Gaming
Games
These are the racing games we can't wait to play in 2019
2018 was a great year for racing games, but these are the titles we're most looking forward to in 2019.
Whether you prefer a simulation racer or arcade fun, there’s no denying that this year has been a great year for the racing game genre. We had the best of Codemasters in F1 2018, while Playground Games delivered one of the most sublime racers of all time in Forza Horizon 4 – a title which showcased what the Xbox One X can truly do, with its incredible visuals and rock solid 60fps frame rate.
But 2019 could be even better. As we near the suspected end of the life cycle for the PS4 and Xbox One, we might get the “last hurrah” from many series, giving one final push before the new generation of consoles explores yet more power. These are the racing games we can’t wait to play in 2019.
DiRT Rally 2.0 (February 26, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC)
It’s been a long wait since 2015’s DiRT Rally, but we’ll finally get to experience the latest game in the series in February 2019. It may not be the second actual game (not by a long shot), but with the ability to push modern consoles like the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X, we’re dying to see how the realistic driving physics play out. How will each individual car react to the dirt, the muck, the water, and so on? We know we’ll be able to drive through various weather conditions, whether in rallycross or standard rallying, and that the game will include real-world cars and circuits. We also know it’ll be expanded through DLC, but the jury's still out on how that’ll work out. Regardless, bring it on.
Trials Rising (February 26, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Switch)
We’re massive fans of RedLynx, and will always be happy to have a new Trials game in development. Rising looks to be taking the game back to a more grounded environment, while losing none of the madness of arcade motocross racing. We’re talking explosions, huge jumps, painful crashes, skill games and the kind of balancing act that seems impossible at first, but rewards you the more you attempt it. True Trials mastery is a sight to behold, and there’s even a beta coming in early 2019 if you can’t wait for the full game which, apparently, features more tracks than ever before.
Assetto Corsa Competizione (Q1 2019, PC, later to consoles)
After hitting early access in September 2018, fans on PC have been enjoying the endurance races (including a 24-hour race) while everyone else has been sitting patiently, waiting for the opportunity to get involved. We don’t have a specific release date yet, but we know the game will be leaving early access in early 2019 and will also be coming to PS4 and Xbox One, presumably shortly afterwards. Meanwhile, the lucky people among you who have the new Nvidia GPUs can get their real-time raytracing on with the 20-series cards. For those of you who aren’t up on that tech, it basically means the game is going to look incredible on PCs.
Team Sonic Racing (May 21, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch)
Now hear us out, because we know most of the games on this list are full-on sims, or require insane skills to master, but the last game in the Sonic Racing series was phenomenal, and incredibly underrated. Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed was a Mario Kart rival, and while most prefer MK8, the Sonic Racing games are well designed, and just a whole heap of fun to play either alone, or with friends. Due out in May of 2019, Team Sonic Racing may have ditched the long name, but it’s developed by Sumo Digital, who are also underrated themselves. They’ve made OutRun 2 on Xbox, had a hand in some of the Forza series at one point or another, and have ported plenty of racers to handheld consoles, too. Don’t scoff at this one, because there’s a chance Team Sonic Racing could be Mario Kart levels of fun.
F1 2019 (TBA August, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC)
Codemasters’ flagship racer is in an interesting spot right now, in a similar way to EA Sports’ FIFA series can often find itself in. When you give fans one of the best games in the series’ long history, it’s a difficult decision whether to stick or twist. We know, of course, that the developers will continue to push the envelope visually, but what changes will we get to career mode? Will they go deeper? Will they dial in the sim-aspects of the game even further? One thing's for sure, we don’t expect the Codies to rest on their laurels, and the prospect of F1 2019 being even better than 2018’s game is a mouth-watering one indeed.
More Forza (TBA 2019, Xbox One, PC)
Microsoft have been in full on “nice guy” mode with their studio acquisitions in 2018, including the fact they purchased Playground Games, the makers of the Forza Horizon series. However, Turn 10 Studios are an in-house studio formed in 2001 and the usual method of “Horizon this year, Motorsport next” could be up in the air right now. While we’re expecting something Forza-related in 2019 for sure, we’re not sure it’ll be Forza Motorsport 8 as many are thinking. Simply put, the last game had some issues and the devs are still making good on them, but we’re definitely expecting more Horizon 4. The Fortune Island content is labelled “Expansion 1” which suggests we’ll get a second one in 2019, and frankly, we cannot wait. Hold Motorsport 8 for the next console, which is similar to what happened with the Xbox One’s launch, and blow us away on new hardware; we’re happy still playing Horizon 4.
GRID Autosport on Switch (TBA 2019, Nintendo Switch)
Now look, we know the hardcore sim-fans are going to be at their PC with a wheel set-up, and that’s fine (that’s us, too), but the Switch is perfect for racing on-the-go. Initially released in 2014, Codemasters’ game was (eventually, after some fixes to the game) praised for its realism, and it’s coming to Nintendo’s portable system in 2019. While it may not be top of your lists compared to the other games, with GRID on Switch you can play a driving game while sat in the passenger seat as someone else drives like some kind of driving game inception. Trippy.
