'Project CARS' dev hoping for new Nintendo hardware

Multi-platform racing game release "Project CARS" could yet make it to Wii U, but its studio head is hoping that a new Nintendo console would make development more straightforward.

The comprehensive racer was partially crowdfunded through the studio's own World of Mass Development platform and released to a positive critical reception, even surpassing those afforded to recent established franchise releases "Gran Turismo 6" and "Forza Motorsport 5."

But with the game now available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC, its planned Wii U version remains absent.

Ian Bell, Head of Studio, is known for speaking plainly about the game's development and revealed a little more about the "Project CARS" Wii U build on its public forum.

While a Wii U version does exist, technical considerations mean that it runs at 23 frames per second under a 720p HD resolution, he said, a figure that is significantly lower than the 60fps target on PlayStation 4 (1080p) and Xbox One (900p).

"We could reach a fairly solid 30FPS but it might take a hell of a lot of work," he explained. "On the other hand, about halfway through us finishing, Nintendo might announce a new console... Our work might just be the best thing that ever hit that new console in the driving sim genre."

Nintendo itself has said that it would not give a full announcement to its secretive NX project until 2016; Bell concedes he has "zero knowledge on this [but has] heard 'rumours'" and suggests there is an economic case for waiting until June before making a definite decision on the game's Wii U future.

"I suppose if they don't announce something at [the Electronic Entertainment Expo] or soon after we will have a go at it."