Which game engine does F1 24 run on? EGO or Unreal Engine 5

There have been rumors that F1 24 will be the Formula 1 game that finally transitions the series from the legacy EGO engine to Unreal Engine 5, but is that true? Here’s a breakdown of which game engine F1 24 runs on.

F1 24 is the newest installment in the series and is making some big changes. Given this, it’s only natural fans expect it to be the best yet. A lot goes into what makes a great game, but it all starts with the game engine.

Game engines offer a framework that developers can use to fulfill their ambitions more easily. They are especially important in racing games like F1 24, where specialized physics engines are required to make driving feel good.

Here’s everything you need to know about which game engine F1 24 runs on, and if Codemasters has finally made the transition to Unreal Engine 5.

Does F1 24 run on Unreal Engine 5?

Contrary to rumors in the community, F1 24 still uses the EGO Engine and not Unreal Engine 5. That’s the same engine that Codemasters has been using in its games since 2008, albeit a heavily modified version.

The EGO engine was first used in Formula 1 for F1 2009 and has remained the engine of choice ever since. After 16 years, some fans hoped the transition to a newer game engine would finally happen, but that isn’t the case.

So when can you expect F1 24 to switch to a newer engine? Truthfully, it might not be anytime soon. When speaking to Overtake, Senior Creative Director Lee Mather stated, “There is no requirement or need for us to make that move. There’s no significant gain that we need on F1,” about potentially using Unreal Engine.

He explained that Unreal Engine was necessary for EA Sports WRC as the EGO Engine couldn’t generate the large rally stages needed. However, since F1 24’s racing takes place exclusively on shorter tracks, that doesn’t apply to the Formula 1 games.

In some ways, this might not be a bad thing. Some other racing games have had a difficult time transitioning to Unreal Engine. A great example is Asseto Corsa, with Assetto Corsa Competizione using Unreal Engine 4, but the upcoming Asseto Corsa Evo moving back to developer Kunos Simulazioni’s internal engine.

When asked about this by Traxion, developer Marco Massarutto said his studio required “greater flexibility,” that Unreal Engine 5 couldn’t provide. Potentially, something similar could be true of F1 24, with Codemasters needing more than what Epic Games’ newest engine can offer.

To learn more about F1 24, check out the game’s full track list, system requirements, and pre-order bonuses. If you’re more interested in learning how to play the new Formula 1 game, here’s an explainer on whether it will be on Xbox Game Pass or not.