What IndyCar Fans Actually Want From INDYCAR Racing The Game

INDYCAR Racing The Game features are still officially unconfirmed, and with the game locked in for early 2027, the conversation among fans has shifted from “is it even real” to “please, get these things right.” After more than twenty years without a dedicated IndyCar game, expectations are high, specific, and loud. The r/INDYCAR community has been clear about that. Here is what the community is asking for, and why each request makes sense.

A career mode with real depth

The single most common request is a deep, meaningful career mode. Fans do not just want a menu of one-off races. They want to start at the bottom, climb the ladder, and feel the sport’s structure around them.

That means starting in Indy NXT, earning a seat with a top team, managing sponsors and engineers, developing across a full season, and chasing a championship. Above all, it means treating the month of May and the Indianapolis 500 as the centerpiece of the entire experience. A career mode that makes qualifying for the 500 feel like a genuine achievement would capture what makes IndyCar special in a way no arcade race list ever could.

Authentic tracks, all of them

Track authenticity is the next big one. IndyCar’s calendar is unusually varied, mixing flat-out superspeedways, technical permanent road courses, and bumpy, unforgiving street circuits. Fans want the whole calendar, not a reduced sampler.

There is a specific wrinkle here. iRacing already has laser-scanned versions of many IndyCar venues, but the calendar also visits circuits that are not currently on the iRacing platform. The community is watching closely to see whether iRacing Studios builds those missing tracks rather than trimming the schedule down to what already exists. Getting the ovals to feel genuinely fast and nervous, while keeping the street courses tight and punishing, is the balance that will define how the game drives.

Accessibility without dumbing it down

Here is the tension at the heart of this project. iRacing’s reputation is built on hardcore simulation, but a console audience is far broader than the hardcore sim crowd. The game needs to welcome newcomers without alienating the veterans who trust the iRacing name.

That means a strong set of driving assists that can be toggled on and off, a difficulty curve that ramps up gently, and handling options that let a controller player stay competitive while still rewarding a full wheel-and-pedals setup. Nail this, and the game grows the audience. Miss it, and it either scares off newcomers or bores the faithful.

Online that works on day one

Fans have been burned by racing games with broken launch-day multiplayer before, so a stable, well-built online mode sits high on the wishlist. People want clean racing, sensible matchmaking, functional lobbies, and penalty systems that actually work.

Cross-play is a big part of this conversation too. With the game spread across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, players want to race their friends regardless of platform rather than being siloed by hardware. Given iRacing’s online racing heritage, this is one area where expectations are especially high.

Presentation and the small stuff

Beyond the headline features, the wishlist runs into the details that make a racing game feel complete. A proper replay and photo mode. A broadcast-style presentation that captures the feel of an IndyCar telecast. Regular driver, team, and livery updates to keep the game current with the real season. Accurate engine and tire sounds, since audio is a huge part of the open-wheel experience.

What matters most

None of this is confirmed for INDYCAR Racing The Game yet. iRacing has kept its feature details close to the chest, and the real reveals are still months away. But the community has made its priorities clear, and they are reasonable: a deep career, the full track list, smart accessibility, solid online, and polished presentation. Check the INDYCAR Racing The Game release date tracker as those details drop. Hit most of that wishlist, and iRacing Studios will not just have made a good IndyCar game. It will have made the one IndyCar fans have been waiting an entire generation for.