In case you’ve been living on the moon, Grand Theft Auto VI will be released in November. As it’s set to be the biggest entertainment release of the decade, many other video game releases are either crammed into October or will launch in the first quarter of next year.
Imagine working on a title for five years, only to be lost in the same release week as the first all-new GTA in over a decade? Commercial suicide.
Thus, this month (October 2026) continues the release deluge that began in September. Then, there was Hot Wheels Infinite Rush, NASCAR 26 plus major iRacing, Le Mans Ultimate and Assetto Corsa Rally updates. Over the next four weeks, there will be…
MXGP 26
Release date: 1st October (Standard Edition)
“Wait, wasn’t this new official game of the FIM Motocross World Championship released in September?” I hear you cry.
Well, it was, but only the premium edition. The regular, base game releases 1st October. So, a strange case where one game straddles two months.
This sees a complete reboot of the series. A new game engine, revised development team (it’s a long story…) and fresh physics. For the most part, it largely succeeds, but it’s far too bare-bones for now.
Think of it like F1 2015, where the fundamental mechanics were there before F1 2016 added in the modes. That’s MXGP 26: Solid, unspectacular; a sequel capable of greatness.
Star Wars: Galactic Racer
Release date: 6th October
A quarter of a century. That’s how long it’s been since a decent, dedicated Star Wars racing game was released. Also, it’s been 18 years since the last major Burnout game (Paradise).
Star Wars: Galactic Racer should appeal to both Star Wars and Burnout fans, with the lore and setting from the former and some of the development team and takedown mechanics from the latter.
In theory, you can enjoy this even if you don’t know your Colo Claw Fish from your Thala-Siren Milk and simply play it as a wholesome arcade racing game.
Gear.Club Unlimited 3 PC and home console
Release date: 8th October
Originally a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive upon its release earlier this year, the third main Gear.Club Unlimited game will hit PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S this month.
The content and structure will remain the same: licensed cars that can be modified, races set in either Japan or France and a traffic-dodging No Hesi-style mode. It’s not an open-world game, but it has a free-roam mode too.
Arriving on the same day as Gear.Club is a Switch 2 port of Ubisoft’s wildly popular The Crew Motorfest.
A surprising release, we’ll test whether the graphics, loading times, and performance are up to scratch in a Nintendo console context.
But it should be the full Hawaiian island experience, plus the post-release updates PC, PS and Xbox players have come to expect. That means a luscious environment mixed with varied gameplay.
over the hill
Release date: 14th October
As this is the next game by Funselektor (absolute drift, art of rally, golden lap), everything must be lowercase, even though that sends my spell-checker into panic mode.
So, it’s not Over The Hill, but instead, over the hill.
Anyway, the game. It’s beautiful, relaxing and the perfect antidote to several sweaty ranked Le Mans Ultimate races. You free-roam (single-player or up to four online co-op) expansive areas, with dynamic weather, in ponderous off-road vehicles. You aim to photograph wildlife, find hidden items and even extract meteorites.
The limited-time PC demo earlier this year was charming, and the full release is nearly here. Console versions are confirmed for 2027, too.
SimRacing Expo Frankfurt
Dates: 16-18th October
No, not a game or sim racing update, but arguably something more important.
The SimRacing Expo’s European show has moved location this year, now to the newer, larger, and more connected Frankfurt Messe.
There will be a slew of new sim racing equipment launches and updates, plus panels from top creators, live competitive racing, and likely debut software updates too.
On the latter point, at least RaceRoom and Rennsport will be present, and several leading hardware companies are expected to use the event to unveil new product lines. In fact, Friday will have a live stage dedicated purely to world premieres, with at least 12 lined up.
The mere notion of BeamNG.drive releasing onto anything but a PC is strange to the Traxion team. The fact that it’s coming to PlayStation 5, and so soon, is alien.
But it’s happening, and we’re told, with the full soft-body physics systems that this open-world driving sim is touted for.
Expect unique scenarios, drifting, rallying, trucks, police chases and many, many crunching collisions.
This will still be in early access, however, and likely in perpetuity too. But PS5 owners will soon be able to join in with the weird and wonderful world of BeamNG.
Gran Turismo 7 Spec IV, Part 1
Release date: October TBC
Gran Turismo 7 has long received monthly (ish) free updates, plus the Power Pack paid DLC.
A ‘Spec’ update is something else. Free, unlike the aforementioned Power Pack, but more substantial than a ‘regular’ monthly update.
Spec III was released last year and was unprecedented in Gran Turismo series history, with GT7 morphing into a live service platform. Spec IV will build on this, but split into two phases, releasing in October and December respectively.
This first drop will add a new track (Sugo) and six new cars, plus a suite of smaller changes such as car-specific challenges (dubbed ‘Experience’), some kind of ‘Vintage’ car dealership, increased collector level cap and a Car Concierge service.
On paper, December’s update seems more substantial, with Autumn Ring, six additional cars alongside online shuffle races, a family mode, and a GT Sophy evolution.
Several in-game locations will become 7-Eleven convenience stores, with the Japanese-owned chain synonymous with car meet culture, making it a good fit for Playground Games’s all-conquering title (for UK readers, think along the lines of your local Tesco car park on a Saturday night).
We imagine there’ll be more goodies in the 7-Eleven Evolving World and EventLab Content Pack, too, although the full details have yet to be revealed.
Players in Canada and the US can also pick up a special 2020 Toyota GR Supra 7-Eleven Edition in-game by purchasing certain items from real 7-Eleven stores.
Expected but not confirmed
Assetto Corsa EVO free roam
Assetto Corsa EVO
Purely based on the recent release cadence for Assetto Corsa EVO’s early access, we anticipate an update in October.
Developer Kunos Simulazioni has confirmed that the next update will include the ‘first iteration’ of the highly anticipated free roam mode (set in Germany).
Thus, we think free roam arrives this month. Or we’ve done 2+2=5.
We’ll find out either way soon enough….
Euro Truck Simulator 2 – Coaches and Iceland
Although a release date hasn’t been confirmed, it wouldn’t surprise us to see Euro Truck Simulator’s much-vaunted Coaches mode drop in October.
Developer SCS Software has been teasing this and sister title American Truck Simulator’s Road Trip mode ad nauseam, but with the latter released in September, this month feels like the perfect time to unleash buses onto European roads.
If you’ve ever wanted to transport vast quantities of surly humans from one place to another, tut loudly when a passenger needs to break a 20-Euro note, or choose the curtain colour on a Volvo double-decker, you’re in luck.
Likewise, a release date for the game’s Iceland DLC is still unknown, but could well arrive this month. As far as map expansions go, Iceland won’t offer the most eclectic backdrop, but it will be spectacular, perhaps offering a Death Stranding-like travelling experience through the volcanic tundra.
Needless to say, coach passengers are advised to remain seated during eruptions… and voidouts.
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