Dev log #3: Let's talk about the career mode

Hello, players!

Today, we’re diving into a key aspect of our game — one that sets it apart from all other racing sims on the market: Career Mode.

It’s a huge topic, and we won’t cover every detail today — there’s enough here for several dedicated articles. For now, we want to give you a general overview of what gameplay in this mode will look like. Let’s start with a look at the main menu of Career Mode (keep in mind: this is a concept art, so the final version will look different):

Buy, modify, repair… and hunt for bargains

Your journey begins at the Used Car Dealership, where you’ll pick your starter car. You’ll be coming back here regularly as the offer changes frequently and features randomly generated vehicles: each car will come with its own unique set of parts (bodywork, engine, chassis, interior, etc.), and of course, you’ll need to deal with various defects: from a dented fender, to a leaky engine or a rusted exhaust (remember, if your car is too loud, you won’t be allowed to race!), all the way to aggressive rust eating away at the sills and frame.

Once you’ve bought your dream ride (or just whatever you could afford), you’ll head to your Garage… or straight to the Workshop. Both places let you repair and modify your car — simpler jobs (like replacing most parts) can be done by yourself in the Garage, but for more complex issues you’ll need help from the Workshop. Keep in mind that some operations (especially major repairs) can take a week or more to complete, so your newly bought ride may not be race-ready right away.

Of course, to replace any parts, you’ll need to buy them first. Where from? Most items will be available instantly through the online store, but bargain hunters can also visit the Parts Marketplace. Just like with the Used Car Dealership, the Marketplace’s offer refreshes regularly and randomly. You may find there unique used parts not available in the standard store — especially body parts for models that haven’t been produced in years. Sure, the tires may be a bit worn and the bumper might not match your car’s color (the Paint Shop can help with that), but the prices should be more attractive.

Get behind the wheel!

Enough talk about buying and modding — it’s time to drive! If you’re feeling confident, the Race Central is where you want to go. At first, you’ll visit the National Race Central to take part in amateur competition like time attack and autocross — that is, racing against the clock on circuits or point-to-point courses (marked with cones, barrels, etc.).

If you’re not ready to race just yet, head to the Academy. From here, you’ll be able to visit tracks and practice chosen layouts — or just explore open maps in freeroam mode. This is also where you’ll attend paid lessons to earn licenses in a discipline of your choice (circuit racing, rallycross, drift), which are required to enter professional events available through the International and World Race Centrals.

Summary

That’s the general idea of how gameplay in Career Mode will look. In future dev blogs, we’ll dive deeper into individual mechanics — and much more.

That leaves us with the most important question: when can you play Career Mode? Sadly, we’re still not ready to talk about a release date of the game, but we’ll give you a taste of what we’re working on for this mode before the full launch.

There’s still a lot more to reveal about Track Day, so check back regularly. You can also join us on Discord and Patreon if you want to follow the project more closely.

P.S.

You’ll be able to meet us again this coming weekend — at two different events happening simultaneously in Poland: Retro Motor Show (Sept 19–21) and the final round of the Polish Car Racing Championships at Tor Poznań (Sept 20–21).

The latter might be especially interesting — because a unique competition will be taking place there. Our partners from Sim-Center are bringing two motion simulators (5 DOF), used to host a time attack competition. Whoever sets the best time will be invited by Drive Squad (our partners as well) to a real-world Super S Cup test session for the 2026 season — a rare opportunity to go from simracing to the real thing!