SuperTuxKart Evolution is the name of the next major release of SuperTuxKart.

A continuation of SuperTuxKart’s long history, it will at the same time bring considerable change ; with a vast amount of new content and a strong focus on higher and more consistent quality.

It aims to offer players the experience of a new game within the same game series.

Our core team is led by Alayan, co-leader of SuperTuxKart since 2019, and Sven, lead artist of the project after Samuncle’s departure.

See our Team page for more information about the people behind SuperTuxKart Evolution!

We already know what our main goals are for the SuperTuxKart Evolution release and have an informal internal roadmap. We aim to release a new public roadmap for the community in an upcoming update.

We have not forgotten about 1.5. We aim to release it as soon as we can.

STK Evolution started as a project foremost due to the desire to offer a fresh experience to STK players. To offer refined and renewed gameplay, to add and revise tracks, and more, means finally moving on from the gameplay compatibility that has characterized releases since 1.0. This new name symbolizes this major step.

The past contributions of our lead artist, Sven, and of our lead developer, Alayan, prove that our team has the capability to undertake this challenge.

But in the end, we don’t ask people to simply trust our word, but to judge this project on its own merits. We will strive to provide regular updates on the game’s development and in the end it will be by playing our next major release that skeptics will be convinced that this project is where SuperTuxKart’s story lives on.

SuperTuxKart, as a free and open source game, welcomes new contributors that can bring their passion or their expertise to improve things within the game. All of the current team members started as contributors that wanted to make the game better, receiving more responsibilities as we proved our dedication. Paying attention to all feedback is important for us, but we also believe that those who actively contribute should have a greater involvement in the project’s direction.

The development of a new major version with new tracks and gameplay changes will be our main focus. We aim to provide a smooth and refreshed experience, with higher and more consistent quality.

At the same time, we also want to improve communication between the playerbase and the development team.

Finally, to help support a higher pace of developpment, we hope to revitalize external contributions, and aim to bring the next major version on Steam and to gather donations to be able to dedicate more time on the game.

Part of what has motivated us to become FOSS contributors is our belief that software should respect and serve its users. This means respecting privacy, but also being respectful of the users time and fun. Consistent with this core value, we will never track users or send ads/ID tokens. We will never add pop-up advertisements, video ads, or any kind of sponsored content interrupting or distracting from gameplay. However, we may name sponsors in the credits or include environmental advertising elements (like billboards near race tracks) to enhance realism and atmosphere provided they fit the game’s aesthetic.

Failed efforts at communicating had fostered misunderstandings, harmed trust, and prevented proper cooperation to release 1.5. This led us to conclude that a continuation of the statu quo was hampering progress for the project, and that it was not possible to keep working with Benau, who was co-leader of STK since 2019.

Thankfully, over the days that followed the STK Evolution announcement, renewed efforts have allowed both sides to better understand each other, and Benau has agreed to help transfer the project resources he had sole control over, in order to allow their continued use for SuperTuxKart and to facilitate the project’s progress. The 1.5 release will be made jointly.

The STK Evolution team salutes this cool-headed choice, putting the good of the project first. We will strive to honor the trust put into us.

Our aim is to ensure that at least 2, and preferably 3, trusted persons have access to each important resource needed to continue developping or promoting the project, to ensure redudancy in case someone becomes unable to assume his role. We are nonetheless exploring options to implement further safeguards so that disagreements within the team don’t threaten the project’s continuity.