F1 debuts on next-gen July 16 as first joint EA-Codemasters racing game

Codemasters and its new parent company, Electronic Arts, will launch F1 2021 on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on July 16.

The title is the first joint title between Codemasters and EA since EA’s $1.2 billion purchase of the United Kingdom game company, and the title will help EA fill a light release schedule for racing fans, as EA gave the Criterion team a year off from its Need for Speed franchise and assigned it to help the Dice studio finish the next Battlefield game coming this fall.

The game has a new story mode, and an expanded career mode with a new two-player option, F1 2021 immerses players into the glamorous world of F1, giving a taste of the lifestyle both on and off the track.

The title also has three new circuits, Portimão, Imola, and Jeddah, available to all players as free post-launch content. F1 2021 gives players more ways to feel the emotion of competing at the highest level in motorsport. F1 2021, the official videogame of the 2021 FIA Formula One World Championship, and the first to be published by EA Sports, will be available worldwide on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam.

In the Braking Point story mode, players take on a journey as they rise from the ranks of Formula 2 to a shot at stardom in the world of Formula 1. It immerses players into the glamorous world of F1, on and off the track. It also re-introduces players to the much-maligned Devon Butler, who makes his return having debuted in F1 2019.

F1 2021 expands its iconic Career mode with a new two-player option that allows friends to join online and play co-operatively or choose different teams and take rivalries to the track in synchronous race sessions. Each driver has complete control over their assists, allowing players of all levels to come together and compete. Career mode also introduces Real-Season Start, enabling players to begin at any point in the season with real-time driver and constructor standings.

Across all formats, returning features include driver-manager experience My Team, two-player split-screen, shorter season options for both F1 and F2, esports integration and accessible menus and handling. For the first time, F1 2021 comes to Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, boasting a visual uplift and faster loading times.

The game will feature the teams, drivers and circuits for the 2021 FIA Formula One World Championship. Fans can preorder the F1 2021 Digital Deluxe Edition starting April 15 for three days early access and exclusive content, including the Braking Point Content Pack, a set of exclusive in-game items, and 5,000 PitCoins.