Motocross The Game (MTG) is an upcoming simulation developed and published by Virtual MX Studios for PC in Early Access, with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S console releases planned to follow [web]. Online competition forms the core of the title, designed around dedicated server infrastructure, competitive seasons, telemetry-based track boundary policing, and a dual-rating progression framework [web].
Online Modes and Server Architecture
The multiplayer environment supports casual sessions, private group matches, and ranked competitive play [web]. Virtual MX Studios runs dedicated servers for online races, which host both open queue matchmaking and private lobbies [web].
Multiplayer sessions support several formats and connection setups:
- Queue-based matchmaking: Automated queues place riders into available server splits based on competitive metrics [web].
- Private lobbies: Group hosts can create invite-only rooms using Steam invitations or party invite codes for custom league racing and friend sessions [web].
- Party system: Riders can group together in a party menu, select tracks, choose session rules, and confirm readiness before the host launches into an online server [web].
- Alternative network modes: Development builds have integrated and tested Peer-to-Peer (P2P) and Local Area Network (LAN) configurations alongside the primary dedicated servers [web].
- Paddock and pits flow: Online race sessions incorporate practice, warm-up, qualifying, and race phases, with interactive track pits and a gate selection sequence [web].
- Time attack leaderboards: Every track features live global leaderboards ranked to the millisecond per bike class, with times synced to back-end servers and visible both in-game and on the official website [web].
In interviews regarding the business model, the studio confirmed standard casual online multiplayer lobbies remain free of charge [video]. An optional racing subscription, aimed at under the $4 mark per month, is planned for a later phase to support dedicated server maintenance when formal esports leagues and ranked infrastructure fully roll out [video].
Dual Rating System: Clean Rating and Race Rating
Online competitive matchmaking uses two separate metrics to evaluate performance: Clean Rating (safety and track etiquette) and Race Rating (speed and finish position relative to opponents) [web].
| Rating Component | Metric Measured | Score Scale | Rule Impact & Demotion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clean Rating (CR) | Safety, track consistency, clean racing | Starts at 2.50; scales up to 4.99 | Drops below 2.00 risk demotion; reaching 4.00+ allows immediate fast-track promotion [web]. |
| Race Rating (RR) | Pace, finish placement, relative competition level | Numerical score based on opponent strength | Boosts for finishing above algorithmic expectation; drops for weaker results [web]. |
| Strength of Field (SoF) | Average competitor RR in a given server | Aggregate pool rating | Higher SoF events award larger pools of championship points [video, web]. |
Clean Rating observes rider safety during every live race [web]. Making heavy contact with other bikes, causing crashes, or accumulating off-track incidents reduces your score, while consistent clean laps increase it [web]. Reaching a CR of 3.00 or higher alongside completing required race sessions qualifies a player for class advancement at the close of a season [web]. Hitting a CR above 4.00 unlocks an immediate promotion without waiting for the scheduled seasonal rollover [web].
Race Rating pairs riders against opponents of matching competitive caliber [web]. High-ranked fields raise the overall Strength of Field, increasing the championship points available to riders in those splits [video, web].
License Tiers and Bike Eligibility
Ranked online competition limits vehicle displacement based on earned license tier [web]. Riders begin in the Rookie class and advance through four higher divisions [web]. Non-ranked modes and solo practice allow riders to use any owned machine regardless of their active competitive license [web].
- Rookie License: 125cc 2-stroke only [web].
- Amateur License: 125cc 2-stroke and 250cc 4-stroke [web].
- Pro/Am License: 125cc 2-stroke, 250cc 4-stroke, 250cc 2-stroke, and 450cc 4-stroke [web].
- Semi-Pro License: 125cc 2-stroke, 250cc 4-stroke, 250cc 2-stroke, and 450cc 4-stroke [web].
- Pro License: 250cc 4-stroke and 450cc 4-stroke only [web].
Ranked multiplayer schedules follow 12-week regular seasons [web]. Official point-scoring races take place across the 12-week schedule, followed by a non-championship "Week 13" between seasons dedicated to game updates and casual novelty events before the subsequent season begins [web].
Real-Time Telemetry and Off-Track Enforcement
MTG enforces track limits through digital mapping and live server-side telemetry instead of traditional checkpoint gates [web].
High-precision track maps designate areas as either on-track or off-track [web]. The server continuously checks the exact coordinates of both wheels [web]:
- If both wheels leave the playable track boundary, the system flags an off-track incident [web].
- The server calculates delta time against a predictive run model [web].
- If a rider leaves the racing surface without gaining time, the system awards an incident point with no time penalty [web].
- If an off-track trajectory shortens distance or produces an illegal time advantage, the game assigns an incident point and appends a calculated time penalty directly to the race results [web].
- On-screen alerts provide instantaneous feedback to allow riders to adjust lines before compounding further penalties [web].
All calculations are evaluated on server-side architecture to prevent host-side manipulation or inconsistent regional rule enforcement [web].
Race Logic, Flags, and Physics Replication
Official online sessions implement full real-world motocross race regulations [web]. Development updates confirm the integration of gate drops, lap counters, live split timing, white flag displays for the final lap, checkered finish flags, and automated tracking for lapped riders [web].
Visual assets such as physical corner flaggers, grandstand crowds, dynamic dirt roost, and bike-mounted numbers replicate live across the network [web]. Customization choices for both bike graphics and rider gear save between sessions and replicate fully to other participants in the lobby [web]. In addition, dynamic rider dirt mapping layers mud, sand, and dust on rider gear and helmets depending on roost and weather conditions during the moto [web].
Because Virtual MX Studios models the rider and motorcycle as two decoupled physics bodies with independent suspensions and tire contact patches, network code specifically synchronizes physical mass shifts, landings, and leaning behaviors without relying on canned animations [web].
Motocross The Game Multiplayer FAQ
Does Motocross The Game have crossplay?
Cross-platform multiplayer is listed as a supported feature on the official Steam store page [web]. During initial crowdfunding, crossplay was established as an early stretch goal, with full PC and console parity planned as platform versions roll out [video, web].
Will online multiplayer require a paid subscription?
Standard casual online multiplayer is free [video]. The developer plans to introduce an optional subscription targeted at under $4 per month later in the development cycle, specifically to fund high-performance dedicated servers for formal esports series and competitive ranked divisions [video].
What happens if I go off-track during an online race?
The server tracks wheel contact points against precise digital boundary maps [web]. Leaving the track with both wheels triggers an incident point [web]. If server telemetry determines you gained an advantage by cutting a section, an automated time penalty is calculated via delta time and added to your final race result [web].
What platforms will support multiplayer at release?
The game launches first on PC (Windows) in Early Access, with Kickstarter backers receiving initial access windows [web]. Dedicated console ports for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S are scheduled to follow later in development [web].
