Car model licensing costs

Forza Horizon Forza Horizon 5 FH5 Discussion
1

A moment ago and just out of curiosity I asked Copilot this question:

How much does it cost a car racing simulator game’s developer to license a car model?

I thought you might like to know what Copilot had to say:

The cost of licensing a car model for a racing simulator game varies widely depending on the manufacturer, the specific car, and the terms of the agreement. Some developers have reported that licensing a real-life car can range from five to seven figures.

Factors that influence the cost include:

  • The popularity and prestige of the car brand (Ferrari will likely cost more than a lesser-known brand).
  • Whether the license includes telemetry data, 3D scans, and other technical details.
  • The type of agreement—some brands charge a flat fee, while others take a percentage of game sales.
  • Whether the game features damage models (some manufacturers are hesitant to allow their cars to be shown in a damaged state).

Some developers manage to negotiate free licenses if their project aligns with a brand’s marketing goals or serves a charitable purpose. If you’re developing a game, reaching out directly to car manufacturers or licensing consultants might be the best way to get an accurate estimate.

2

Not to be the “anti AI” guy here, but … source?

2 Likes
3

Copilot.

I’m assuming it’s like the Google ai search result that pulls from multiple sources.

Tldr of the post anyway:

If you’re developing a game, reaching out directly to car manufacturers or licensing consultants might be the best way to get an accurate estimate

4

Yes. As robotiChart says, and I remarked, it came from Microsoft’s Copilot. It’s Microsoft’s AI assistant, now present in Windows 10 and 11 from recent updates, and even in Android.

I’m not a big fan of AI - or rather not a big fan of what seem to be the goals of the AI developers and hypers - but it’s oddly been quite a bit more useful than I expected. A response sometimes offers links to sources.

5

Not to be that guy, but then, like…why not just Google the question and get those sources directly? I’ve seen a bunch of people recently say “I asked this AI about it” and it just feels like an unnecessary middleman that’s as likely as not to feed you a bunch of nonsense.

2 Likes
6

It probably helps to know the difference between AI and non AI. Google is a search engine that uses algorithms to find relevant sources of information, so at most could be called AI assisted. Copilot, ChatGTP etc go one(or more) step(s) further, by summarising the results. In scientific terms, the 2nd approach fails the “citation needed”, unless those are also included.

1 Like
7

Hmm. I had hoped that my post might engender an interesting discussion about the licensing of car models in car racing simulation video games, perhaps even drawing in someone with direct knowledge or personal experience. Instead, it immediately went full meta. Ah well. The pitfalls of online discourse.

8

So, by the way you phrased it, you got responses.
I used your question in Copilot, and got the same answer, except an additional sentence linking to a reddit thread. Did you get that and ignore it?

9

Wasn’t on my response. If it had been I would have cited it, or expanded my post.

10

In that case, as you have stated that you hoped to get an insight from those with direct experience/knowledge, I would recommend searching in Reddit.
If you wish to avoid Reddit (as some find it toxic), my summary would be as per Copilot, but with more nuance - e.g. Intellectual Property rights vary by country.