Six new racing and driving games to look forward to in May

It’s hard to believe that we’re nearly halfway through 2025. In the world of automotive games, the first half of this year was dominated by early access releases like Assetto Corsa EVO and Tokyo Xtreme Racer. Mercifully, we’re starting to see more fully-fledged titles emerge.

After April ended with the release of MotoGP 25, this month is packed with an overwhelming amount of new driving and racing titles to enjoy, from Codemasters’ latest F1 entry to intriguing indie titles. 

Here are six that should be on your radar in May – the only downside is finding time to play them all.

The Precinct

Release date: 13^th May
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S

A successor to 2019’s American Fugitive, The Precinct is an open-world, isometric sandbox game where you play as a rookie cop patrolling the streets of Averno, a fictional city inspired by New York.

Naturally, driving and Hollywood-style car chases take centre stage, with you pursuing fleeing criminals through tight alleyways and smashing into piles of conveniently placed cardboard boxes.  

Away from the driving, you can tackle procedural crimes on foot, whether it’s issuing parking tickets, engaging in shootouts, or playing through the main story. It’s an ambitious project considering it was made by only four people. 

With inspiration from classic 1970s chases in movies like The French Connection and The Driver, we’re hoping The Precinct can fill the void of the dormant Driver series.

Neon Apex: Beyond the Limit

Release date: 16^th May
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch

Developed by the creator of Formula Retro Racing: World Tour, Neon Apex: Beyond the Limit is a new anime-style arcade racer featuring striking cel-shaded visuals and futuristic vehicles, ranging from cars to hoverbikes, all of which are fully customisable. Set in the year 2124, you’ll compete against cybernetic characters at breakneck speeds.

With a variety of game modes ranging from sprint races to Burnout-style takedowns, Neon Apex looks like a fun, fast-paced arcade racer with a cyberpunk twist.  

RoadCraft

Release date: 20^th May
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S

From Saber Interactive, the developers behind SnowRunner and Expeditions: A MudRunner Game, RoadCraft is a simulation game where players rebuild areas devastated by natural disasters using all manner of heavy machinery, from bulldozers to dump trucks to cranes. At launch, Roadcraft will feature 40 vehicles and eight 4km2 environments.

Like Saber’s previous titles, it’s the terrain physics that stands out, with vehicles reacting to environments realistically. From our preview, RoadCraft shines when played with up to three friends in local multiplayer as you work together. Or hinder each other and make a mess of everything.  

Its slow-paced gameplay won’t be for everyone, but RoadCraft promises to be another stellar simulation game to add to Saber Interactive’s impressive lineup.

JDM: Japanese Drift Master

Release date: 21^st May
Platforms: PC (consoles TBA)

Following a delay from March, JDM: Japanese Drift Master is set to release on Steam this month. Building on the free-to-play prologue, JDM: Rise of the Scorpion, JDM: Japanese Drift Master is an open-world racing game set in a fictional Japan, featuring licensed cars, in-depth tuning and a manga-style storyline about a newcomer looking to make a name for themselves in the Japanese drift racing scene.

As the name suggests, there’s a focus on tyre-smoking drifting along snaking mountain roads in cars from Japanese manufacturers including Honda, Nissan and Toyota. Given that Japan is a location often requested for Forza Horizon, this has a lot of potential.

JDM: Japanese Drift Master is PC-only for now, but console releases are planned for a later date to be confirmed.

Deliver at All Costs

Release date: 22^nd May
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S

Set in the 1950s, Deliver at All Costs by Swedish studio Far Out Games resembles an isometric Crazy Taxi, where you deliver packages instead of passengers, combined with Teardown’s wanton destruction.

Originating as a free-to-play school project called Delivery Man, the chaotic courier game lets you wreak havoc in highly destructible environments, smashing through buildings and physics-based objects in vintage vehicles. You’ll be delivering

There’s even a storyline with cutscenes focusing on the main character, a courier driver named Winston Green with a mysterious past. Fittingly, the story looks just as absurd as the gameplay, with the end of the trailer teasing an alien encounter. 

We’re hoping Deliver at All Costs doesn’t slip under the radar, because the frantic gameplay and chaotic destruction look like a blast.  

F1 25

Release date: 27^th May (Iconic Edition) / 30^th May
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S

This month’s arguably most anticipated new racing game is saved until last. While Codemasters’ annual F1 franchise has faced a lot of cynicism lately, F1 25 is set to introduce some welcome changes and new features.

My Team, first introduced in F1 2020, is finally receiving its first significant revamp in five years, with a new setup that sees you take on the role of a team manager overseeing two drivers and creating new scenarios. 

Elsewhere, Braking Point is returning after a two-year hiatus with a new story, reprising the fictional characters Aiden Jackson, Devon Butler, and Callie Mayer.

Most importantly, vehicle handling has undergone significant revisions following last year’s divisive physics changes. Add in laser-scanned tracks and reverse layouts, and F1 25 is shaping up to be a substantial package for Formula 1 fans.

With Codemasters ditching the last-generation PS4 and Xbox One, we’re hoping for a noticeable visual upgrade, despite F1 25 sticking with Codemasters’ in-house Ego engine.

With F1 24’s mixed reception and the license up for renewal this year, a lot is riding on F1 25. In theory, it could be Codemasters’ final F1 game after the EA Sports WRC team was recently let go, ending Codemasters’ enduring rallying legacy. If that’s the case, let’s hope it ends the series on a high.

Which new driving or racing games are you looking forward to playing in May? Let us know in the comments below.