DriveClub, the ambitious, social-focused racing title from Sony and Evolution Studios, has faced something of a bumpy road in its bid to contend with Grid 2 as the premiere arcade/sim hybrid.

Originally scheduled for a 2013 release, the game has seen several delays, as well as a regime change with a new Game Director, Paul Rustchynsky, taking over in February of 2014. Even worse, Sony was forced to lay off an unknown number of employees of the European developer in March, leading many to fear that the game would never materialize. Yesterday, however, a firm release date of Oct. 7 was announced by Sony Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida on the Sony Blog, and today, the new Game Director provided an update on exactly what they’ve been working on.

According to Rustchynsky, a major reason for the hold-up is the in-game menu system. While a menu system may seem like a strange, even silly stumbling block on the road to development, Driveclub’s menu will serve as the hub of the game’s social features, connecting players to the overall community form their PS4s, as well as on their mobile devices though the Driveclub app.

Additionally, the team has been hard at work refining other aspects of the game, such as visuals, audio, handling and even adding more vehicles to the lineup. The update also confirms that the free PlayStation Plus version of the game, announced yesterday, will share the Oct. 7 release date.

Driveclub is shaping up to be a very interesting addition to the somewhat crowded field of racing titles, and the last two updates have instilled confidence that the game is back on track. If the social aspects of the game can match the early visuals we’ve seen, the makers of the Motorstorm series may have another certified hit on their hands.

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