Neon Apex: Beyond the Limit is a new futuristic arcade racer from the creator of Formula Retro Racing

Indie developer Repixel8 (the creator of Formula Retro Racing and Numskull Games have announced a new futuristic arcade racer.

A new IP rather than a follow-up to Formula Retro Racing, Neon Apex: Beyond the Limit is a fast-paced, futuristic arcade racer with stylised visuals inspired by anime like Persona and Akira.

Set in the year 2124, Neon Apex sees you hurtle at over 200 mph in a variety of cars and bikes with “in-depth upgrade systems” while gaining boost and dodging traffic. One of the bikes shown in the trailer looks like a clear nod to Akira’s iconic motorcycle.

Contrasting Formula Retro Racing’s colourful visuals inspired by old-school Sega arcade racers, Neon Apex is set in a dystopian future, reflected in its grittier, neon-infused art style.  As such, you’ll be racing against “cybernetically enhanced humans” and “AI-driven androids” in a competition to “prove that a human mind behind the wheel will always be best,”

A release date has yet to be confirmed, but Neon Apex is set to launch on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch sometime in 2025.

Neon Apex will also receive a physical release for PS5 and Nintendo Switch courtesy of Numskull Games, which also published the special edition version of Formula Retro Racing, with pre-orders set to go live in a few weeks.

Neon Apex is one of several anime-inspired futuristic racers in the pipeline, with Milestone’s surprise Screamer reboot slated for 2026 and the story-driven combat racer Resistor still in development. Although 2025 looks set to be a seminal year for sim racing, it’s reassuring that arcade racing isn’t being left behind.    

Are you looking forward to Neon Apex? Let us know in the comments below.