We’ve been hoping for a positive outcome since GTR3 was first revealed back at the start of 2017. But following on from the closure of the official Discord, it’s not looking good when SimBin UK delete all their social media accounts.
The Twitter (https://twitter.com/simbin_uk), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/simbinstudiosuk) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/SimbinUK) profiles for the company have all been removed, suggesting that the future may not be bright for the Liverpool-based developer as well as the long-awaited sequel. There’s still a company listing on LinkedIn, but that’s about the lot, and Studio Head Allan Speed’s profile displays him as ‘pursuing new opportunities’ which doesn’t bode well (his brother, Chris Speed, is CEO at Sector3 Studios).
So, what does this mean? Back in March there was an official announcement referencing that the developers were part of the KW Automotive Group and sat alongside RaceRoom developers Sector 3 Studios (Formerly the original holders of the SimBin name, having started out as a modding team for F12002). And it spoke of a reset with a self-imposed exile to re-emerge with a fresh plan and additional resources.
Potentially SimBin UK might just be extending their idea of running dark until they have some concrete game development to share, and may have just not got around to removing their social media profiles.
But this seems a bit unlikely, given that these are under the company name, rather than focused purely on GTR3. And it also means that all previously released images and videos, all comments and replies, and previous information has all vanished from the internet. Which is a shame for the fans still holding out for a new GTR game.
The alternative is that SimBin UK might not have a long future. Obviously we hope that’s not the case for any employees affected, but the lack of output since forming in 2016 isn’t a positive sign.
Either way, the future of GTR3 is currently in doubt. Obviously there’s a potential for Sector3 Studios to resume with the franchise, but would that make sense given that they’ve spent the last nine years focused on RaceRoom? As much as I enjoyed the earlier titles (and Race Pro on the Xbox 360), it doesn’t really make sense to develop a potential competitor to their own existing title. And given it’s 15 years since the last GTR title, you’d probably get more name recognition from a RaceRoom Consoles Edition (especially given the free-to-play entry point), than a GTR game.
If we do hear anything, you’ll be able to see the latest GTR3 news, here.
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