rFactor 2 update: new Online Experience goes live in public build

rFactor 2 has moved its new Online Experience from release candidate to the public build. In the official announcement, Studio 397 outlines ranking, daily and special events, in-game server hosting, account setup, and a small set of fixes in the same release. Full details are in the official release post.

What changed

Tracks

• The new online system is now live in the public build.
• A revamped ranking system is included with Safety Rank and Driver Rank, both progressing from bronze to platinum.
• Daily Races now run every 1, 2, or 3 hours, with beginner-to-advanced options.
• Beginner races use free content only.
• Special Events are scheduled separately and have a bigger impact on Safety and Driver ranks.
• Weekly practice leaderboards are available for Special Events preparation.

Cars

• Players can now host races through in-game server hosting and choose any car/track combination.
• Traditional server hosting remains available.
• Server-minute bundles are available at these prices: 1 hour €1, 6 hours €6, 12 hours €9, 24 hours €13.
• Custom liveries are not currently supported in online races; only official rFactor 2 content can be used.
• The announcement also states players who verify their email in the new online system receive a free BMW M2 CS.

Features

• Registration for the new online system is optional.
• Players who do not register can still access community servers.
• Account creation starts from the in-game Online button.
• Profile name, email, and nationality can be changed in-profile, with a limit of once every 3 months unless support intervenes.
• The new online features released here are stated to be free to use for everyone who owns the sim.
• Race rotations change weekly on Tuesday, with the upcoming schedule shared on Monday via rFactor 2 social channels.

Fixes

• Fixed a crash on AMD hardware with certain drivers.
• Fixed an AI issue where cars could drive toward left-side walls while overtaking, causing collisions.
• Added a 0.5-second grace period when a penalty is about to become valid before scoring a violation.
• Improved track limits handling of illegal passes, specifically when a previously invalid passed car later became valid again.

For league ops, we should update member guidance around optional account registration, official-content-only online races, and whether to use the new in-game hosting or keep our existing server flow.