The holiday season is fast approaching and one of the best gifts to get for a car enthusiast (especially if that enthusiast is you) is a racing game. Cars and racing games have a ton of crossover appeal so you would be hard pressed to find someone who loves cars and hasn’t played at least one racing game in their life.

However, those people do exist and you might just be one of those people. If you’re looking to get your feet wet in the wide world of racing games, this guide will help you decide which of the current major racing games is right for you.

Each game in this guide suits a different type of gamer and racer alike and we’re going to get into the nuances of each one. We will also cover the basic stuff like what platforms each game is available on. By the end you should have a good idea of what racing game will suit your particular taste the best. You may just decide that you like them all!

We should also note that the games in this guide aren’t listed in any particular order. With that being said, let’s get into it!

DIRT 5

Genre: Rally racing, Gymkhana, Sprint racing

Platforms: PC, Xbox (Series X, Series S, Xbox One), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Google Stadia

DIRT 5 is the latest in the DIRT series from developer Codemasters. A few years ago Codemasters decided to split their DIRT franchise to suit two audiences: DIRT Rally which is a more simulator-based game meant for more advanced players while DIRT would be more accessible. DIRT 5 is the first game built for the general audience but still has tons of rally flavor. It features several types of driving beyond rally racing like ice racing, gymkhana, and sprint cars. It also has something called “Playground Mode” which allows players to create their own race courses or gymkhana courses and upload them to an online community for other players to try out. DIRT 5 is a colorful, fun game that even has a narrative story mode. It is great pick for fans of rally racing but who may not be into the hardcore stuff.

Forza Horizon 4

Genre: Open world driving/racing

Platforms: PC, Xbox (Series X, Series S, Xbox One)

Forza Horizon 4 is effectively a never-ending playground for car enthusiasts of all types. Horizon’s open world is based on the United Kingdom and has actual seasons that change each week. With each season there is a literal playlist of new events to participate in and cars to unlock. Beyond that, there are several “expansions” available for Forza Horizon 4 that add on to the already massive open world. Including an expansion that features an entire region made out of Legos! There are also literally hundreds of cars to choose from no matter what your particular taste. Trucks, JDM cars, European cars, American muscle cars, drift cars, off-road, all the bases are covered. Forza Horizon 4 is another game that doesn’t require an advanced level of skill to enjoy but definitely has challenges for those who are looking for it.

WRC 9

Genre: Rally racing, Rallycross

Platforms: PC, Xbox (Series X, Series S, Xbox One), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5

Unlike DIRT 5, WRC 9 is definitely for the hardcore driving sim player. WRC 9 is the official game of the World Rally Championship series and features all of the current courses, cars, drivers, and co-drivers in the series as of 2020. WRC 9 also features a handful of ionic classic Rally cars including a few from the legendary Group B class. Make no mistake though, WRC 9 was designed with advanced players in mind. We recommend this game to those players who already have a sim-racing setup complete with a wheel at home. WRC 9 will definitely be a difficult game to master but all the more rewarding to those that do.

F1 2020

Genre: Formula 1

Platforms: PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Google Stadia (Playable on Xbox Series X/S & PlayStation 5 via backwards compatibility)

F1 2020 is exactly what you think it is; The official game of Formula 1 with all the drivers, tracks, and liveries seen right now in the current season. Like DIRT 5, this game was also produced by Codemasters who have been creating F1 games for years. F1 2020 is easily the best Formula 1 game they’ve produced yet. It has their latest physics engine and the best graphics they’ve produced yet. F1 2020 also features an entirely new mode that allows players to take on the role of a F1 team principal in charge of major decisions that include everything from hiring drivers, managing car development, and even scheduling marketing events. One of the best things about F1 2020 is that it can be adapted to suit players of casual skill level all the way up to advanced skill levels. F1 2020 also features a very robust competitive eSports racing community.

Gran Turismo Sport

Genre: Various

Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 (via backwards compatibility)

Gran Turismo Sport (GT Sport) is the latest game in the iconic Gran Turismo franchise. Released after Gran Turismo 6, many thought Gran Turismo Sport was a reboot of the series though that isn’t quite the case (more on that later). Instead, Gran Turismo Sport is all about competition on a high level within its online community. Sport features all of the trappings of a traditional Gran Turismo game (tons of cars, high end driving physics, high quality graphics) but with extra features that make it tailor made for online competition; including an FIA-sanctioned eSports racing league. Casual players can enjoy GT Sport but it is definitely tailored towards the more competitive-minded.

Rocket League

Genre: Car soccer (Futbol)?

Platforms: PC (via Epic Game Store only), Xbox (Series X, Series S, Xbox One), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch.

Remember that old episode of Top Gear where they all tried to play soccer but with cars and a giant soccer ball? Imagine if someone made that into a video game, gave it a futuristic make-over and you have Rocket League. It sounds silly and it is but it is also very fun and very competitive. Rocket League has been around for a long time and has a massive community of players. The best part is that Rocket League has officially gone “free to play”. That means no money is required to download and play it but players can use real money to buy in-game customization items if they want. Rocket League is available on just about every gaming platform except mobile and Google Stadia so chances are you may already have everything you need to jump in.

Games coming soon

This guide is meant for the holidays but two of the biggest racing games won’t be available until some time next year (or later). So, in the interest of fairness we figured we should mention them here as a preview of things to come.

Gran Turismo 7

Genre: Various

Platform: PlayStation 5

As we mentioned before, many thought that Gran Turismo Sport was a reboot of the Gran Turismo franchise and there wouldn’t be another “numbered” game. Yet, when the PlayStation 5 was revealed, the world was surprised when Gran Turismo 7 (GT7) was announced. We currently don’t know much about Gran Turismo 7 other than it is more in line with previous Gran Turismo games. It will have an expanded career mode, feature 4K graphics, frame rates as high as 120fps, and will take advantage of the PlayStation 5’s power. There is no exact release date but recent promotional videos from PlayStation stated that GT7 will be released sometime in the first half of 2021.

Forza Motorsport

Genre: Various

Platform: Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S

Another Forza Motorsport is coming to the new generation of Xbox consoles. Announced earlier this year Forza Motorsport is in fact a reboot of the franchise. This is why it’s called “Forza Motorsport” and not “Forza Motorsport 8”. Currently, we know even less about the new Forza Motorsport than we do about Gran Turismo 7. In fact, we don’t even know a release window for Forza Motorsport. It may not release until late 2021 or even 2022. However, if previous Forza Motorsport games are any indication, this new game will be well worth the wait.

There you have it. Six games to consider picking up this holiday season and two more games to look forward to after 2020. At least one of the games on this list should satisfy your particular tastes or the tastes of the car enthusiast in your life. Though, if we’re being honest we would recommend trying them all!

Racing Game Buyer's Guide Holiday 2020 Edition