Burnout 3 Online Multiplayer Returns on PC Thanks to Fan Project

Online multiplayer has returned to Burnout 3: Takedown through Takedawn, an unofficial PC port of Criterion Games’ 2004 racing classic, allowing players to compete against one another without relying on EA’s original servers.

Developed by xenophobentx, Takedawn uses static recompilation to convert the original Xbox game’s code into a native application for Windows, Linux, macOS and other supported devices. The project first appeared in October, but its latest updates have introduced one of the original game’s most requested missing features.

Released on November 5, version 0.3.0 restores online racing through a replacement lobby server, complete with matchmaking, custom games and track voting. Players can select QUICK PLAY to join an available race or create their own session, with matchmaking automatically starting a 30-second countdown once at least two racers have joined.

Friends can also join sessions using five-letter game codes, while the BROWSE GAMES option displays available lobbies, races already in progress and full sessions. If a race has started, players can wait for it to finish before joining the next one.

One particularly welcome improvement is that racers no longer have to organise another lobby after every event. Takedawn automatically returns participants to the same group, preserving their selected cars and settings for the following race.

The developer followed up on November 6 with version 0.3.1, introducing a server relay designed to resolve connection problems between players. Previously, users could be removed from a race after approximately 20 seconds if they couldn’t establish a direct connection to the host, often because the necessary router ports were closed.

The new system attempts a direct connection first, then routes traffic through the project’s server when required. According to the developer’s Takedawn 0.3.1 release notes, using the relay can add approximately 10 to 60 milliseconds of latency in Europe compared with a direct connection.

However, online play isn’t without limitations. Races still end if the host leaves, and some connection issues can prevent players from staying in a full lobby. The developer plans to introduce host migration, although no release date has been announced.

Alongside multiplayer, Takedawn introduces several improvements over the original Xbox release. These include rendering at up to four times the original resolution, widescreen and ultrawide support, optional HDR, custom soundtracks and smoother crash cameras. Split-screen racing also supports 60 FPS, while experimental higher-refresh-rate presentation preserves the underlying game’s 60-step simulation.

I find the timing particularly interesting because another EA racing classic recently received similar treatment. The fan-made Need for Speed Underground 2 browser revival also restored online racing to a game from 2004, although it runs directly in supported web browsers rather than through a separately installed native application.

Takedawn is free to download, but players must supply their own legally obtained original Xbox copy of Burnout 3: Takedown. The project does not distribute the game or its original assets. Installation accepts a compatible disc image or extracted game files, including the North American release and two European versions newly supported in version 0.3.0.

That European compatibility is especially useful for UK players who still own the original Xbox disc. Supported platforms include 64-bit Windows, Linux, Steam Deck, Apple silicon Macs and an experimental Android build. Local network multiplayer is also available without an internet connection.

Takedawn remains an unofficial, non-commercial project with no affiliation to Electronic Arts or Criterion Games. Its restored online features are available now in version 0.3.1, with further multiplayer improvements dependent on continued development.