Having a state-of-the-art sim racing rig is all well and good but without a sim racing game or a means to play it on, your cockpit is effectively pointless. To extract the most out of your sim racing experience, it’s all about nailing the right sim racing game for you. Question is, which sim racing game is right for you?
Well, it all starts with whichever console you’re running. There are plenty of great racing games out there for Xbox, but if it’s a PlayStation you game on, don’t worry – you’re certainly not without options either. While some of the more hardcore sim racers may argue that the modding potential of PCs makes them superior than regular consoles in this capacity, along with an upgradable set up rig complete with a racing seat and pedals, the plug-in-and-play element of console sim racing wins favour with us. For first timers, PlayStations are perfectly sufficient platforms upon which you can begin your sim racing career.
The best sim racing games on PlayStation at a glance:
• Editor's choice - Gran Turismo 7
• Most immersive - Assetto Corsa Competizione
• Best F1 game - F1 2022
• Best for historic racing - Project Cars 2
• Best rally game - DiRT Rally 2.0
Now, just because you’ve determined that your next sim racing game will be on PlayStation, doesn’t mean you’ve skipped the difficult decisions. There are many sim racing titles available on this platform, so to determine which is right for you, we recommend considering where you see the most value in sim racing. If you’re looking for a wholly immersive experience, there are titles such as Assetto Corsa to cater your needs. Alternatively, if it’s a trip back in time you’re after, Project Cars could be the game for you.
To help you find the right one, we’ve put together a few of our favourites.
PlayStation’s flagship racing series returned in 2022 with GT7 to high critical acclaim. While sim racing purists may argue that it isn’t a true sim racing game, we’ve included it on this list by virtue of its cutting-edge visuals and the broad spectrum of racing opportunities. While it may lack some of the ultra-realistic handling mechanics of Assetto Corsa, the dynamic weather changes, changing road surfaces and vehicle downforce still make this an impressively immersive title.
Pros
- Great attention to detail
Cons
- Better sim racing games for handling
| Platform | Multi |
Editor's choice
Assetto Corsa was one of the first sim-focused racing games and its competency in this genre still holds up today. We’ve picked Assetto Corsa Competizione for this list as the game forgoes racing opportunities for all-out immersion. The game limits players to GT category racing but by doing so the game’s developer, Kunos Simulazioni, has been able to explore audio and visual detail to a truly remarkable extent. If you want a sim racing game that all but puts you into the driving seat of a real racing car, make it this one.
Pros
- Industry-leading detail
Cons
- Limited racing opportunities
| Platform | Multi |
Like GT7, purists may turn their noses up at Codemasters’ flagship F1 games as a sim racer. Again, it may lack some of the more refined handling qualities found on other sim-focussed racing titles, but as it holds the official license for the 2022 F1 and F2 championships, it’s as good as bedroom F1 racers can expect in terms of detail. With a new F1 Life game mode and new supercars added to the game thanks to the Pirelli Hot Laps division, gamers can live out their F1 fantasies with unparalleled accuracy. If you want to try your hand at being an F1 driver, this is the game to get.
Pros
- Most accurate F1 experience
Cons
- Better sim racing games for handling
| Platform | Multi |
Best for racing classic cars
Project Cars 2 is another fan favourite as it combines stunning detail and realistic sim-worthy handling mechanics with a very broad range of racing opportunities. We especially like this game as it allows players to explore racing history with old cars and even old racing circuits included featuring stunning period-accurate detail. Fancy trying your hand at the old dead straight Mulsanne? Project Cars has just the Porsche 917 for the job.
Pros
- Wide and diverse range of racing opportunities
Cons
- May not offer the same hyper-realism as other titles
| Platform | Multi |
Best rally sim game
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For rally fans, a sim racing experience has long been a distant pipe dream. A sim racing title akin to the likes of Assetto Corsa or rFactor2 may still be a way’s off, but DiRT Rally 2.0 certainly makes a good go of it. With changing weather conditions, stunning graphics and even VR support, DiRT Rally 2.0 is about as close as you can get to a simulation rally experience from the comfort of your bedroom. Just take it slow to begin with as this is one of the toughest racing games out there.
Pros
- Best hardcore rallying game in the world?
Cons
- Hard. Really hard.
| Platform | Multi |