Work will continue on Project Motor Racing with a view to “refine the physics, enhance systems, and bring the experience closer to what our community has always believed it could be.”
Sobering news at Straight4 Studios, the developers of Project Motor Racing, as workforce cuts have been enacted.
In a statement released today, 8th December 2025, the embattled outfit confirmed to Traxion that it had “reached the heartbreaking conclusion that we had to reduce the size of our team” towards the end of last week.
This followed what it described as “exploring every possible alternative.”
“To those leaving Straight4 today: thank you. Your talent and effort have shaped this studio, and you leave with our respect, gratitude, and support,” reads the statement.
Project Motor Racing was released on 25th November 2025 for PC and consoles, targeted as a spiritual successor to both the revered GTR simulations of the ‘00s and the Project CARS series.
It uses a combination of scratch-built vehicle dynamics and the graphics technology used in the Farming Simulator games – a marriage that potentially led to an inconsistent driving experience and visual bugs.
Since the launch, several patches have been deployed, the most recent of which dramatically changed the way GT3 cars drove.
The exact number of personnel caught up in the reduction is not known, but Traxion believes it to be significant.
“This decision is not a reflection of the talent or dedication of the people affected,” continued the company.
“Every individual who worked on Project Motor Racing poured passion into it, and we are profoundly grateful for their contributions.
“We recognise the personal weight of this moment, and we are committed to supporting each departing team member with care and respect.”
“Straight4 remains fully committed to improving and supporting Project Motor Racing”
While the Straight4 team has had its headcount reduced, those who remain will continue to work on the beleaguered title.
“We know the launch didn’t meet the expectations of our community, or the standards we set for ourselves,” says the statement.
“Our focus now is on rebuilding trust by strengthening the game, update by update.
“The team remains determined to refine the physics, enhance systems, and bring the experience closer to what our community has always believed it could be.”
Traxion understands that further game updates are expected before the end of the year.
While the title came under criticism, it is clear to the Traxion team that it does have potential, provided the team responsible is given enough bandwidth, time and support to turn it around.
According to Straight4, that is the case:
“This is an undeniably difficult chapter, but we remain committed to moving forward, rebuilding, and delivering something worthy of the trust you’ve placed in our partners and us.”