A brand-new multiplayer mode just entered beta testing for hit racing simulator Grid Autosport on iOS. You can try it out if you own a recent iPhone or iPad running iOS 12.1 or later.
Don’t get too excited about multiplayer, however. Publisher Feral Interactive notes that this test is to “explore the feasibility of online multiplayer for racing games.” It won’t be a permanent fixture.
Grid Autosport has been lauded by fans and critics since it made its App Store debut in November 2017. It boasts an impressive 90% rating on Metacritic, with many calling it the best racing simulator on iOS.
Online multiplayer seems like a great addition to the game — and for a short while, some players are going to get the chance to experience it. They shouldn’t become too attached, however.
Go online in Grid Autosport
Feral Interactive is now inviting Grid players to test out its new online multiplayer mode. It supports lobbies of between two and 12 players, all of which are real humans — there are no AI racers.
“The race discipline will be changed every so often,” Feral explained, “so be sure to check in regularly to test your skills against other players in a variety of vehicle classes.”
The beta is available worldwide, and there are 1,000 testing spots up for grabs through Apple’s TestFlight platform. To claim one, you must be running iOS 12.1 or later on one of the following devices:
- iPhone 6 or later
- iPad 2017 or later
- iPad mini 2017 or later
- iPad Air 2017 or later
- iPad Pro
Because this is a beta, it’s free to download, and you don’t need Grid pre-installed to play it. Before you rush off to enjoy the multiplayer test, however, there’s one big caveat you should be aware of.
Online multiplayer is temporary
Feral is keen to stress that Grid’s new online multiplayer mode is temporary. Even if it is a huge success, it may not stick around.
“This is a feasibility test,” reads the TestFlight description. “There are no current plans to enable multiplayer in the retail version of GRID Autosport.”
Here’s to hoping that stance changes later. In the meantime, we urge you to sign up to the test before all spots are taken and to enjoy online multiplayer while you can.
