Finally, the long wait is over for NTT IndyCar Series fans, it’s time to rejoice.
No, it’s not Michigan International Speedway returning to the schedule.
But that doesn’t mean you’re out of luck yet in ripping around the 2–miler with an IndyCar rocket ship.
On Tuesday (Aug. 26), a new IndyCar console game was announced by iRacing Studios and the series. The game will replace the previously shelved attempt by Motorsport Games and be the first of its kind since Buddy Rice won the Indianapolis 500 in 2004.
Part of the effort will include Team Penske driver Scott McLaughlin, who coincidentally burst onto the IndyCar scene when he raced with other series drivers in the iRacing events held during the COVID shutdown.
Probably the most surprising, but very appealing, part of the news is that the release date is just around the corner, next year. So fans won’t have to wait long to start playing.
iRacing being the developer is the best-case scenario, as they continue to grow their console game footprint. The popular simulator has been one of the few places fans could race IndyCars. NASCAR’s console game release in October will be a great window into the possibilities of what an IndyCar game could be.
Let’s dive into some cool ideas and options.
Get Indianapolis Right
Immersion is the goal. Pageantry. The sights and sounds. Do it all for the Indianapolis 500.
If iRacing wants to mesmerize all the fans out there, and the potential future ones as well, then the Indy 500 within the game has to be stellar. We’re talking Tom Carnegie over the public address, the Purdue University marching band playing, and all the virtual balloons that can fit on screen. Even “The Matrix” can’t top that.
A four-lap qualifying mode will be another great aspect to toy with for fans. They can include challenges to complete for in-game rewards for running qualifying in the current car, or when certain Indy 500 speed thresholds are broken.
Then there’s the racing. Imagine the start of the game, as the cars come down slowly, building speed to take off, with Carnegie’s longtime voice (an option at least) calling “the green is out!”
Goose bumps.
Beyond the race immersion, cool features that gamers can customize will make it all worthwhile. For example, how about bringing back the apron? Historic challenges, where items are earned by besting famous moments in Indy 500 history. Can you dodge the crash on the frontstretch like A.J. Foyt in 1977? Or save enough fuel over the last stint like Alexander Rossi in 2016? Or my favorite idea — as Emerson Fittipaldi, can you successfully lap Al Unser Jr. while cruising with the Beast engine, and not hit the wall?
The developers should put all their energy into making the Indy 500 experience fantastic.
Career Mode
IndyCar is different than any other racing series because rookies generally get their first taste of the big time at the Indianapolis 500. It’s the easiest race to get sponsorship lined up for and has the most track time. Any career mode should take that into consideration moving forward.
It appears Indy NXT drivers will be included in the release, so the ability to climb the ladder will be there. Just ensure that Indy is the first step up to the elite level.
From there, drivers can work up from a Dale Coyne Racing ride to the pinnacle operation in IndyCar: Chip Ganassi Racing. I say that in jest, but the team has won more titles in the last 5 years than Team Penske.
One of those two teams should be in the top spot, and from there, a driver can work until forming their own team, with the goal of qualifying for the Indy 500.
Legacy Content
Raise your hand if you’d like to race as Rick Mears, Dario Franchitti, or Johnny Rutherford? How about Mario Andretti, or even Super Tex himself, Foyt?
Having access to historic drivers that haven’t been available in previous games would be a major win. Racing games generally don’t do this, unlike other sports, but they should. One of the most popular modes in the NBA’s 2K series is MyTeam, where players can earn historic players to use in-game. Even in the base game itself, there are historic rosters full of generational talent to play.
IndyCar’s game could score big time with that. Imagine an Indy 500 racing for Team Penske, and your teammate is Mark Donahue and Kevin Cogan — OK, maybe not him, but you get the idea.
Don’t stop with drivers either. Go all in on historic cars with skins that can be earned or even purchased. A 1982 Wildcat overtaking Alex Palou in his DHL Honda Dallara. Take our money, now.
Tracks
How IndyCar works the licensing for their tracks will be interesting. The current schedule will make it in to ensure authentic gameplay. But a game with 15 venues doesn’t provide a lot of variability.
The appeal for long-term gameplay will be for fans to race at ovals, former layouts and legacy tracks that are no longer on the schedule. For example, the Cleveland Grand Prix circuit at Burke Lakefront Airport or Nazareth Speedway. This is a long shot, but throw in the old bean at Trenton Speedway or Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s twin, Ontario Speedway. The different profiles of Texas Motor Speedway, as well as Homestead and Phoenix, would add different dynamics.
Even the Indianapolis Motor Speedway could have customizable options. The best was already mentioned, which was adding the apron, but how about the various stages of the brick and asphalt paving in the 1960s? An authentic and historical feel will serve a great purpose for generations of fans.
If the game releases without that upfront, that’s not a problem. But adding it later will ensure enduring gameplay, especially if custom schedules can be created.
Gameplay
The most crucial aspect that can’t be overlooked is the gameplay. Details matter to gamers because they fully immerse the player into the experience. If someone feels like they are truly racing, then they will grow to love the sport even more.
A dual mode of high downforce packages, like the Indy Racing League era, or aero pieces that create sling shot moves, like the Hansford device in the CART era, is a great start. Give options so that players can adjust how they want to race.
Based on the mechanics from iRacing, which has its frustrating moments still, the game will be well ahead of what Motorsport Games or the last IndyCar release had in the early 2000s.
Just having an opportunity to run with 32 other cars at Indy or 26 or more at other tracks will establish a great foundation for gamers to start jumping in. This is how young fans are made, and it’s imperative that mistakes don’t unravel the excitement surrounding the future release.
Looking forward to 2026, the long wait will be over as fans finally get what they’ve wanted for a long time: an IndyCar console game.
Tom is an IndyCar writer at Frontstretch, joining in March 2023. Besides writing the IndyCar Previews and frequent editions of Inside IndyCar, he will hop on as a fill-in guest on the Open Wheel podcast The Pit Straight. A native Hoosier, he calls Fort Wayne home. Follow Tom on Twitter @TomBlackburn42.