The creators of the genre defining simulation racer onboard Ferrari executive Valerio Piersanti as Vice President of Licensing & Partnerships and unveil strong commitment to growing eSports division
MILAN, Italy – Feb. 9, 2021 – Driving simulation development specialist, Kunos Simulazioni and owner Digital Bros, have today unveiled record sales of €100M across all platforms.
Kunos Simulazioni, established in 2005 by founders Marco Massarutto and Stefano Casillo, was created with the goal of developing industry leading driving simulation software. In 2013, Assetto Corsa went into early access on Steam, quickly becoming a must own for sim racing enthusiasts upon its full launch in December 2014. In August 2016, Digital Bros subsidiary, publisher 505 Games, released the game on PS4 and Xbox One and Assetto Corsa reached an entirely new console audience. The studio was purchased by Digital Bros in 2017. The franchise’s exponential growth has continued, with the release of Assetto Corsa Competizione on Xbox One and PS4 in 2020, with the game coming to next gen consoles later this year.
To further expand the Assetto Corsa franchise into eSports, the company has appointed Valerio Piersanti in December of 2020. Piersanti comes from Ferrari, holding the position of Head of Business Development. Piersanti undertakes the role of Kunos-Simulazioni Vice President for Licensing & Assetto Corsa Partnerships.
“I am excited about this challenge and joining the Digital Bros group organization and I would like to express my gratitude in particular to the Galante brothers for the trust they have placed in me” Piersanti said. “Assetto Corsa is a brand that I have had the privilege of following with Marco Massarutto since the beginning, through to the collaboration set up with Ferrari. Now the goal is to fully exploit the potential it has always shown, and consolidate its positioning and partnerships in a rapidly changing context."
Due to limitations for on-track racing events, the demand for simulation racing in eSports has created a renewed momentum for the industry. Using the franchise, Kunos Simulazioni have developed a new eSport strategy, with champion drivers from the SRO Motorsports Group and F1 drivers such as Charles Leclerc competing against peers, and together with their partners, Kunos Simulazioni is looking forward to another successful SRO E-Sport GT series this spring.
Media contacts:
Marcus Toon
Senior Marketing Manager - UK, ANZ & EXPORTmtoon@505games.com
Niall De'Ath
Senior Account Executive
niall@alfredlondon.com
About Digital Bros Group
Listed on the STAR segment of Borsa Italiana, Digital Bros Group is a global company established in by founders Rami and Raffi (Raffaele) Galante that has been operating since 1989 as a developer, publisher and distributor of game entertainment content – video games - in a global market through various channels: retail and digital – web, social, mobile.
Digital Bros Group is active around the world through its own direct operations in Italy, the United States, the UK, France, Spain, Germany China, Japan and Australia with approximately 250 employees.
Digital Bros operates in three markets, namely, development, publishing and distribution, under its own brand 505 Games.
About 505 Games
505 Games, a Digital Bros’ subsidiary, is a global publisher focused on offering a broad selection of video games for players of all ages and skill levels.
The company publishes and distributes premium and free-to-play games on console and PC platforms as well as mobile devices.
Publishing highlights include DEATH STRANDING (PC), Control, Assetto Corsa Competizione, Ghostrunner, Gems of War, Journey to the Savage Planet, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, Brothers – A Tale of Two Sons.
505 Games has offices in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, China, Japan and Australia.
For more information on 505 Games and its products please visit505games.com
About KUNOS Simulazioni
Kunos Simulazioni is a software house specialized in developing driving simulations for the videogame market and professional applications.
The company launched in 2005 as a one-man show, and now involves professional expertise capable of producing the technology required to satisfy a diverse range of requirements: from professional training software for car manufacturers and racing teams to advanced videogames dedicated to simracers looking for a driving model with maximum realism.
The "Assetto Corsa" racing game is the best result of this vision, turning a driving simulation into one of the most recognized and popular brands of racing videogames.
Its latest iteration, "ASSETTO CORSA COMPETIZIONE", is one of the most appreciated GT racing simulations on the market, representing a benchmark in terms of car handling, visual realism and track accuracy.
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