Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines!…or fire up your gaming system of choice. Gearheads who enjoy spending their free time playing video games are spoiled for choice these days.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re into track racing, street racing, off-road adventures, open world, realism, or wackiness; there’s a car game available for you.
We’ve omitted iRacing from this list since it’s a full-on racing sim requiring a subscription. Instead, we’ve focused on games that are easily accessible and approachable to both newbies and hardened gaming veterans alike.
Assetto Corsa
Italian developer Kunos Simulazioni launched Assetto Corsa EVO in Early Access on January 16, 2025. The game is still in Early Access, and while full release plans were previously discussed for 2025, an exact 1.0 date has not been firmly confirmed, and it may remain in Early Access into 2026. Until then, thousands will keep playing the original AC that was launched a decade ago. While it’s a bit outdated compared to the competition, there’s one aspect that makes it worth playing over and over: the mods!
The PC version was designed to support extensive modifications, allowing players to add and create cars and tracks. This has resulted in a vast selection of automotive icons and endless miles of digital tarmac to race on.
Assetto Corsa Competizione
ACC is another track-focused racing sim by Kunos Simulazioni, but here, there’s no modder community. ACC lets you race in various GT classes and one-make series cars.
The game is officially licensed by the GT World Challenge Europe and the Total 24 Hours of Spa, so this is the best game currently available if you’re into these kinds of races.
Gran Turismo 7
According to USA Today, Polyphony Digital spent five years developing the first Gran Turismo game that was released in 1997, and it wasn’t like anything we’d ever seen before. Since then, the GT franchise has grown to include eight mainline titles and a handful of prologue and concept titles. While GT7 is considered more of a simcade than a full-blown sim, it’s still one of the best racing games for car enthusiasts.
Here, you’ll find plenty of cars that can be upgraded and modified and lots of tracks from around the world, and it’s one of the most popular games for e-sports tournaments. What more could we possibly ask for? Unfortunately, it’s only available on PlayStation.
Forza Horizon 5
Forza Horizon 5 is the perfect option for those who don’t want a racing game that takes itself too seriously. This is an open-world racer set in Mexico, and the player gets to spend time behind the wheel of modern supercars, old classics, everyday beaters, off-roaders, and anything else you can think of.
In true Forza fashion, all the cars can be modified, and players can even create tracks and areas. If you’re looking for some simple vehicular entertainment rather than a serious track racer, FH5 is hard to beat.
Forza Motorsport
The Forza Motorsport series is currently on its 8th installment, and the latest game marks a new beginning for the franchise. This is Gran Turismo’s closest rival, and if you have an Xbox, it’s probably the best racing game available.
There’s no denying that when it launched on October 10, 2023, Forza Motorsport suffered from more than its fair share of bugs and issues; even today, players feel it lacks content. However, Turn 10 Studios is working on it, continuously releasing new content and updates. It’s not all bad, either, as the game offers great physics, a vast selection of cars, upgrades, mods, and both single-player and multiplayer modes.
Le Mans Ultimate
Le Mans Ultimate entered Early Access on February 20, 2024, and reached full release on July 22, 2025. As the official game of the FIA World Endurance Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, it centers on modern endurance racing with multiple classes.
Compared to some of the other giants on this list, one could argue that LMU falls a bit short in terms of the number of cars and tracks. On the other hand, if you’re into Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championship, this is by far your best option
EA Sports WRC
When it was first released, EA Sports WRC suffered from various issues, but most have been fixed, meaning the game is actually playable. It’s also really enjoyable. Those who like sending their car sideways at 100 mph on tight, twisty gravel roads will find a lot to like here. Many racing games struggle to get the car sounds right, but I think WRC sounds spot-on when playing with a headset.
As the name implies, EA Sports secured full WRC licensing for this game, including all the tracks and cars. There are also customization options. In fact, players can even design and build their own cars.
F1 24
F1 25 is the current mainline entry, launching on May 30, 2025. As usual, it includes official Formula One licensing across teams, drivers, and the season’s content. Some longtime fans still debate handling changes year to year, but if you want the latest official F1 package, F1 25 is the one to buy.
If you liked the approach of previous games, you may want to sit this one out for now, but if you enjoy simcade-style racing, F1 24 could be right up your alley. My best advice would be to try before you buy.
Japanese Drift Master
Japanese Drift Master (JDM, get it? Because it’s drifting, in Japan, with Japanese cars!) is an arcade-style racer where you play a foreigner who desperately wants to become a drift racer. Yes, it sounds a lot like the plot of F&F: Tokyo Drift, but trust me, it’s much better than the movie.
You can go sideways on 100s of miles of digital Japanese asphalt, ranging from urban areas to rural mountain roads. With the focus on JDM cars and car culture, it’s a given that they can be upgraded with both body kits and performance parts. The game features licensed cars, with a roster built around Japanese car culture and drifting.
Expeditions: A MudRunner Game
If you’ve played any of the previous MudRunner or SnowRunner games, you already know Expeditions is not about going fast. Instead, you’ll be clawing your way through challenging terrains and exploring the wilderness.
Honestly, after spending hours hot-lapping some of the world’s most famous racetracks in cockpit view, Expeditions offers a welcome change of pace. Those who dream of leaving it all behind to embark on the overland expeditions of a lifetime will undoubtedly enjoy it.
Tokyo Xtreme Racer
Talk about a blast from the past. For the first time in 18 years, Genki has released a new version of Tokyo Xtreme Racer. The game focuses strictly on street racing, specifically on Tokyo’s highways.
It’s a single-player arcade racer loaded with cool cars, car mods, and plenty of opponents. You’ll cruise around at night, looking for opponents to challenge and destroy. Win enough races, and you’ll be challenged by team bosses. One thing that separates TXR from other racing games is the “Spirit Point” bar. There are no start and finish lines here; instead, the race goes on until either your or your opponent’s Spirit Point bar is empty, so you need to stay in front or trick them into colliding with other cars.
The Crew: Motorfest
Forza Horizon 5 is available on Xbox, PC, and PlayStation 5, so PlayStation players can now play it too. If you want a different open-world festival racer with a similar vibe, The Crew: Motorfest is another option. The Crew: Motorfest (also available for PC/Xbox) is set on the island of O’ahu, Hawaii, and lets you explore the roads and wilderness as you take part in a car festival, again, like FH5.
However, The Crew: Motorfest also lets players take to the skies or water, using planes or boats. That’s something you can’t do in Forza Horizon.