Driveclub is a 2014 racing video game developed by Evolution Studios and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 4 console.
In Driveclub, players compete in a variety of races and events around the world, including a campaign mode called Tour. A core mechanic of the game is the ability to form clubs with other players, and then compete against other clubs to acquire reputation for the club and level up. A player customization system is available, allowing one to customize their club, vehicles and driver. Post-release content added a weather system and day-night cycle.
Development on Driveclub focused on creating an innovative racing game in which players were socially connected with one another. Evolution Studios faced struggles during the development cycle. DriveClub has cycled through various stages of development for nearly a decade before it's first reveal at Sony's Playstation 4 conference. The idea of a social team racer was decided too far ahead of it's time for development on the first three Playstation consoles, and was placed on the back burner until technology advanced far enough that social interaction was more deeply integrated into modern life. DriveClub was meant as a launch title for the then-unreleased PS4, but was delayed several times into 2014. It received several post-release additions, including a standalone expansion called Driveclub Bikes and a version supporting PlayStation VR called Driveclub VR.
Driveclub was the first racing game to introduce self-reflections on the car's paint shaders, meaning parts of the car reflected real-time on one another. This is a feature that modern racing games still don't have, or can only be achievable through ray-tracing.
Driveclub was released to initially mixed reviews. Critics commented favorably on the visuals, audio design and controls, but criticized issues with the online connectivity and lack of content. Later and retrospective response towards Driveclub was more positive, with praise towards the post-launch content, improvements in the game's offerings and the quality of its production values and weather effects. Commercially, it sold 2 million copies by July 2015.
Driveclub was the final game developed by Evolution Studios before its closure in 2016. The game's online servers were shut down in March 2020.