Elite Dangerous developer Frontier Developments has unveiled F1 Manager 2022, a new licensed racing management sim heading to PC, Xbox, and PlayStation this “summer”.
Frontier has, of course, carved a bit of a niche for itself where management sims are concerned – having developed the likes of Planet Coaster, Planet Zoo, and two Jurassic World Evolution games. F1 Manager 2022 is, however, its first foray into an annual sports license, and part of what the developer calls a “long term, multi-title agreement” with F1.
Specifics around F1 Manager 2022 are limited at present (and there’s no gameplay in its announcement trailer), but Frontier says it’ll put players in the role of a team principal, challenging them to lead their “drivers, engineers and fans to glory in the 2022 FIA Formula 1 Drivers’ World Championship and FIA Formula 1 Constructors’ World Championship”.
The developer is promising “unparalleled authenticity and broadcast-quality presentation” in F1 Manager 2022, and says players will need to manage “every aspect” on their journey toward victory. Between competitions, for instance, they’ll be required to upgrade their cars and facilities, hire drivers and engineers, as well as balance budgets and driver demands – while, come race day, they’ll need to “stay calm under pressure and make critical decisions.”
F1 Manager 2022 will launch this “summer” on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PS5, and PC, and is the first of four F1 games planned under Frontier’s new licensing deal. As previously announced, three more F1 games will follow through to 2025, subject to the achievement of certain financial performance thresholds.