Automobilista 2

Automobilista 2 Update Plans Shift Amid Licensing Changes

Reiza says the upcoming V1.6.9.8 update will include the new Formula Pack as free base content after fresh licensing restrictions affected release plans.

Omar Al-Sabah

Sachliche Agentur

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Reiza Studios used the second part of its June 2026 development update for Automobilista 2 to address licensing issues, revise the release plan for the next content drop, and warn that some officially licensed formula cars may eventually be replaced with generic models for new buyers.

The studio’s official Steam News post, published on 12 June 2026 and attributed to Reiza Studios, says the changes stem from recent discussions with McLaren Racing and from broader restrictions affecting the game’s licensed content structure.

A licensing update with direct content consequences

According to Reiza’s Steam update, Automobilista 2 is an unusually complex project from a licensing perspective because it includes a wide range of manufacturers, teams, championships, circuits and historical content, each covered by separate agreements and restrictions. The studio says that as the game expands and as rights holders’ circumstances change, new limitations can emerge in areas that were previously unaffected.

Reiza says recent discussions with McLaren Racing about extending the existing licensing agreement also involved the intent to bring additional McLaren F1 cars to the game. Those negotiations, however, reached an impasse because of recent commercial developments that prevent the company from licensing or re-licensing its F1 cars to games that also feature officially licensed F1 content from other manufacturers, whether current or from other eras.

What Reiza says this means for Automobilista 2

The practical outcome, as described by the studio, is that it must choose which officially licensed F1 manufacturers remain in the game for new purchases. Reiza says the decision sits between McLaren and the other official cars currently in the game: Brabham, Lotus and Renault. The company says those other cars would have to be replaced by generic formulas if they are not retained for future sales.

Reiza says its priority is to continue with McLaren and that there appears to be a clear pathway for a new agreement. At the same time, the studio says the other official formula cars will remain available for new users only for a limited additional time. A decision will need to be made in the coming weeks, after which Automobilista 2 will be updated so that whichever cars are not being retained are replaced by generic models for future purchasers.

Existing owners will not lose content already tied to Steam

Reiza specifically says existing users would not be affected by the change. Content already associated with a player’s Steam account will remain available exactly as it is today, and any eventual adjustment would apply only to future game and DLC purchases.

That distinction matters for current owners, league organizers and broadcasters because the studio is drawing a clear line between legacy ownership and future storefront availability. In practical terms, the update is framed as a catalog and licensing change, not a removal of content from players who already own it.

Formula Pack becomes free base-game content

The studio also says the licensing situation changed its plans for the next release. Instead of launching the new Formula Pack as a DLC, Reiza has elected to integrate it into the base game for all users. The company says this comes with financial pain, but that it preferred not to hold back content that has been highly anticipated.

For the Automobilista 2 community, that is the headline gameplay consequence of the update: content originally planned as paid DLC is now being added to the base game. For players, that changes the value proposition of the upcoming update. For streamers and league hosts, it also means the new Formula Pack should be part of the standard game environment rather than a separate ownership requirement, though Reiza did not use the update to describe any event-format changes.

Sale on existing packs before de-branding

Reiza says the “Brazilian Racing Legends” and “Formula HiTech” DLCs are now on sale at 75% off for anyone who still wants to buy the official cars before their eventual de-branding. The post presents that sale as a limited opportunity tied to the licensing changes now in motion.

The studio closes this section by saying the situation is disappointing for everyone involved, including the developers, after significant time, resources and passion were invested in content that was expected to remain in the Automobilista 2 ecosystem for years. Reiza adds that this is the reality of working with third-party intellectual property, where existing deals can expire and new agreements may include requirements that conflict with others or cannot be met.

Why this matters for players and organizers

From a player perspective, the update matters because it changes both what is free and what may remain officially branded for future buyers. From a practical esports or league standpoint, clarity around which cars remain officially licensed can affect car selection, branding consistency and how organizers plan long-term content schedules.

Reiza’s post does not announce a full content removal for current owners, but it does signal that Automobilista 2’s licensed roster is being reshaped for future sales. That makes the announcement significant not only as a patch note but also as a reminder that sim-racing content libraries can change over time depending on licensing terms beyond the studio’s control.

Redaktion

Source: Reiza Studios via the official Automobilista 2 Steam News post published on 12 June 2026.

Von

Omar Al-Sabah

Sachliche Agentur

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