
The news, later confirmed by tracking site DelistedGames, aligns with EA’s broader strategy since acquiring Codemasters (Slightly Mad’s parent company) in 2021. The publisher has steadily sunsetted the Project Cars series, shifting focus to its F1 and Grid franchises. Licensing hurdles—common in racing games due to expiring car/track contracts—likely accelerated the decision.
A Rocky Legacy
Project Cars 3 launched in 2020 to polarized reviews. Hardcore sim racers criticized its shift toward arcade handling and simplified mechanics, while newcomers praised its accessibility. It sold over 1 million copies but never matched the reverence of its predecessors. Still, it cultivated a niche community, especially among players seeking a middle ground between Forza’s flair and Assetto Corsa’s rigor.
"Project Cars 3 was misunderstood," says racing enthusiast and content creator Marco Ferreira. "It wasn’t trying to be PC2. It was a fun, visually stunning playground. Losing it feels like erasing a piece of racing game history."
What Players Need to Know
- Purchase Deadline: Buy the game or its DLC before August 24. After that, it’s gone forever.
- Online Sunset: Servers stay live until February 2025. Post-shutdown, all online functionality vanishes.
- Physical Copies: Disc versions (PS4/Xbox One) will still work but lack online features after February.
- Refunds?: Unlikely. EA hasn’t announced compensation, so buy at your own risk.
The Bigger Picture
This delisting continues a worrying trend. In recent years, Forza Horizon 4, Dirt Rally, and other licensed racers faced similar fates. When games vanish, preservation falls to players—or pirates. "Always buy racing games before their licenses expire," advises delisting tracker Luke. "Once they’re gone, they’re gone."
For Project Cars 3, the clock is ticking. Whether you loved it or loathed it, its exit marks the end of an ambitious, flawed experiment. Grab it while you can, race while the servers live, and back up those save files. The checkered flag waves this summer.
*Image: Project Cars 3 in-game screenshot (Credit: Slightly Mad Studios)*
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