Home

Features

Lists

From Forza to GTA: The Best New Racing Games Coming Soon

From a new Grand Theft Auto to a fresh NASCAR installment, these are just some new racing games we're looking forward to in 2025 and 2026.

New Racing Games Worth Being Excited About

Photo by: Ralph Hermens | Motor1

Jeff Perez

By: Jeff Perez

Aug 29, 2025 at 12:00pm ET

Add Motor1.com as a preferred source in Google

Comment

When Gran Trak 10 debuted on the Atari console in 1974, it was revolutionary. For the first time ever, gamers could get behind the wheel of a virtual race car and test their skills on a track—albeit a very basic one.

Fast forward to 2025, and car video games are much, much different. Now, you can suit up in full racing gear and step into a high-performance endurance car, soar through the skies as a fantasy character, or take on the role of a long-haul trucker transporting cargo across the country.

No matter your preference, racing and driving games have come a long way in the last 50 years—and the future looks even more promising.

In the coming years, dozens of new titles are set to hit the market, from fresh installments in the Forza Horizon series to ultra-realistic simulators based on WEC and NASCAR. Whether you’re on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch, there’s something for every racing enthusiast. Take a look.

Endurance Motorsport Series

Release Date: 2026
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Price: TBA

As the name implies, this latest installment from Nacon is all about endurance racing. But it’s not just about racing. Endurance Motorsport Series lets you manage every aspect of your team, from the garage to the track. Want to take the driver’s seat? Go for it. Prefer to work behind the scenes as an engineer? That’s an option too. The game offers a wide range of gameplay possibilities.

Originally slated for release later this year, the title has been delayed slightly and is now expected sometime in 2026. Nacon will announce more details, including pricing, closer to launch.

Forza Horizon 6

Forza Horizon 5 High Performance

Forza Horizon 5

Release Date: 2026 (est.)
Platforms: TBA
Price: TBA

Even with Turn 10 Studios in flux, rumors suggest that a new Forza Horizon game is still on the—well—horizon. Four years after the release of the last installment, Forza Horizon 6 is reportedly in development, with Japan rumored as its next setting, according to Windows Central.

While nothing has been officially confirmed, an announcement could come as early as next month, with a potential release sometime in 2026.

Garfield Kart 2 - All You Can Drift

Release Date: September 10, 2025
Nintendo Switch, PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S
Price: $29.99 / $39.99

You know what Garfield hates more than Mondays? Losing. In Garfield Kart 2 - All You Can Drift, you can race through the wacky world of Garfield in one of your favorite characters from the series, like Odie, Arlene, and yes, even John.

The game launches on September 10, 2025, and will be available for Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. It starts at $29.99 on Switch 2 and costs $39.99 for console.

Grand Theft Auto VI

Release Date: May 26, 2026
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Price: $70 (est.)

Grand Theft Auto VI—one of the most highly anticipated games in recent memory—is now set to release on May 26, 2026. After a wave of teasers and trailers showcasing the chaotic adventures of Jason Duval, GTA VI is shaping up to be another epic entry in the long-running franchise, complete with gators, guns, and plenty of mayhem.

The first trailer dropped back in 2023, originally teasing a release for later this year. However, the developers have since delayed the launch to 2026—meaning fans will have to wait a little longer to live out our wildest Florida Man fantasies.

Kirby Air Riders

Release Date: October 11, 2025
Platforms: Nintendo Switch 2
Price: $69.99

Imagine Mario Kart but Kirby-fied—that's essentially what the new Kirby Air Riders is. A riff on the original Kirby Air Ride for the Nintendo GameCube, director Masahiro Sakurai—the same director behind the beloved Super Smash Bros. franchise—returns for the reinvented Air Ride.

The first official trailer gives us a brief glimpse into the world of Kirby Air Riders, with dozens of cars, courses, and Kirby characters to choose from. It releases on October 11, 2025, exclusively on the Nintendo Switch 2. Buyers can pre-order it now, starting at $69.99.

Project Motor Racing

Release Date: November 25, 2025
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Price: $69.99

Project Motor Racing is already shaping up to be one of the most ambitious games in recent history, with more than 70 driveable tracks and up to 10 racing classes to choose from. Developer Straight4 Studios even suggests a VR support at launch.

Project Motor Racing launches on November 25, 2025, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. It starts at $69.99 on console.

Road Kings

Release Date: 2026
Platforms: PC
Price: TBA

Driving a tractor-trailer across the southern US might not sound as thrilling as racing at Le Mans or soaring through a fantastical world, but the trailer for Road Kings suggests otherwise. This hyper-realistic long-haul trucking simulator puts you behind the wheel of a 40-ton semi, letting you take on jobs across the country to earn money and upgrade your rig.

Developed by Saber Interactive, we expect Road Kings to launch sometime in 2026, though Saber Interactive hasn’t announced an official release date or pricing. The game is already available to wishlist on Steam ahead of its debut next year.

NASCAR 25

Release Date: October 14, 2025
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Price: $69.99

After a brief hiatus, super speedway racing returns to consoles with the release of NASCAR 25. Developed by iRacing Studios, this latest installment in the NASCAR series promises improved graphics, expanded features, and the largest roster of playable drivers in recent memory.

NASCAR 25 will let players compete in the Craftsman Truck Series, Xfinity Series, and even the ARCA Menards Series—alongside the top-level Cup Series. The game launches on October 14, 2025, for PC, PS5, and Xbox, with a starting price of $69.99.

Sonic Racing: Crossworlds

Release Date: September 25, 2025
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Price: $69.99

It might sound like a silly premise—racing through fictional worlds and collecting rings as your favorite Sonic the Hedgehog character—but Sonic Racing: Crossworlds actually looks like it could be a ton of fun.

Launching on September 25, 2025, Sonic Racing: Crossworlds invites players to "transcend dimensions"—whatever that means—with dozens of characters, tracks, and different worlds to explore. The game will be available on PC and consoles, starting at $69.99.

Wreckfest 2

Release Date: TBA
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Price: $29.99

What do you think?

View

Comments

Wreckfest 2 is the follow-up to the 2018 original, with developer Bugbear Studios rebuilding its physics engine for even better damage simulation, which is absent from hardcore games like Forza Motorsport or Gran Turismo. Wreckfest lives up to its name by offering a variety of racing types, tracks, including the chaotic figure 8, and ratty racers designed to encourage bad behavior.

Wreckfest 2 is currently in early access on Steam for $29.99, with the full game’s release expected to happen by March. It’ll also be available on the PlayStation and Xbox Series X/S.

The Latest Video Game News

Subaru's New EV Will Be Named After a Video Game

Forza Motorsport Could Be in Trouble Following Microsoft Layoffs

A New Grand Theft Auto VI Trailer Just Dropped. It Looks Insane

There's a New Mario Kart Game. It Looks Awesome

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motor1.com?

Take our 3 minute survey.

- The Motor1.com Team

Share this Story