After more than two decades without a dedicated title, IndyCar racing is returning to consoles and PC, though not quite as soon as originally promised. iRacing Studios has confirmed that its long awaited IndyCar game, officially named IndyCar Racing: The Game, has been pushed from its original late 2026 window into early 2027.
The announcement arrived alongside a pair of fresh screenshots, offering the first real glimpse of the project in months. It is a welcome update for fans who had heard little since the game was first revealed roughly a year ago.
A troubled path to development
Getting an IndyCar game off the ground has not been simple. The rights to the series were previously held by Motorsport Games, but that partnership dissolved without producing a finished product. IndyCar eventually found a new home with iRacing, a studio best known for its hardcore racing simulator and, more recently, its stylish arcade style racer ExoCross.
Built on custom technology
Rather than relying on Unreal Engine or the middleware behind its flagship simulator, iRacing Studios is building the new IndyCar game using Orontes, its own proprietary engine. This is the same technology driving ExoCross, a title praised for combining strong performance with a distinctly futuristic feel. Using Orontes suggests iRacing wants IndyCar Racing: The Game to strike its own visual and technical identity rather than simply mirroring its simulation heavy roots.
Why the delay isn’t a huge surprise
Slipping release dates have become almost routine across the games industry lately, and IndyCar Racing: The Game is no exception. Given how ambitious the original 2026 timeline appeared, especially for a brand new title built on new technology, a shift into 2027 feels more like a natural correction than a red flag.
Worth the wait
The game will launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC through Steam. For a series that many consider to be producing some of the most exciting racing on the planet right now, a proper video game tribute feels long overdue. American open wheel racing has rarely gotten the interactive spotlight it deserves, and this release could finally change that, provided iRacing sticks the landing when 2027 arrives.
