#25 He Almost Quit SimRacing - ArisDrives / Aristotelis Vasilakos

For our 25th episode, we're sitting down with someone who truly needs no introduction in the sim racing world: Aristotelis Vasilakos, better known as  @ArisDrives  and Chief Creative Officer at Straight4 Studios -  @ProjectMotorRacing . With over a decade of experience shaping some of the most beloved titles in sim racing, Aris has been there from the early days of modding and community building all the way to working on landmark projects like Assetto Corsa and the Ferrari Virtual Academy. His journey is one of passion, persistence, and a deep love for the craft, starting at just 14 years old, when games like Gran Turismo and IndyCar by Papyrus first sparked his obsession with virtual motorsport. In this conversation, we go beyond the headlines and dive into the personal story behind one of sim racing's most respected voices. Aris opens up about what shaped his philosophy as a developer, why Assetto Corsa has remained a community cornerstone for over a decade, and how the 2020 pandemic unexpectedly became a turning point for sim racing as a serious platform, not just a hobby, but a legitimate pathway into professional motorsport. And of course, we look ahead. Aris shares exciting insights into what's coming at Straight4 Studios and where he sees the future of sim racing heading. Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:13 How is Aris 01:25 Aris's history with Sim Racing 02:30 The one game he loves the most 03:17 Fondest memory of Sim Racing 08:00 Getting a job in Sim Racing 12:00 What makes Assetto Corsa so special 16:00 What Sim Racers want 17:20 ACC 20:57 Working for Straight4 21:30 What PMR needs to improve 27:30 What Straight4 are working on right now 34:20 Content creation 39:00 What is the state of Sim Racing in 2026?