IN a true showing of the "gamification" of agriculture, the digital version of a major machinery brand's latest gear will be available to play in a video game before it arrives in a real life paddock.
In the lead-up to the release of Farming Simulator 22, game developer Giants Software has received requests from big-name brands to get their machines in before customers even step into their actual cabs.
One example is the Claas Trion (and its three models) combine harvester which will be showcased and available in-game when the game launches later this year.
The Claas Trion 750 Terra Trac is the brand new top model in the company's compact combine harvester class.
With the Claas Trion 720, 730 and 750, players in the game can choose from three versions of the combine harvester with the Terra Trac tracked undercarriage that protects the soil.
The top model, the Trion 750, has an output of 435 horsepower and a grain tank capacity of 12,000 litres, just like its real-life counterpart.
The Convio Flex 1080 also finds its way into Farming Simulator 22 as a matching header.
The developer has also created a way to see the Claas Trion in all of its glory through a mobile phone using augmented reality.
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To get a taste of the virtual Claas Trion 750 Terra Trac right now, fans can embed the combine harvester in their environment through the camera of their smartphone or tablet and view it from every angle - as if the real harvester was standing directly in front of the camera lens.
The augmented reality model is available via QR code and link on the mobile site at farming-simulator.com.
More information about the new machine is available on the manufacturer's website.
Farming Simulator 22 will be released on November 22 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. Pre-orders include the Claas Xerion Saddle Trace for free.
The game will feature new crops, new maps, new machines and new brands. This version will also include snow conditions with the addition of seasonal cycles.
Virtual farmers can now plant and harvest grapes to produce juice and olives to produce high-quality olive oil within the new production chains feature.
Sorghum has also been added to the range of arable crops.
With more than 400 machines and tools from more than 100 authentic agricultural brands including new categories, players can look forward to an improved and simulation.
Giants Software chief executive officer, Christian Ammann said the company was further growing with its games.
"The upcoming result of our cultivated ambitions will be a milestone in the series' history as well as our company, which developed into a self-determined publisher in full control of its product," Mr Ammann said.
The Farming Simulator series has become a juggernaut on the video game scene.
Since 2008, more than 25 million versions of Farming Simulator have been sold worldwide.
The game series has been released on all popular platforms including consoles, mobile phones, tablets and PCs since then.
Budding digital primary producers can now also compete in the Farming Simulator League (FSL) which was launched as a competitive eSports mode in 2019 with teams competing in professional tournaments and many acclaimed brands and sponsors on board.
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Ashley Walmsley
Ashley Walmsley is the editor of ACM's only national, fresh produce magazine, Good Fruit & Vegetables, while also covering horticulture stories for the agricultural papers and websites. He also writes the weekly, The Ringer, column in the Qld Country Life.
Ashley Walmsley is the editor of ACM's only national, fresh produce magazine, Good Fruit & Vegetables, while also covering horticulture stories for the agricultural papers and websites. He also writes the weekly, The Ringer, column in the Qld Country Life.
