JDM: Ph4ntom Driver brings demon-bashing racing to PC
Gaming Factory has announced a supernatural spin-off that turns JDM cars into weapons against an army of Oni.
Gaming Factory has announced JDM: Ph4ntom Driver, a standalone spin-off of JDM: Japanese Drift Master that swaps straight racing for supernatural car combat. It is coming to PC via Steam, although the developer has not announced a release date.1
A corrupted world built for combat
The game is set in an alternative version of the fictional Japanese prefecture of Guntama, where a ruthless demon has conquered the region and commands Oni armies. Players will drive through the corrupted open world while fighting their way towards Shouten Douji, the Demon King.12
The car is the main weapon. Ph4ntom Driver combines drifting and nitro management with ramming attacks, supernatural powers and a Hakai score that rewards chained combat skills. The Steam description also promises new cars and parts to discover, alongside upgrades for both driving performance and combat capability.2
The spin-off is not simply a new mode for JDM: Japanese Drift Master. Gaming Factory describes it as an overhauled open-world adventure with a manga-driven single-player campaign and familiar characters appearing in new roles. Multiplayer modes are planned for launch, but the announcement does not give a firm date for either the game or those modes.12
What we know about the launch
The Steam listing confirms that JDM: Ph4ntom Driver is planned for Windows PC and is currently marked as coming soon. Its listed minimum requirements include 16GB of memory and a GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, Radeon RX 6700 or Intel Arc B580-class graphics card, though the requirements may change before release.2
The announcement trailer is available through the Steam page, which also lists Gaming Factory as both developer and publisher. For now, the clearest takeaway is that this is a more aggressive, fantastical branch of the JDM universe rather than a conventional racing sequel.12
Our opinion
Turning the car into a battering ram is a properly clear hook. JDM: Ph4ntom Driver looks less like a routine spin-off and more like Gaming Factory testing how far its street-racing world can bend before it becomes an action game with engines. The Oni army, supernatural powers and corrupted-city setting give the announcement a stronger identity than another list of licensed cars would have done. The missing release date means the idea still has plenty to prove, but the premise is distinctive enough to keep on the radar.