The 10 best PC sim racing games in 2026

What are the best PC racing sim racing platforms available today? It’s a tough question, but we will attempt to answer it as objectively as we can below.

Naturally, all list-type articles carry an element of personal preference to them, so if your favourite sim didn’t place as highly as you’d have liked, please don’t take it personally, it’s just a bit of fun!

Nevertheless, while trying to rank sims in some kind of order, I was struck by the fact that most of the titles on this list are over 10 years old, which is a sobering thought when considering the future of sim racing, especially as 2025’s biggest new releases, Project Motor Racing and Rennsport, turned out to be massive disappointments.

Honourable mentions

Assetto Corsa Rally will likely make this list next year, but despite a hugely encouraging Early Access handling model, there simply isn’t enough content to warrant a placement.

EA SPORTS WRC  and DiRT Rally 2.0 were also considered for the top 10, but their car physics – although fun, especially on gravel – are ultimately not as wieldy as other games.

Thanks to its diverse range of content, stunning graphics and VR performance, Project CARS 2 was also a consideration, but its car physics feel a little sub-par in comparison to the other sims. It was also delisted in 2022, so it is now effectively impossible to buy.

Kart Racing Pro was our pick of the kart sims, while Live For Speed continues to offer an impressive driving experience despite recalcitrant sounds. Fortunately, recent graphics improvements increase its relevance in 2026.

Rennsport and Project Motor Racing, on the other hand, have struggled to capture our imagination post-release and require significant improvement this year lest they fade away from the sim racing space for good.

10. Assetto Corsa Evo

Although it’s had a troubled start to its Early Access life, Assetto Corsa Evo is finally beginning to show the kind of promise we expected over a year ago.

Kunos Simulazioni’s sim sequel to Assetto Corsa has made steady but unspectacular progress during 2025, but finished the year with a flourish, adding the Ferrari SF-25 Formula 1 car (the first sim on the planet to feature a modern F1 car) plus a stack of cars and tracks.

Its much-vaunted open-world mode has yet to appear, however, which could prove to be a turning point for its popularity (who doesn’t want to hoon in and around the Nürburgring Nordschleife in an online lobby?!). But further bug fixes and optimisation are definitely required too to make the most of the game’s recently added Daily Racing Portal mode.

9. BeamNG.drive

All-encompassing crash-em-up BeamNG.drive has been stuck in Early Access purgatory for a while, but it’s still something of an enigma in sim circles. Is it a drift game, a rock-crawling game or a rally game? The truth is, it’s a bit of everything, and a true representation of the phrase: ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’.

The underlying vehicle physics are fun to drive but lack the ultimate feel of most of the sims on this list, but the sheer variety of things to do and interesting scenarios to complete make it a pure joy to play.

The fact that everything is hinged on the most detailed damage model in gaming enhances the whole offering further, so even when you get things wrong seeing your vehicle crushed, smashed and destroyed in the ensuing carnage counts as a satisfying outcome.

Although it’s unlikely to ever reach v1.0 status, when it’s this much fun, should you even care? 

8. Assetto Corsa Competizione

Released out of Steam Early Access in 2018, Assetto Corsa Competizione really picked up a head of steam during COVID-19, when many lapsed sim racers and new converts to the genre suddenly found themselves time-rich.

But the game was more than good enough to justify its position as the GT3 simulator of choice, with incredibly immersive visuals and audio that left many real-world GT3 drivers impressed.

A so-so single-player offering was boosted by the game’s online attraction, however, as it became the platform of choice for SRO Esports, and its popularity with notable streamers like Jardier and James Baldwin further enhanced its appeal.

Today, ACC has seen its GT3 advantage eroded somewhat by the increasing presence of Le Mans Ultimate’s LMGT3 cars, and Assetto Corsa EVO is now the main focus for developer Kunos Simulazioni. The game will also no longer receive future updates, meaning its time is nearly up.

7. rFactor 2

Although Studio 397’s motorsport sim has had its thunder stolen somewhat by the emergence of Le Mans Ultimate, rFactor 2 still represents one of the best-feeling racing sims on the market.

Initially developed by Image Space Incorporated, rFactor 2 boasts excellent force feedback for steering wheel users, plus an array of motorsport disciplines, including fully licensed Formula E, BTCC, IndyCar and GT3 content.

Mods are also a huge factor in rF 2’s success, with integration with the Steam Workshop ensuring players can grab the content they want as efficiently as possible.

It may run a bit shonkily at times, but there’s still a beautiful driving experience underneath all that faff. However, with focus very much on LMU, development of rF 2 has all-but-stopped, despite contracts being in place to produce BTCC content until the end of 2026.

Community-backed projects like Zolder and the latest KartSim DLC prove there’s life in the old dog yet, but for how long, no one knows.

6. Assetto Corsa

Assetto Corsa is a sim that’s getting a little long in the tooth, but Kunos Simulazioni’s title still draws in the crowds today, easily surpassing the player numbers of its more modern brethren Assetto Corsa Competizione and Assetto Corsa EVO combined.

Although the base game is decent, what really sets AC apart from most of its peers is its burgeoning modding scene. AC has proved to be the perfect platform for multiple sub-genres of driving, including drift and free-roam communities, with countless mods for tracks and cars beefing up the game’s online racing offerings.

Compatibility with platforms like Low Fuel Motorsport helps boost player numbers too, with modders implementing photorealistic graphics, day-to-night cycles and dynamic weather into the game.

Sure, its force feedback doesn’t quite match up to the likes of rFactor 2 for precision, but when there’s so much to do, does it even matter?

Interestingly, without mods, the likes of Assetto Corsa and Richard Burns Rally wouldn’t place so highly on our list (which opens up a whole new debate for another time), but it shows the power that an engaged community can have for a sim. 

5. Automobilista 2

Reiza Studios’ took the bold step of using Slightly Mad Studios’ proprietary Madness engine to power Automobilista 2 and the risk has partially paid off for the Brazilian developer.

Although the game suffers from the same handling idiosyncrasies of SMS’ Project CARS series, Reiza has improved the game’s physics immeasurably since its 2020 release date, while its VR performance is almost unrivalled in the sim racing space.

Varied content covering dirt, oval and road disciplines underpin AMS 2, while its commercial tie-ins with IMSA and Low Fuel Motorsport indicate that the future is bright. Recent NASCAR-style content further diversifies the game’s portfolio, with a fleshed-out ranked multiplayer system and a single-player career mode still on our wishlist.

Although older Reiza fans miss the driving purity of the original Automobilista, there’s a lot to like about AMS 2, especially as it runs so well on mid-range gaming PCs.

4. RaceRoom Racing Experience

Alongside the Rallysimfans version of Richard Burns Rally, RaceRoom Racing Experience is the only genuine free-to-play sim on this list.

Although the free content is largely unlicensed and fairly limited in scope, RaceRoom does have a wide variety of top-tier cars and tracks available, especially for tin top fans, with classic DTM and BTCC content providing a nostalgia-fest.

RaceRoom also continues to be the official sim of the modern-day DTM championship, with 2025 content added alongside modern Hypercars and graphical improvements (though sadly still no dynamic weather).

A ranked multiplayer system was also added, boosting player numbers, with players looking forward to further historic and contemporary endurance racing content in 2026.

RaceRoom features excellent audio design and its own adaptive AI opponent system, and it often ranks among the best VR-enabled sims.

3. Richard Burns Rally

Warthog’s venerable 2004 sim may have imploded spectacularly soon after its inception, but thanks to a feverish modding scene Richard Burns Rally maintains relevance today.

It’s not just relevant; it’s still the go-to rally sim for those looking for a more realistic rallying experience, featuring hundreds of scratch-made stages, modern cars and countless utilities that help bring the game close to modern standards.

Its continuing popularity can be partially attributed to the work of the volunteers at Rallysimfans, who have put together an all-in-one package – with the help of RBR modding guru WorkerBee – that makes it easier than ever to enjoy the classic title. And it’s free!

Featuring VR compatibility, support for multiple controllers and countless online rallies and communities to participate in, RSF and RBR look set to satisfy the thirst of rally aficionados for years to come.

2. iRacing

Admittedly, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but iRacing offers a ton of content for sim racers and a fairly bulletproof online matchmaking system to go with it.

The biggest iRacing-related stumbling block for most is its high price compared to its peers, with a monthly subscription required alongside one-time purchases for track and car content.

There’s a decent range of free content, however, with plenty of races to sink your teeth into. iRacing also has perhaps the best wet-weather model of any modern sim and is undoubtedly the number one choice for oval racing fans, thanks to its licensed NASCAR, IndyCar and World of Outlaws content.

Despite its ageing graphics and knife-edge road-course physics model, iRacing is still enjoyed by thousands of regular racers today, with the development team planning to incorporate further handling and graphical improvements in the months and years to come.

And let’s not forget its offline, Adaptive AI-boosted racing or its excellent damage modelling.

1. Le Mans Ultimate

Le Mans Ultimate is Studio 397’s follow-up to rFactor 2, and, after a rocky start, it has rapidly become one of the best racing sims available.

Although it emerged in early 2024 laden with bugs and scant content, Studio 397, along with publisher Motorsport Games, has flipped the narrative, producing a sim that accurately represents the 2023-25 editions of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

The game’s physics are its strong point, but graphics and audio aren’t far behind, with WEC’s complicated Hypercar hybrid systems accurately modelled alongside a roster of laser-scanned tracks.

Controversially, MSG opted to release a tranche of DLC and a subscription system for the game while it was still in Early Access, but the community has largely got on board, given the title’s undoubted potential, with a solid ranked multiplayer system attracting record numbers of players.

European Le Mans Series DLC has boosted the game’s track and car count further, perhaps indicating LMU’s future growth direction, with fans eager to see an IMSA hook-up.

However, LMU still lacks single-player content and a career mode, which should be added in 2026. Optimisation and bug-fixing are still also high on the priority list.