The racing game and sim racing genre has continued its rapid evolution over the past year, with many class-leading releases landing in 2021. But trust us when we say 2022 is set for an even more profound leap forward.
This greater competition will lead to a bigger choice of better titles. We’ll all win.
The return of classic console franchises Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport lead the way, duking it out, head-to-head as if it is 2013 all over again. The development of long-standing PC-based simulators will also heat up once more.
Yearly sports franchises will see a return to the spotlight, with the two biggest implementing all-new rulesets for the year ahead, and several motorsport series gaining new entries in the video game sphere.
Accessible racers will also expand in the year ahead, with at least one – but hopefully two – open-world driving titles returning to the fore.
All the while, developers the world over are starting to squeeze the best of out the latest generation PC, PlayStation and Xbox hardware – hopefully delivering engrossing experiences that envelope players in new and exciting environments.
Racing game and sim racing fans – we’ve never had it better, and 2022 will be no exception.
Confirmed releases
GRID Legends
The return of Codemasters’ enigmatic racing series for the first time since a 2019 reboot adds in an expansive single-player career with team management and vehicle updates, a narrative-lead ‘Driven to Glory’ experience and innovative online modes.
Our early-build hands-on also showcased a refined handling model and steering wheel support too. If it all fits together as it should, then GRID Legends could be a game that brings several people back to the series.
Release date: 25th February 2022
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.
Gran Turismo 7
Polyphony Digital’s gigantic racing game series returns to its roots in 2022, after a sedate jaunt down the ranked online testing in GT Sport. We expect all the cars, content and online features of the spin-off to carry across into Gran Turismo 7, but built upon extensively, with a brand-new single-player career with the emphasis on car collection.
Pretty visuals, solid frame rates and a trip through automotive history is assured – but its success will hinge on how the used car dealership, auction house, café and licence tests work together to deliver a sense of progression that’s been lacking in a GT game for over eight years.
Release date: 4th March 2022
Platforms: PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5
Chocobo GP
Stop sniggering at the back there, we can see you…
With Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Switch still setting alight the sales charts, this new Nintendo-exclusive Final Fantasy racing game will most likely outsell everything else on this list. You heard it here first.
The fictional bird-like animal’s own kart racer will feature a single-player campaign, custom race setup options, survival events and a bracket-style tournament mode, with online multiplayer thrown into the mix for good measure.
Kweh.
Release date: 10th March 2022
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Monster Energy Supercross 5
Announced back in November, the latest edition in the Monster Energy Supercross game franchise by Milestone is heading to major gaming platforms in March. The popular dirt bike racing game will release its fifth iteration with the yearly updated roster, track list and teams from the latest real-world season of competition.
Supercross 5 will dive deeper into the Career Mode, adding a Rider Shape System and Future Academy for a clearer training structure. Local split-screen multiplayer, as well as a refined Track Editor program will also be included. Online cross-platform play between the older and newer generation consoles is also on the menu.
The official FIM World Championship game, packed with tons of bikes and fireworks, will look better than ever come 2022.
Release date: 17th March 2022
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown
The Test Drive series will return in 2022 for yet another rebirth, this time by the team at Kylotonn and Nacon. The open-world racer hit its stride in the 00s with the ‘Unlimited’ franchise, seeing you explore islands filled with races and car dealerships.
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown will be a completely new entry in the series, and while the gameplay has yet to be revealed, several game trailers how showcased a varied selection of licenced vehicles and a casino-inspired car gambling aspect. The location is a rather ambitious Hong Kong, too.
With the release date confirmed, we’re expecting further details to emerge sooner rather than later.
Release date: 22nd September 2022
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch
Dakar Desert Rally
A new officially-licenced racing game is always something worth investigating, and we hope that with Dakar Desert Rally, the off-road rally raid scene will finally receive the game fans deserve.
Since Dakar 18, the development team has become part of Saber Interactive and the emphasis has been on re-working the physics running a platform that must include truck, car, quad bike and motorcycle handling all in one release.
The initial reveal trailer for Dakar Desert Rally knocked our socks off, so here’s hoping we see some gameplay soon ahead of its release.
Release date: 2022
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S
KartKraft
OK, so we know KartKraft is coming in 2022, exactly when is still to be determined. Currently in Early Access, this realistic karting simulator features real vehicles, real tracks and a real amount of challenge awaiting you behind your sim racing wheel.
Only available on PC via Steam, KartKraft brings the essence of analogue karting to sim racing enthusiasts. One of the most demanding disciplines in all of racing, it comes to life with accurate physics and handling. The full game is set to have tons of customization options from kart parts to stylish swagger.
Whilton Mill and online practice sessions were recently added as it gears up for version 1.0.
This game also works with VR, so if you want a fully immersive experience, be sure to give that a go as well. The full game is set to feature online multiplayer and an expanded roster of content.
Release date: 2022
Platform: PC via Steam
MX vs ATV Legends
The long-running MX vs ATV game series is set to continue in 2022, after THQ Nordic revealed the new ‘Legends’ title in September 2021.
It will fuse the worlds of motocross, ATV racing and UTV (or side-by-side) for some aggressive dirt action, incorporating a fully fleshed-out career mode for the first time where team and sponsor management is a factor.
A staple of the new seven-game-strong franchise is a selection of vast open-world levels, and now they will be playable in either two-player split-screen or 16-player online squads.
Release date: 2022
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S
Redout 2
Missed out on the 2016 anti-gravity racing game Redout? Don’t worry, sadly, you weren’t alone. But the series will return in 2022 with a fresh lick of vibrant paint to match its pulsating soundtrack and action-packed racing.
If that doesn’t catch your eyes, the 72 track layouts and customisable machines will do. We’re not just talking about a new lick of paint either, but mechanical and body update, that can then be used or shared online.
We’re pumped for more Redout action and we’ll be keeping you in the loop when more information is revealed.
Release date: 2022
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch
Honourable mentions
There are several other games that have been confirmed to be released in 2022 that we’re looking forward to seeing more of but don’t quite have enough details about just yet.
CarX Street aims to be a Need for Speed-rivalling open-world street racer, Victory Heat Rally will bring the retro feels, and You Suck At Parking is a unique automotive puzzle game.
Ports and new versions
Assetto Corsa Competizione on PS5 and Series X|S
The most hotly anticipated new version of an existing racing title must be the fabled Assetto Corsa Competizione reaching the current generation consoles.
The early footage is spellbinding, with 4K resolution and 60 frames per second visuals, plus these versions receive free private lobbies and the commitment that the new physics and content for the PC version will be included.
As an added bonus, those who own the game on PS4 and Xbox One will receive a free upgrade and game saves will carry over.
Release date: 24th February 2022
Platforms: PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S
Other additions
The officially-licenced WRC 10 will make its way on to the Switch in 2022 and presumably alongside Wreckfest. The latter was initially announced for a ‘Fall 2021’ release, but with this season been and gone, 2022 now seems likely.
One of our favourite new simulator titles in recent times, Circuit Superstars, will also find its way onto Nintendo’s hybrid console, but not before it appears on PlayStation 4 on 27th January.
Off-road driving fetch-quest title SnowRunner will receive the full new-generation console uplift with a new PS5 and Xbox Series X|S version.
Sim racing platforms will continue to evolve throughout the year too, with Assetto Corsa Competizione receiving Circuit of the Americas alongside a suite of new cars and iRacing the Brazilian Stock Car Pro Series.
Safe bets
Not a single of the titles below have release dates set in stone, and most have not been revealed yet. But we’re sticking our neck on the line and predicting – based on nothing but initiative – that the following titles will launch in 2022.
You can let us know how wrong we were in a year from now…
F1 2022
We’d have to assume that Formula 1 and the folks at Codemasters and EA will want to continue the franchise’s momentum. While 2021 was an overall success, especially with the Braking Point story mode, 2022 will have a lot of changes in store should they aim to be accurate.
The 2022 car regulations in the real-world series must be the main focus, with different dimensions, tyres and aerodynamics, the car will not only look different but will likely drive differently as well. On top of the new car, there’s a new track entering the schedule down in Miami, so that would need to be added to the track roster.
Speaking of tracks, both Spain and Abu Dhabi were altered in the 2021 season but did not get updated in the game. Will we see those updated venues in 2022? What about the changes to Australia that we, unfortunately, didn’t get to experience this season? How about the updates to Eau Rouge and Raidillon that are in progress over at Spa?
Only time will tell with how much effort goes into the accuracy of the next iteration, and that’s not even touching on any possible new features.
MotoGP 22
If a yearly sequel by Milestone for the world’s premier prototype motorcycle Grand Prix championship doesn’t arrive in 2022, we’ll eat our gaming laptop.
MotoGP 21 was the first of the series to appear on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, so we’d expect a follow-up to really maximise the hardware. In the analogue world, the provisional MotoGP 22 calendar sees 21 events with the return of Argentina, Thailand, Japan, Malaysia and Australia, plus the first race for the new KymiRing in Finland.
These venues are already in the existing game, however, an all-new track in Indonesia will need to be developed. It will also be the first MotoGP game without Valentino Rossi on the grid for over 20 years.
WRC 11
Kylotonn will release the seventh and final of its fully licensed WRC games next year, with the challenge of simulating the brand-new Rally1 regulations. How the developer implements the new 2022 hybrid element to the cars will be extremely interesting, as the new contender will begin their season on 20th January, with the game expected for release around September.
In theory, Kylotonn will have some time to make any tweaks or add a coat of polish to its highly rated rally title.
After some marked and continual improvement between WRC 8, 9 and 10, we expect more of the same for the franchise this time around. The real-world calendar sees the return of Japan and New Zealand, but these stages were in recent WRC games already. One round is yet to be confirmed, however, so the development team may need to turn around a new event in short order.
NASCAR 22
After a tumultuous release with NASCAR 21: Ignition back in October, there will be a lot of fixing needed to remedy a future 2022 edition. The first attempt at an all-new NASCAR title in a generation was a bit of a dud after a slew of game-breaking glitches, missing features and the absence of private lobbies. The Paint Booth was a highlight, but those schemes were locked to offline single-player only, which was another fallacy of the program.
While both Auto Club Speedway and World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway have appeared in previous NASCAR games from the Heat series, both venues will be new to the NASCAR Cup Series calendar in 2022 and would be a necessary addition to the track roster. They would also likely need to be scanned similarly to how the other tracks in the game were done.
It would be expected that there will be NASCAR’s NEXT Gen race cars will be included and it would be a shame if the racing didn’t take place on the ‘Next Gen’ consoles this time around. Furthermore, the big start to the real season will take place at the brand-new LA Coliseum track. While this race is a non-points paying event, it would be nice to see it feature in a new game too.
British Touring Car Championship (BTCC)
Fans of 90s BTCC game TOCA Touring Cars rejoice! The BTCC will finally have its own official game in 2022. After TOCA Race Driver in 2002, this will be the first time the BTCC has featured so heavily in a racing game (brief appearances of the Honda Civic NGTC in rFactor 2 don’t count), and the first appearance of the new hybrid-era touring cars anywhere in the gaming world.
Slated for release sometime in 2022, Motorsport Games will hopefully bring over 30 faithfully rendered touring cars and drivers to the grid, plus all the circuits. Fans will especially be looking forward to rare, officially licensed, versions of Croft and Thruxton.
Following the lacklustre NASCAR 21: Ignition in 2021, the hopes are developer Motorsport Games turns things around for the BTCC game. How it appeases casual gaming fans and hardcore sim racers alike will be key, but until we get some concrete details we can only speculate. One to keep an eye on.
Forza Motorsport
The more serious of the Forza titles available, ‘Motorsport’ receives a full update in 2022. Except, about that date, it’s not been confirmed at all, and we even included this in our 2021 racing game preview only for it not to materialise.
But it’s now been 18 months since this title’s initial reveal, and Creative Director Chris Esaki keeps making appearances on Microsoft’s Forza Monthly news streams, teasing fans with upcoming changes that include all-new tyre and suspension models to, in theory, deliver a more authentic driving experience.
Following the success of Forza Horizon 5 in 2021, 2022 is now the time for the Forza Motorsport series to be kick-started and take the competition to Gran Turismo 7. Here’s hoping.
A new Need for Speed
The last all-new game in this long-running, 150 million-selling franchise was a staggering five years ago.
With EA’s first-person shooter Battlefield 2042 requiring every hand on deck as it approached release, Criterion Games was pulled from the creation of a new Need for Speed. Development was not cancelled, but ‘paused’.
Originally slated for a release before March 2022, at the very least, a new NfS entry will not be later in the year, if not pushed into 2023. However, there’s no way of knowing how early, or close to completion, the new title was before the shift in priorities. Here’s hoping it’s ready for the Holiday season.
Full disclosure – Traxion.GG is part of Motorsport Games and the Motorsport Games family of brands. All Traxion.GG content is editorially removed from Motorsport Games video game development and created by a dedicated team.
That concludes our 2022 racing game and sim racing platform preview. We think if the majority of the titles listed above come to fruition, it will be a year with plenty to discuss and one of the best-ever for virtual driving enthusiasts. As ever, Traxion.GG will be your leading resource – keep it pinned and let us know in the comments below what you’re most excited for.
