EA Sports brings back punchable heel Devon Butler to kick off F1 23’s reveal

F1 23 will characteristic a story mode with live-action scenes like 2022’s Grid Legends, if a brand new teaser from writer Electronic Arts is any indication. We’ll study extra about Codemasters plans for the newest version of its Formula 1 video game sequence on Monday.

To whet that urge for food, followers acquired an in depth (8-minute) trailer introducing the fictional racing crew to F1 23’s grid on Friday — Konnersport Racing Team, whose prime driver is yep, you guessed it, Devon Butler.

Butler has been the breakout star of Codemasters’ prior makes an attempt at a story: F1 2019’s “taster” of three Formula 2 races heading into a regular profession, and F1 2021’s “Braking Point,” a a lot bigger, chapter-based mode which introduced Butler back in opposition to two new playable protagonists. In a preview for that game, artistic director Lee Mather was delighted that followers “gelled with Devon,” regardless of Codemasters intentionally casting “somebody who’s got a face you wanted to punch.”

So, what does Butler appear like in dwell motion? Unfortunately, we solely acquired a have a look at a nonetheless {photograph} with a voice over. In this fictitious F1 studio present spoke to (very actual) hosts Naomi Schiff (previously of Formula W’s Hitech GP and a Sky Sports persona) and Dickens Junior “durkchocolate” Ngoma, a motorsports Twitch streamer and influencer who simply signed with Red Bull Racing’s esports division as a content material creator.

His hair appears to be like just a little completely different, however for the report, that’s nonetheless a punchable mugshot. Adding to Butler’s douchey enchantment, it appears to be like like Butler has his personal administration company, Butler Global, and it appears to be like prefer it shares twin-billing with Konnersport on first reference. I’m positive that received’t trigger any friction down the road.

Konnersport can be helmed by (once more, fictional) crew principal Tim Fellows, who did make an look to converse to Schiff and Ngoma. And they introduce the Konnersport chassis and livery with all of the flashing lights and lingering digital camera cuts you see when Mercedes or Aston Martin roll out their rides.

I don’t know if that’s an actual chassis Codemasters had painted up — they shot in blended actuality for Grid Legends — nevertheless it certainly appears to be like swell. Also, in case you’re questioning about a few of these sponsors, they’re bogus staples of Codemasters video games going back about 5 years now. Back in 2020, the F1 game subreddit tried to take a stab at what varieties of companies they’re concerned in, however that is admittedly non-canonical.

F1 23 has not been dated but however when it launches — usually in June or early July — it will likely be on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. We ought to discover out that and extra very quickly, starting Monday.

Update: Monday’s portion of F1 23’s rollout revealed the quilt stars. For the usual version, it’s Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes (his eighth cowl), Charles Leclerc of Ferrari (third cowl), and Lando Norris of McLaren (second cowl).

For the premium Champions Edition, it’s double-defending world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull (sixth cowl). Since F1 2015, when Codemasters began utilizing drivers on their field artwork, it’s been customary for the game’s packshot to use a number of stars.

EA Sports mentioned F1 23’s official reveal trailer, presumably throughout which we get the launch date, airs on YouTube on Wednesday, May 3 at 11 a.m. EDT.