Bugbear’s Next Car Game Launches Preorder Campaign

Bugbear Entertainment is using early preorders to help fund the development of its Next Car Game.

Remember Next Car Game? Bugbear announced it back in February as a return-to-its-roots kind of thing, and now it’s time for a closer look. The details still aren’t all there but so far it seems to be about what you’d expect: equal parts racing and demolition derby, with sophisticated physics, highly-destructible vehicles and environments and cheap, banged-up, dirty machines that you won’t mind knocking around.

Bugbear actually intends to release the game in spring 2014 but is offering early access and other incentives to gamers who preorder now. It is, in essence, a DIY crowdfunding campaign, with tiers ranging from $25 to $1000, which the studio says is necessary in order to avoid the interference of publishers and the inevitable compromises that would come out of it.

Supporters will also be able to chime in on the direction the game takes as development continues and offer feedback on game modes, car designs and more. The early access release will be “a basis on which we will continue building the game based on your feedback on what works and what sucks,” the website states. “By backing us now, you get to say your word on the design. Want a specific game mode? Don’t think your favorite car model is included? Let’s hear it! No compromises made for appealing to the mainstream – this one is for our dedicated fans.”

It’s a lot to do in a relatively short span on time – we’re already into September, after all – but according to the FAQ, the team has already spent more than a year working on the game and it’s already in a playable state. “We’re essentially re-imagining a game we’ve already shipped three times on four platforms (FlatOut, FlatOut 2, FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage on PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360) – it’s not like this is the first time we’re doing this,” it says.

So there you have it. Next Car Game (which, as predicted, is still named Next Car Game) is by all appearances coming along nicely and with any luck will be ready to play sometime next year. More information about the game and links to preorder, if you’re so inclined, can be found at nextcargame.com.