If you're a car-loving gamer, there's been an automaker sadly absent from some of your favorite automotive games.

I'm talking about Porsche. The beloved German sports car manufacturer has been unable to put its virtual wares into games because of a tied-up licensing deal with EA. If you wanted to drive a Porsche in a video game, you were going to have to do so in a "Need for Speed" title or some other older EA game. That's over now, because that deal has officially ended.

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Yes, the occasional Porsche vehicle would make its way into a more modern, non-EA game. That was typically handled by way of expanded downloadable content or through the use of tuned Porsche vehicles such as those from Ruf. It wouldn't be called a Porsche in the game, instead you'd spend your virtual sheckels on the Ruf Yellowbird, which is admittedly not a bad way to spend your hard-earned pretend money.

Still, if you want a real racing simulation, one of the world's great automakers should be involved. Now that's going to happen and is in fact already happening. If you have "Assetto Corsa," you can drive some Porsche cars. The whole Porsche family should find its way into the next versions of "Gran Turismo" and "Forza" as well.

It's a good day for both fans of the Porsche brand and those who enjoy spinning Logitech wheels or flinging joysticks.