Driving simulator BeamNG.drive will launch on PlayStation 5 (PS5) on October 19th, developer BeamNG has announced. The console version will arrive in Early Access, a stage where a game is released to the public while it is still in development. It will run alongside the PC version, which is already in Early Access on Steam, and BeamNG said player feedback would continue to shape development on both.
The game is built around BeamNG's own soft-body physics engine, which simulates every part of a vehicle in real time. According to a release, this powers what the company described as ‘an incredibly accurate damage model’. The release also pointed to IGN's description of the engine as ‘the most impressive physics engine you've never seen’.
What PS5 players can expect
The PS5 launch will land at roughly the same time as version 0.40 of the game arrives on PC. BeamNG releases free updates for BeamNG.drive every few months. According to the release, v0.40 brings visual improvements and general fixes, plus a new vehicle available from day one and local split-screen support. It also adds support for FidelityFX Super Resolution 3 (FSR 3) on the base PS5 and PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) on the PS5 Pro. Both are upscaling technologies designed to improve image quality and performance.
Players will have access to 12 open-world maps, with settings ranging from jungle roads and deserts to city streets and highways. There are also dozens of vehicles, from compact cars to large trucks, and each one can be adjusted down to individual parts such as the wheels, suspension and engine.
The game offers several modes. Free Roam lets players take any vehicle anywhere on a map and change conditions like wind speed and gravity. Career Mode starts players off with little money and an old car, and has them work towards building up a fleet over time. Scenarios include truck deliveries against the clock, police chases and time trials.
No mod support at launch
Mods will not be supported on the PS5 version when it launches. According to the release, BeamNG aims for feature parity across platforms (the same features on every version) where it can, but it called console mod support ‘a unique challenge’.
The developer said it is still exploring the possibility, though it could not confirm when mods might arrive on PlayStation or what form they would take. Tools used to create mods, including the World Editor, are not currently planned for the platform.
BeamNG.drive is available to wishlist on PS5 now. BeamNG also posts updates on the game through its X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram accounts, as well as its official Discord server.
