Falling off a motorcycle is never fun. But assuming you’re not hurt, the worst bit is getting back to your bike and having to haul it upright whilst checking for damage. So it’s good to see the new MotoGP 21 bike retrieval feature explained and demonstrated ahead of the April 22nd, 2021 release date.
It’s unfortunate, but every motorcyclist will take a tumble at some point. Some of us have even managed it whilst sat still, as well as on the road, dirt and track. It happens more when you’re pushing the limit by racing, especially if virtual competition means you don’t have to worry about injuries. Which means the new MotoGP 21 bike retrieval feature is probably something you’ll become quite familiar with.

When you’ve had a crash in MotoGP 21, you won’t respawn as in previous titles. Instead your rider will pick themselves up, while your bike lays forlorn on the ground. So you’ll have to direct your character back to it, at which point an animiation sequence will take over. Which is probably a better choice than having some sort of button press minigame to simulate the fun of trying to pick up a heavy motorcycle full of fuel.
In all seriousness, this could be a more useful addition to the series than you might think. Having a bigger implication to crashes, particularly for online racing, might reduce some of the divebombs and ill-considered moves which are a big part of virtual motorsport. And gives you a chance to retrieve your motorcycle and get away from the rammers and crashers, before they’ve managed to find where their bike has landed.
Plus it adds a little bit of virtual risk to exploring the limits. Part of the fun and excitement of motorcycling is the element of risk. And while none of us would want to have real physical injuries from playing a game, having more consequences from crashing makes it a little closer to the real thing.
MotoGP 21 is being released for the PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch. You can pre-order MotoGP 21 from Game, with the bonus of some exclusive limited edition liveries. Or you can add it to your Steam wishlist in preparation for April 22nd, 2021.
Keep up with all the latest MotoGP 21 news, updates and eSports, here.
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