As another year draws to a close, there’s no better time to take a look at another wide range of motorsport racing games released in the past 12 months.
As always, Codemasters and Milestone have contributed another entry to their annual game franchise for Formula 1 and Moto GP. Kylotonn has developed their latest World Rally Championship game, WRC Generation, with the WRC license now in the hands of EA and Codemasters until next year.
Some new titles have also been released which saw the Dakar Rally and World Superbikes feature for the first time in a long time. Frontier Developments has released F1 Manager 22, the highly anticipated management game for the first time in 20 years. Also, PlayStation’s flagship racing franchise Gran Turismo will release its first mainline entry for nine years, with GT7 arriving in the spring.
But what is the best motorsport game released in 2022? Review the top contenders here and then leave your comments in our opinion.
Dakar Desert Rally
Saber Porto – PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox S|X, PC
Based on the famous annual off-road race, considered to be the most gruesome and dangerous motorsport event on the planet, Saber Porto released its first official Dakar in four years a few months ago.
Covering more than 20,000 square kilometers of virtual Saudi Arabian land, the Dakar Desert Rally is the largest game in this detailed scale.
Advertisement | Become a RaceFans fan and
F1 22
Codemasters – PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox S|X, PC
Codemasters’ official Formula 1 game franchise shows no sign of stopping after its developers were acquired by industry giant Codemasters. As usual, the new game includes all teams, drivers and circuits from the 2022 season, and the physics changes feature major rule changes that have seen heavier cars, bigger tires and ground-effect aerodynamics this season.
Introducing VR as a supported mode on PC for the first time and adding drivable supercars to the game, Codemasters have been sticking with the game since its release in the Algarve circuit and Shanghai.
F1 Manager 2022
Cross Borders – PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox S|X, PC
A unique game on this list, unlike any other, for having zero rotation or rotation. F1 Manager 22 instead focuses on Formula 1 championships at the factory and pit walls, allowing players to become the principal of any of the ten teams on the grid.
Using the stunning Unreal Engine, F1 Manager 22 is the first officially licensed Formula 1 management game for decades, and it received a lot of attention when it released midway through the 2022 season.
Gran Turismo 7
Polyphony Digital – PS4, PS5
One of the best-selling racing franchises in history enters its first nine-year run in 2022, and Gran Turismo 7 follows the online-focused GT Sport offering players accessible physics, vehicle collection and refined gameplay. Keeping from the series.
Grinding traditional champions with a new ‘menu’ based progression system was like the game’s early economy and ‘legendary car’ dealer. But the game pleased publishers Sony by winning the ‘Best Sports/Racing Game’ award at this week’s Game Awards.
Advertisement | Become a RaceFans fan and
GRID Legends
Codemasters – PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox S|X, PC
Codemasters’ other flagship circuit racing franchise, Arcade Racing GRID, returns in 2022 with a new entry. But in an exciting new twist to the series, GRID Legends introduces an expansive story mode in the game where the narrative is played through ‘Drive. ‘Survive’, a documentary featuring live-action actors
Introducing new vehicle classes, race modes and original circuits to the series, GRID Legends unapologetically aims to deliver arcade-style fun above all else.
Monster Energy Supercross 5
Milestone – PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox S|X, Switch, PC
While there is no MXGP title for 2022, motocross fans only had a fifth of the official AMA Supercross game to enjoy this year.
Featuring all the drivers, teams and courses of the real world championships, a vast working environment, an open playing field and track creator for players to ride in fun, Supercross 5 was on paper the most comprehensive AMA Supercross game of the day.
Moto GP 22
Critical Stage – PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox S|X, PC
Milestone’s official Moto GP game franchise continues to evolve each year with new entries to compliment each new season of the motorcycle racing world championship. Moto GP 22 was no different, with the event once again featuring all riders, teams and circuits from this year’s Moto GP season, including the new Mandalka track in Indonesia.
An exciting new addition to this year’s game was the ‘NINE Season’ mode. A playable documentary of sorts covering Valentino Rossi’s thrilling 2009 championship run that delivered his final World Cup. In the year Featuring all circuits, teams and drivers from 2009, it means the game includes two seasons’ worth of Moto GP content for the price of one.
Advertisement | Become a RaceFans fan and
NASCAR Rivals
Motorsport games – Switch
After the release of NASCAR Ignition in 2021 was panned by critics and gamers alike, there is no NASCAR simulation game released this year as developers motorsports games focus on making the next entry into the series more acceptable.
Instead, NASCAR fans got a new release in 2022 – a Switch port of the former NASCAR Heat series called NASCAR Rivals. Including a Career Mode, Next-Generation Cup Car and an extensive Challenge Mode, NASCAR Rivals is heavily designed to deliver the kind of bite-sized gameplay the Switch deserves.
SBK 22
Critical Stage – PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox S|X, PC
As well as hosting the official Moto GP game for this year, Millstone also treated fans of the SBK World SBK Game Championship by releasing SBK 22, the first official game in a decade.
Using the Moto GP game as a base, SBK 22 includes all the same features of its Moto GP sister title, including an action mode that is extremely similar in format and presentation. As expected, there are also extensive customization options for the Moto GP game.
Outlaw World: Dirty Racing
Monster Games – PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox S|X
Dirt track racing is one of the most popular forms of motorsports in the United States and the World Lawmakers Series has certainly been well represented throughout the generations. However, it’s been a while since off-world fans have been able to purchase a game dedicated to the series, rather than racing the vehicles of the high-end dirt series on platforms like iRacing.
Fittingly, iRacing played a big role in this console-exclusive racer, as the platform published a game that uses many of its own car and tracking assets. With Irising’s influence on physics and handling, this new title was a dream come true for fans.
WRC generations
Kylotonn – PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox S|X, Switch, PC
The last game on the list is the last WRC game to be released by Kiloton before the WRC license goes to EA next year.
As a result, WRC Generations is not only a virtual simulation of the 2022 WRC season and the new hybrid Rally1 cars, but the game serves as a celebration of the series as a whole, spanning multiple eras of the sport and many more. Playable rallies that haven’t even appeared on this year’s calendar include Wales Rally GB, Rally Mexico and Rally Deutschland.
Advertisement | Become a RaceFans fan and
you say
What is the best motorsport game released in 2022?
Total Voters: 2
Loading…A RaceFans account is required to vote. If you don’t have one, sign up for an account here or read more about signing up. When this poll closes, the results will be displayed instead of the voting form.
Debates and choices
Explore all the arguments and choices
