F1 2017 is the official video game of the 2017 FIA Formula One World Championship,[1] released for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows on 25 August.[2] The game includes all of the twenty circuits, twenty drivers and ten teams competing in the season. The macOS version, developed by Feral Interactive, was released simultaneously with the other versions, a first in the series' history.[3] The Linux version, also by Feral Interactive, was released on 2 November.[4]

F1 2017
Developer(s)Codemasters Birmingham
Publisher(s)Codemasters
Director(s)Lee Mather
Composer(s)Mark Knight
SeriesF1
EngineEGO Engine 4.0[citation needed]
Platform(s)PlayStation 4
Xbox One
Microsoft Windows
macOS
Linux
ReleaseWin, Mac, PS4, Xbox One
25 August 2017
Linux
2 November 2017
Genre(s)Racing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

The game featured the initial driver line ups for the 2017 season; substitute drivers Jenson Button, Antonio Giovinazzi, Pierre Gasly, Brendon Hartley and Paul di Resta, although all driving in FIA Formula One races during the 2017 season were not included in the game.

Features

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The game features in-game commentary from David Croft and Anthony Davidson. The game also features an expanded team management mode, which offers players more control over research and development of car parts.[5] Engine components and gearboxes are subject to wear and will ultimately fail, with players receiving grid penalties for exceeding their quota of components.[5]

The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) - the governing body of international motorsport - supports F1 2017 as a platform for eSports, following similar moves by Formula E and the World Rally Championship.[6] A variety of race formats are available to players after the sport's commercial holders expressed an interest in using gaming to trial potential race formats.[7] The game also features classic cars, which were last included in F1 2013 - drawn from 1988 to 2010.[8][9]

The game also included a competition for players to design their own racing helmets, with the seven winning designs included in the game.[10][11]

It was the first game to be used in the Formula One eSports Series, which also debuted in 2017.[12]

Reception

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The initial reception to the game was positive, with motorsport magazine Autosport praising it for adding depth to all of the features introduced in F1 2016.[21] The Daily Telegraph praised the game for its updates on previous titles, calling it one of Codemasters' best games. IGN was similarly complimentary for being faithful to the details of its subject, while GameSpot's review echoed Autosport's response. GamesMaster said it was "a superb, technical racer", and also said that F1 fans will love the career mode, but be disappointed with the classic content.[14]

The game reached number 2 in the UK PS4 sales chart, behind Uncharted: The Lost Legacy,[22] but topped the XO charts.[23] The PlayStation 4 version sold 7,190 copies in Japan in its debut week, placing it at 11 on the sales charts.[24] It reached number 2 in Australia, and 4 in New Zealand.[25]

Alphr put it at number 6 on their list of the best racing games on PS4 2017.[26] The game was nominated for "Best Racing Game in IGN's Best of 2017 Awards,[27] and for "eSports Game of the Year" at the 2018 SXSW Gaming Awards;[28][29] and won the award for "Best Racing Game" at The Independent Game Developers' Association Awards 2018.[30][31]

References

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  1. ^ Stuart, Greg (7 July 2017). "Classic cars are coming to F1 2017". Red Bull. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  2. ^ Jenny (17 May 2017). "Make history in F1™ 2017 - Codemasters Blog". Codemasters. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  3. ^ Hardwick, Tim (25 August 2017). "Feral Releases 'F1 2017' for Mac to Coincide With PC Debut". MacRumors. MacRumors.com, LLC. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
  4. ^ "Penguins, you're invited to motorsport's most prestigious Championship with F1™ 2017 for Linux". Feral Interactive. 2 November 2017. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  5. ^ a b Freeman, Glenn (3 August 2017). "Codemasters reveals details of F1 2017 game's new career mode". Autosport. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  6. ^ van Leeuwen, Andrew (21 August 2017). "Formula 1 launches its first official eSports series". Autosport. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
  7. ^ Stuivenberg, Jordy; Noble, Jonathan (21 August 2017). "F1 2017 game video: New race formats included in championships mode". Autosport. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
  8. ^ Barker, Phil (1 June 2017). "F1 2017 is unleashed and we've got the interview". Red Bull. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  9. ^ Freeman, Glenn (17 May 2017). "F1 2017 game gets release date, classic cars". MotorSport. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  10. ^ Jenny (3 February 2017). "Testing, Testing". Codemasters. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  11. ^ Jenny (9 August 2017). "Announcing the community helmet competition winners for F1 2017!". Codemasters. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  12. ^ "Formula 1® Esports Series". Formula One eSports Series. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  13. ^ "F1 2017 for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  14. ^ a b "F1 2017 (PS4)". GamesMaster. Future plc. November 2017. p. 77.
  15. ^ Swinbanks, James (27 August 2017). "F1 2017 Review". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  16. ^ Towell, Justin (21 August 2017). "F1 2017 review: 'If you live and breathe Formula One, there's nothing even close to F1 2017'". GamesRadar. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  17. ^ Reilly, Luke (24 August 2017). "F1 2017 Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  18. ^ Iwaniuk, Phil (23 August 2017). "F1 2017 review". PC Gamer. Future plc. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  19. ^ Good, Owen S. (25 August 2017). "F1 2017 review". Polygon. Vox Media. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  20. ^ White, Sam (21 August 2017). "F1 2017 review - A thrilling and indulgent simulation". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  21. ^ Freeman, Glenn (22 August 2017). "How the best F1 game got even better". Autosport. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
  22. ^ "TOP 40 ENTERTAINMENT SOFTWARE, WEEK ENDING 26 August 2017". Chart-Track. Archived from the original on 3 February 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  23. ^ "TOP 20 XBOX ONE, WEEK ENDING 26 August 2017". Chart-Track. Archived from the original on 18 September 2017. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  24. ^ Romano, Sal (20 September 2017). "Media Create Sales: 9/11/17 – 9/17/17". Gematsu. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
  25. ^ "Top 10 games charts for the week ended 27 August 2017". Interactive Games and Entertainment Association. 31 August 2017. Archived from the original on 2 October 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  26. ^ Moldrich, Chris (17 October 2017). "Best racing games on PS4 2017: 6 arcade racers and driving sims you need to try". Alphr. Archived from the original on 22 September 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
  27. ^ "Best of 2017 Awards: Best Racing Game". IGN. Ziff Davis. 20 December 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  28. ^ McNeill, Andrew (31 January 2018). "Here Are Your 2018 SXSW Gaming Awards Finalists!". SXSW. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  29. ^ IGN Studios (17 March 2018). "2018 SXSW Gaming Awards Winners Revealed". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  30. ^ Stephenson, Suzi (19 September 2018). "TIGA Announces Games Industry Awards 2018 Finalists". The Independent Game Developers' Association. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
  31. ^ "2018 Winners". The Independent Game Developers' Association. 1 November 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2018.