IndyCar to get first new console video game in more than 20 years

The IndyCar Series and iRacing.com Motorsport Simulations have reached a long-term licensing agreement that will result in a new dedicated IndyCar video game in the second half of 2026, the parties announced Tuesday.

iRacing Studios plans to produce the new console and PC game for PlayStation, Xbox and Steam platforms. It will be the first standalone IndyCar video game title since 2004, when “IndyCar Series 2005” was released.

“The most competitive and challenging racing on the planet deserves a dedicated and widely available gaming experience,” IndyCar President Doug Boles said in written comments. “iRacing Studios is the ideal partner for us, trusted and known to our core fans and ready to share our sport with a wider and highly engaged audience.”

IndyCar fans thought they would be getting a game earlier this decade. In 2021, the racing series announced an agreement with Motorsports Games for an IndyCar title that would debut in 2023. But the struggling company failed to deliver the game on time and IndyCar canceled the contract.

iRacing Studios was founded in 2008 by former racer Dave Kaemmer and John Henry, the principal owner of the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool Football Club. Dale Earnhardt Jr. serves as an executive director. The company, which is known for its motorsports simulation games, is set to release its first standalone NASCAR console title, “NASCAR 25,” in October.

IndyCar and iRacing’s founders have a long history. The company’s predecessor, Papyrus Racing Games, created the groundbreaking “Indianapolis 500: The Simulation” in 1989, followed by “IndyCar Racing” in 1993 and IndyCar Racing II in 1995.

iRacing said it will use a dedicated development team to create the new IndyCar game on the company’s proprietary Orontes engine. The game will feature a multilevel career mode and include licensed drivers from the IndyCar Series and Indy NXT.

“IndyCar fans have long been clamoring for a standalone title for consoles, and we’re excited to give them what they’re looking for in 2026,” said Tony Gardner, president of  iRacing.com Motorsport Simulations in written comments. “iRacing Studios’ standalone IndyCar title will offer all the excitement of the NTT IndyCar Series and an immersive experience that fans of all ages can enjoy. We are already very excited about how the game is coming together.”

Scott McLaughlin, an IndyCar driver for Team Penske, will be among the team members and drivers involved in the development process.

“I’m thrilled to be a part of the development process for iRacing Studios’ new IndyCar title,” McLaughlin said in written remarks. “It’s an honor to work with a team that has developed such amazing products to help deliver IndyCar’s first dedicated title in quite some time.”