Let’s say farewell to the Demo-Prologue!

As the full version of JDM: Japanese Drift Master approaches, big changes are on the horizon. The final round of JDM Champions is here, but before we crown the last winners, it's time to bid farewell to the beloved prologue demo—JDM: Rise of the Scorpion.

With the release date announcement, you got a first look at the gameplay, captured directly from the latest build of the full version, and can see firsthand how the project has evolved since. We've put so much work into JDM: Japanese Drift Master that we feel the prologue-demo from August 2024 no longer represents the current state and quality of the game.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
We’ve gathered valuable feedback from JDM: Rise of the Scorpion players, which has been a key motivation in making the full version an even bigger and better experience for everyone. Here are a few key factors that led to our decision to close the prologue-demo.

[h3]Visual Fidelity[/h3]
We’ve updated the engine to Unreal Engine 5 significantly improving lighting, reflections, shadows, and overall visual quality. We’re working hard to eliminate ghosting and other visual issues, which were present in the demo. JDM: Japanese Drift Master will meet and exceed the visual standards of a 2025 release.

[h3]Unreal Engine 5[/h3]
Upgrading to UE5 has brought performance improvements and better game optimization, giving us more tools to fine-tune the experience for PC players. The process is still ongoing but the progress so far has been phenomenal. We’re committed to delivering a well-polished product on launch.


[h3]Game Physics[/h3]
We’ve also refined the driving experience based on your valuable feedback. While driving physics can be subjective, we’ve focused on enhancing the overall feel of the cars on the road while expanding the functionality of driving assists. Our goal is to create the ultimate simcade experience—a perfect balance where both sim-racing enthusiasts and casual players can enjoy a rewarding challenge and pure driving fun!

[h3]Binding System[/h3]
We've been testing steering wheels, pedals, shifters, and handbrakes from various manufacturers. From industry giants like Logitech G and Thrustmaster to lesser-known brands and generic controllers, our goal is to make as many devices as possible plug-and-play at launch. At the same time, we're enhancing our custom binding system, ensuring that even if we miss a device, you'll still be able to race seamlessly.

With all the improvements we’ve made, demo-prologue JDM: Rise of the Scorpion no longer reflects the quality of the full game which will be a significantly enhanced experience in comparison. As a result, we’ll be shutting it down on Monday, February 3rd at 3:00 p.m. CET, in preparation for the official launch of JDM: Japanese Drift Master on March 26th.

Before we say goodbye, let’s crown:

[h3]🏆 The Final JDM Champions for January 2025 🏆[/h3]

This month the first two positions in the table were deliberately skipped, as Hikkoid was our Drift champion and Jujudu0612 our Grip champion in December. Both have already secured their place in the Hall of Fame.

Drift Challenge:

• jujudu0612 with an impressive score of 421918.
  

Grip Challenge:

• Simgii with a blazing time of 03: 20: 101.
  

Congratulations to our Champions! If you’d like to join the Discord Hall of Fame, hop into our server and reach out to our community manager, Julian. You will only need a Discord account connected to your Steam account so we can confirm your Steam ID.

JDM: Japanese Drift Master launches on March 26th, 2025! If it’s already on your wishlist, don’t forget to hit the ‘Follow’ button on our Steam page to stay updated on all the exciting reveals. We know the hype is real, so tell us in the comments: would you like to see a similar challenge in the full version of the game? Remember to join our Discord community and connect with fellow drift enthusiasts! Let’s gear up for launch day together!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1153410/JDM_Japanese_Drift_Master/


Let’s Drift,
Gaming Factory