The first standalone IndyCar game in two decades will be released next year, as announced by iRacing Studios. This dedicated simulation is scheduled for the “second half” of 2026 and will be available on Xbox Series consoles, PlayStation 5, and on PC via Steam, including the Steam Deck.
A Strategic Partnership and a Highly Anticipated Release
iRacing officially welcomed IndyCar to its simulation platform in early 2024, following the racing league’s abrupt split from Motorsport Games. Many hoped this iRacing-IndyCar partnership would go beyond mere support on the PC simulator. A situation similar to NASCAR, which also partnered with iRacing after terminating its exclusive contract with Motorsport Games, an agreement that had resulted in the disastrous NASCAR 21 Ignition.
The Promising Features of the IndyCar Game
According to iRacing’s press release, the 2026 IndyCar game will feature “a robust, multi-tiered career mode, officially licensed drivers from the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone, as well as an online multiplayer mode.” It will be developed by a “dedicated team” using an enhanced version of the Orontes engine, which was the foundation of ExoCross, the futuristic racing game with rich physics released by iRacing last year.
The Growth and Strategy of iRacing Studios
iRacing Studios has grown significantly in recent years and now includes several teams developing different games on unique technologies, beyond its eponymous PC simulation platform. Tony Gardner, President of iRacing, stated: “Our INDYCAR title will benefit from this growth, as it will be the sole priority of one of these teams. The game will also integrate elements such as car and track assets, technology, and driving characteristics developed for other iRacing Studios products.”
A Release That Marks Racing Video Game History
The last contemporary IndyCar game on consoles was Codemasters’ IndyCar Series 2005 for PlayStation 2 and Xbox, although it was released in 2004 and all its content was based on the 2003 season. Hopefully, next year’s game will mark the beginning of a more regular release schedule for the years to come. America’s premier open-wheel racing series, along with its fans, certainly deserve it.