For many of us, sim-racing began in the late 1990s and early 2000s on the Playstation 1, or PS1 to its friends. Back then, we mainly had arcade titles like Need For Speed, V-Rallye or Driver. Sony’s console was brand new, with not a lot of power under the hood, but it turned out to be the cradle of many of the video games we know today.
With over 30 years of existence, Sony’s console is still the Go-To for many gamers, whether those who grew up on it or landed on it from another platform, and sales prove it. With over 75 million consoles sold worldwide, Sony confirms that the brand has not lost its flame, and gamers prefer the PS5 at least twice as much as the Xbox Series.
But that’s not the point. What we’re interested in is sim-racing. In this article, we’re going to talk about the 6 best racing games on PS5, divided into three categories: simulation, sim-arcade and arcade. Each category will host 2 titles in an attempt to reach all racers.
The best simulation racing games on PS5
Assetto Corsa Competizione
We open the ball with a true console racing simulation,Assetto Corsa Competizione. This sim-racing title is a variant of Assetto Corsa, but focuses solely on GT3 cars and racing, whereas its big brother does everything in simulation.
ACC is a relatively recent title, released in 2019 on both PS4/Xbox One, PS5/Xbox Series and PC. As far as visuals are concerned, Assetto Corsa Competizione benefits from an improved graphics engine, with tweaking also to the title’s physics engine.
At the wheel, you’ll have more or less every car in the GT3 category at your disposal. We’re talking Porsche, Ferrari, McLaren, Lamborghini and the list goes on. It’s really complete, as well as being immersive and realistic.
Let’s finish with the ACC feel. You’ll inevitably need a Direct Drive base and a steering wheel with pedals to fully enjoy this title. On PS5, the choice is mainly limited to Fanatec GT DD Pro and ClubSport DD+, and Thrustmaster, notably the new T598.
F1 25
F1 25 from EA Sports and Codemasters takes on the task of bringing you the 2025 season of motorsport’s premier discipline, Formula 1. The game is officially licensed by the FIA, so you’ll have the drivers, circuits, teams and everything else F1.
The EA Sports title is, as far as I’m concerned, a simulation and a sim-arcade; in other words, depending on your preferences, you’ll either have an experience with little or a lot of challenge. F1 25 adapts perfectly to your driving needs, and can be used with both a controller and a sim-racing setup.
If you’re a Formula 1 fan, it’s hard to miss out. F1 25 is clearly the most immersive way to follow and experience this new season.
The best sim-arcade racing games on PS5
Gran Turismo 7
It’s impossible for me to list the best racing games on PS5 without mentioning Gran Turismo 7, or any other title in the saga for that matter. The story goes back almost 20 years, 18 to be precise, with the release of the first Gran Turismo on PS1. Since then, the title has established itself as the ultimate driving simulation on Sony’s consoles, and the competition has a tough task on its shoulders to dethrone GT.
The latest is GT7, released shortly after the PS5. It features over 400 cars, ranging from simple sports cars to prototypes that race in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, as well as multi-million-euro cars. Like F1 24, Gran Turismo 7 relies both on simulation, with tire, vehicle and fuel management and all the rest, and on sim-arcade for drivers who don’t have a sim-racing setup. It’s a real Swiss Army knife, which can approach any situation with serenity.
And if you want to get the most out of GT7 on PS5, I’d advise you to buy a sim-racing setup, either from Fanatec or Thrustmaster, based on Direct Drive. In fact,
WRC 24
The WRC saga has its roots in the first rally games for Playstation, namely V-Rallye and Colin McRae. Both titles were very popular, offering the experience of the World Rally Championship. Today, WRC is officially licensed by the FIA, and the latest opus is WRC 24.
It’s a sim-arcade-style game in which you play the rally drivers of the 2024 championship. You might think that the title doesn’t change that much from one year to the next, but in reality, WRC 24 marks a real turning point with EA Sports at the helm, benefiting from reworked physics and numerous improvements, making it an excellent release for rally fans.
There’s a whole range of cars to drive, as well as special stages that will take you all over the place. WRC is a complete title, perfect for fans of cars that go super fast on special stages, each more dangerous than the last. And if your setup is rally-optimized, the experience will be that much better, believe me. Fanatec is currently offering an officially licensed WRC bundle on its store, and it’s compatible with the PS5.
The best arcade racing games on PS5
Need For Speed Unbound
Who hasn’t played Need For Speed in their youth? I personally did, and I still spend a few hours on it from time to time these days. Despite the saga’s 30th anniversary, it’s still going strong, with Unbound being the latest in a long line of NFS games.
I admit that the flame is flickering a little, especially in the face of 2000s titles such as Most Wanted, Underground and Hot Pursuit. Need For Speed’s golden age is long gone, but Unbound is still a good way to pass the time.
The sauce is the same as before: countless cars, visual and mechanical customization, a very angry soundtrack, an open world and the police chasing you at the slightest infraction.
Need For Speed isn’t the most immersive sim-racing saga, but it’s still a good game if you’re in the mood to spend your time at the wheel of superb cars, without worrying about their condition. As far as fun is concerned, I’m in.
Wreckfest (1 and 2)
Let’s end this list with a title that’s all about super fun, especially if you love blowing things up. And by things, I mean cars. Wreckfest is an arcade-style racing game where you race around circuits with other vehicles, the aim being to survive. It’s Demolition Race, but with a modern twist. If you’re familiar with the PS1 era, you’ve probably played Demolition Racer, and the link with Wreckfest remains to be proven with a DNA test if you ask me.
For the record, Wreckfest was released a few years ago, but the second opus is already available. The development studio has worked hard on the game’s physics, in order to achieve good sheet metal deformation and, above all, strong sensations.
Once again, if you want to have a quiet time, getting your nerves all worked up over cars and destroying them, Wreckfest is a title I’d recommend. Preferably, get the 2 to benefit from the latest technologies in the game’s graphics engine and, above all, native PS5 support.
What you need to get the most out of these games
Depending on your setup preferences, and above all your budget, you have 2 possible choices. Either you’re a fan of arcade games, and in that case you won’t really need a setup with a Direct Drive base, steering wheel and pedals, as the controller is more than enough. Or you want to improve your sim-racing skills, and here a setup is essential.
Another point I’d like to add is Forza Horizon 5. This Microsoft title isn’t on this list, but it will be available in a few months’ time on PS5, and could easily replace NFS Unbound in the rankings if you think the saga was lost long ago.
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