Introduction
Despite many gamers once dismissing VR as being a doodad that would never take off, it ’ south continued to thrive, even without digest from technical school giants such as Microsoft, along the way .
late years have provided an ever-increasing improvement in the VR experience, and plot developers have begun focusing on Virtual Reality more than ever when creating new games for the market.
We feel that the future of VR is going to be fascinating after having witnessed the rapid progression in late times .
barely a few years ago, the think of putting a headset on in your home and diving into a fully immersive universe where you ’ ll find yourself in the cockpit of your favorite race, or drift cars, about seemed absurd by any stretch of the imagination .
yet, the rapid technical advancements continue to blow our minds. With some phenomenal VR headsets becoming more low-cost to the masses than ever, it ’ s an stimulate time to witness gaming enthusiasts transitioning over to the VR earth .
With the COVID pandemic force settlement for most of the racetracks around the populace, VR has remained pandemic-free, allowing you to step into the cockpit at any fourth dimension, in the comfort of your own base .
Racing, or driving games, are perfectly suited to the VR have. Combined with a rack and pedal point apparatus, it offers the arrant escape from the veridical global, aboard providing the amphetamine, epinephrine, and exhilaration that comes with race .
We don ’ metric ton frequently throw the term ‘ game-changer ’ around very much, but we feel that ’ s the perfect way to begin to explain the feel that comes with VR racing. We ’ rhenium pretty certain you ’ ll never get tempted to return to ‘ pancake screen ’ racing ever again .
Where we would once require a triple-monitor setup to get the correct field-of-view to look out of our side windows when playing drifting games, a elementary turn of the head is all that ’ randomness required .
once you ’ ve got a VR headset, you ’ ll be grateful for the extra space that you gain without the indigence for a triple-screen apparatus, besides !
It ’ randomness time to combine the contemporary with the future and experience the very best of what VR has to offer as we take a count at the breathtaking VR sim racing worldly concern .
We ’ re excited to plowshare our darling VR race ( and drifting, of path ) games to see what ’ ll be the perfect choice for you .
The Best VR Racing & Drifting Games
What one person classes as an incredible plot, another person might disagree .
We much find this to be the casing in sim race, where some people might be keen on the idea, but when it comes to getting behind the wheel, they realize their talents aren ’ t quite up-to-scratch just however .
For that cause, there are assorted games on the market, some of which offer a more arcade-style racing know, and others designed for first professional drivers to refine their skills off the track .
On the other hand, some might be looking for an out-the-box experience, where they can plug in their VR headset and drive some of their front-runner cars at their pipe dream tracks .
Others might be wanting to explore what the third-party mod communities have to offer, building the most expansive collection of cars and tracks conceivable .
With therefore many considerations to bear in mind, we ’ ve opted to keep this list in alphabetic rate preferably than ranking it from best to worst since we ’ ve already eliminated games that we wouldn ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate personally consider play .
Let ’ s take a look at our favorite VR race and drifting games !
Assetto Corsa
Compatibility: Valve Index, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift/Quest
We begin our list with Assetto Corsa, which coincidentally happens not only to be the foremost bet on alphabetically, but many will argue that it ’ sulfur besides the best VR sim racer out there .
In the early days, there were respective issues regarding menus/HUD systems for those trying to enjoy the VR have, which made for many complaints online. We ’ re happy to declare that these issues have since been fixed, so we advise looking past that .
Assetto Corsa is arguably ( and many will happily voice their impression ) the ultimate game for those looking to make drifting a precedence .
It ’ s sol popular that we ’ ve even written an stallion Assetto Corsa VR lead .
not alone does it provide an incredible drive experience with a bargain price tag to match, but the drift mod community for this game is means beyond any other bet on on our list .
We can about guarantee that just about any ( half-decent ) track, or car you can think of will have a mod available – completely absolve of charge .
Want to launch Daigo Saito ’ s JZX100 over the ill-famed rise at Ebisu Minami ? Assetto Corsa has got you covered .
There ’ s a rationality why then many pro-level drifters have begun competing on-line with Assetto Corsa recently, and we feel that backs up our claims of it being the best drift simulator game out there .
It might not be the most extraordinary when it comes to pixel-peeping at the graphics, but the profit is that it will consume fewer resources on your personal computer. Assuming your personal computer can run VR, it ’ s likely to be more than enough for AC .
If you ’ ve got a high-spec gambling personal computer, crank the graphics up to Maximum, and we ’ re certain you won ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate be disappointed .
We highly recommend checking out the Content Manager for the ultimate experience for those of you that are planning to go down the Assetto Corsa route .
Although Assetto Corsa provides an especial have for personal computer gamers, the console game won ’ thyroxine allow you to install mods, which is one of the games ’ main advantages .
For that argue, it may be deserving thinking about making the substitution to personal computer .
If you like the sound of AC, but you ’ ra looking for a GT-dedicated race game rather than a roll game, then make surely you check out Assetto Corsa ’ south younger brother, Assetto Corsa Competizione following .
Assetto Corsa Competizione
Compatibility: Valve Index, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift/Quest
Assetto Corsa Competizione is the latest plot from Assetto Corsa, and although many enthusiasts were hoping that it would be AC 2, that ’ s not the case .
There was a specific target market with Competizione, and that was GT3 Endurance racing enthusiasts. think of it as the GT3 equivalent of the F1 bet on series .
ACC is undoubtedly stun and thoroughly enjoyable, but given its reduce target market, it ’ s not going to be deoxyadenosine monophosphate favorable as Assetto Corsa when it comes to mass-appeal .
When it comes to sound, visuals, physics, and weather, ACC is arguably a footstep in the proper commission over its older sibling .
however, that does come at the expense of system resources, so you may need to consider a GPU upgrade to ensure you ’ re able to reach its full electric potential .
If you ’ re looking for a GT3 sim racer, then look no far .
alternatively, if you ’ re anything beyond GT3, we recommend opting for the original game .
Automobilista 2
Compatibility: Valve Index, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift/Quest
Automobilista 2 is one of the most late entrants to the VR bet on world, and it ’ randomness received a significant measure of praise from sim racers .
Built upon an evolution of the ‘ Madness Engine ’ that Slightly Mad Studios used for Project CARS 2, this is arguably the best-looking racing game in VR right now .
The AI was reasonably questionable during our experiences with the game, but these kinds of bugs will undoubtedly get ironed out with updates .
AMS 2 makes for a fantastic out-of-the-box VR experience, where we wouldn ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate expect to have to spend excessively much time tweaking the settings, which is one of the independent complaints of ACC players .
overall, a great choice to consider for those that are looking for an impressive VR race game. With it still being new to the market, there ’ mho bound to be plenty of updates and DLC content coming soon .
Drifting in the game is possible with a becoming RWD setup, but it ’ mho surely not going to be competing with Assetto Corsa for the drifting crown .
At the current time, it ’ s entirely available for personal computer, but they are considering introducing the bet on to consoles far down the line .
DiRT Rally 2.0
Compatibility: Valve Index, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift/Quest
If you ’ re a bang-up VR sim racer, then we highly recommend checking out what DiRT Rally has to offer .
We found this to be one of the most enjoyable yet unforgiving and intense VR games that provides a sincerely unique feel .
It credibly won ’ triiodothyronine come as much of a storm that it ’ s entirely beat up cars, therefore scandinavian flicks are about the closest you ’ ll get to aimless .
We found that the rough off-road tracks with endless sharp twists and turns made for a stomach-churning rollercoaster experience at first – it ’ mho credibly not the perfect game right after a big meal !
Jokes aside, it may take a short longer to build up your movement nausea abilities, so we would recommend getting started with track racing sim before heading square to DiRT Rally .
Although there are only rally cars, there ’ s enough of classes and eras in the plot to keep it matter to, we thoroughly enjoy it, and it stays in our constant VR gambling rotation .
unfortunately, there ’ second once again disappoint news program for those hoping to play DiRT Rally 2.0 on the PSVR, as Codemasters has decided that they won ’ metric ton be integrating the PSVR chopine .
however, the original DiRT Rally does have PSVR support and is still well worth considering .
Gran Turismo Sport
Compatibility: PlayStation VR ( PSVR )
PlayStation ’ s democratic race simulator has made great use of their identical own PSVR system .
Although racing games are few and far between for the PlayStation console table, both this and the master DiRT Rally game will provide more than enough to keep most entry-level gamers felicitous .
GT Sport provides incredible graphics with insane attention to detail. Although it ’ s not a ‘ hard-core ’ simulator like most of the games on our tilt, it makes for an excellent insertion to VR race .
Although Sony has welcomed the future of VR bet on, Microsoft hasn ’ metric ton been so acute to do so with the Xbox console table, which gives GT Sport the edge over Forza Motorsport 7 in this involve .
overall, GT Sport is a worthwhile purchase for those of you that already have a PSVR headset .
however, if you ’ re a personal computer crippled, we surely wouldn ’ thymine be rushing out to buy a PlayStation cabinet .
iRacing
Compatibility: Valve Index, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift/Quest
many VR sim racers regard iRacing as the indisputable champion, and true, they do have a point .
There are now more master race drivers than always refining their skills on iRacing off the cut, which is a testament to just how realistic this game is .
If you ’ ra looking for the ultimate race experience, which is fair adenine grim as the real thing, then iRacing could well be the answer .
I mean, it all sounds perfect. Right ?
well, about .
There ’ s a slender issue with iRacing, and that ’ s the monetary value .
To put things in position, you could get your hands on Assetto Corsa for $ 19.99, assuming there are no discounts at the time .
On the other pass, iRacing will set you binding $ 13—a calendar month .
That ’ mho right – if you opt to pay monthly over a year, you ’ ll have to spend $ 156 to enjoy what iRacing has to offer .
true that cost comes down to $ 110 with an annual membership or $ 199 for two years, but it ’ mho still madly expensive compared to most games .
Oh, and that ’ randomness for the basic package .
If you want extra cars and tracks, expect to part with either $ 11.95 or $ 14.95 – EACH .
now, we understand that for incredibly dedicated sim racers, this may well be worth the price. You ’ re likely to meet some serious contest on the on-line servers, including some of the populace ’ sulfur best drivers.
however, for an inexperienced amateur coming into VR sim race, we surely wouldn ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate startle with iRacing .
We besides wouldn ’ thyroxine consider iRacing if you ’ re an episodic crippled or one that likes to alternate between a range of games, as you probably won ’ triiodothyronine be getting your money ’ randomness deserving .
Assuming you ’ rhenium talented behind the roulette wheel, looking for the ultimate race simulator, and you don ’ t mind paying the price, this is the game for you .
Live For Speed
Compatibility: Valve Index, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift/Quest
Live For Speed has been a popular drift simulator for many years, and many will argue that LFS provides a better drifting sim experience over Assetto Corsa .
In our opinion, we would say that LFS makes for an excellent starter for experiencing sim roll, but for us, Assetto Corsa takes it to the future grade .
It ’ south surely up there with the best drift games, but for us, the diaphanous sum of mod contented that Assetto Corsa provides makes it the more sympathetic choice .
Project CARS
Compatibility: Valve Index, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift/Quest
We ’ five hundred forgive you for wondering why we ’ ra talking about the first Project CARS game when we ’ ra now up to PC3 .
The reason is that the Pagani Edition of the game is available for completely exempt on the Steam Store, and we feel that this provides the perfect insertion for VR gamers on a budget .
certain, it might not be not quite a refined as its successor, Project CARS 2, but many would argue that it ’ second superior to Project CARS 3 .
Either way, if you ’ re after a spare VR racing simulator game to decide whether it will be worth investing in, this provides the perfective opportunity .
With a comprehensive examination career mode alongside a capital kind of vehicles and tracks, we ’ ve got no doubt that Project CARS will keep you entertained while you save for your perfect sim racer .
Project CARS 2
Compatibility: Valve Index, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift/Quest
many consider Project CARS 2 to be the best all-around when it comes to VR racing games .
After making a decent impression with the first game in the franchise, they delivered some fantastic improvements for the irregular game .
project CARS 2 brings a selection of more than 200 cars, including some of the most long-familiar freewheel cars, such as Vaughn Gittin JR ’ s wheelie-popping Mustang and Mad Mike ’ s Radbul .
Games such as iRacing are more hard-core simulators, whereas PC2 provides a polish software with excellent graphics and physics in a slightly more arcade-style package .
If you ’ re a Forza Motorsport fan looking to enjoy VR, PC2 is about ampere conclude as you ’ re going to get .
With late breakthroughs in editing the game, a thriving raw Project CARS 2 mod residential district has been growing over the late months, providing some excite new developments .
It ’ mho not equally good as Assetto Corsa when it comes to drifting, but it even provides an enjoyable experience, alongside a broad diverseness of unique motorsport disciplines .
A capital out-the-box package providing enough of subject to keep you entertained, PC2 is regarded by many gamers as the best choice in the undertaking CARS franchise .
Project CARS 3
Compatibility: Valve Index, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift/Quest
If you ’ d like to see how not to treat your existing fanbase, then check out how the establish for Project CARS 3 has gone .
As Project CARS 2 took a increase from its predecessor, many Project CARS fans were excited to see the third base game hitting the marketplace .
… Until they played it .
Where project CARS had earned its reputation as a ‘ friendly ’ simulator that ’ s more forgiving than the likes of iRacing, they ’ ve opted to go in completely the antonym commission for the third game .
many fans believe that the simulator game they know and love has disappeared, replaced with a full-on arcade game with very few similarities to the real-world race experience .
We ’ ve opted to keep it in this number to inform you that it ’ south changed drastically, but besides because it has great visuals, an excellent sense of speed, and antic VR .
plan Cars 3 will calm be enjoyable for those looking for a more forgive VR game to get them started in the sim racing world .
hard-core racers, we highly recommend looking elsewhere .
RaceRoom Racing Experience
Compatibility: Valve Index, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift/Quest
One of the less-common choices in the VR sim racing sector is RaceRoom Racing Experience .
This realistic free-to-play rush sim is another excellent plot to get you started with VR .
We ’ ve spent a bazaar bite of time playing RaceRoom initially, and we found the game to be enjoyable, with excellent collision physics .
In all honesty, we did feel that the other games in our list had more of a longer-lasting appeal and good ticked more boxes than R3E .
One of the chief benefits is that it ’ ll work great on a basic-spec personal computer, assuming it ’ s able of running your VR rig, making it perfect for beginners .
Since it ’ s wholly free, there ’ s no injury in giving it a attempt – many gamers out there are huge fans .
rFactor
Compatibility: Valve Index, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift/Quest
rFactor 2 seems to be the love/hate supporter when it comes to VR sim racers .
While some insist that it ’ second adenine good as, if not better, than Assetto Corsa when it comes to drifting, others think it ’ randomness incredibly overrated .
On the flipside, rFactor fans will often argue that the game provides the best physics of all the playfulness in our number, alongside the best VR experience .
We advise giving the plot a try with the free demonstration before forming your own opinion. Who knows, it might tick the right boxes for your needs !
Best Sim Racing VR Headsets in 2021
As with everything, unlike people may prefer particular VR headset brands, so it may be worth deciding which headset is best for you. Think of it as the ‘ Xbox vs PlayStation ’ or ‘ Apple volt Samsung ’ argument !
however, there is one standout product on the market right now from Oculus, and we don ’ thyroxine find that their rivals, such as HTC, have caught up with a competitive volunteer for what you get for the money .
For that reason, here ’ s our personal ‘ Drifted Choice ’ recommendation in 2021 .
Drifted VR Headset Choice
The Drifted headset of choice is used by respective of our staff members for on-line drift bicycle-built-for-two sessions in Assetto Corsa, and we feel it represents the best value-for-money by far right immediately .
If you ’ ve already begun researching VR headsets, then our recommendation will probable come as no surprise .
eye has brought respective revolutionist headsets to the market, such as the Oculus Rift, Oculus Touch, the original Quest, and now the Quest 2 .
Featuring an LCD-display with a 3664 ten 1920 resolving power, a 90hz refresh rate, and a field-of-view of 100-degrees, it ’ s the perfective frame-up for experiencing what Project CARS 2 has to offer without having to splash out big money .
The only downside for many gamers has been integrating a compulsory Facebook login to use the Quest 2, which hasn ’ thyroxine gone down well with many enthusiasts .
Facebook login away, we ’ rhenium sure this won ’ t leave you disappoint .
Our Premium VR Headset Choice
If you ’ ve got boastful bucks to spend and looking to build the ultimate sim-racing rig, we besides have a superior agio offer, but it does come at a price .
Valve Index has brought this incredible objet d’art of kit to the market with a full AMOLED expose, a maximum resoluteness of 2880 ten 1600, a field-of-view of ~130 degrees, and a crazy review rate 120Hz, or 144Hz in experimental mode .
I ’ ve had the pleasure of using this setup once, and although it was mind-blowing, the Oculus Quest 2 is likely to be more than good adequate for most everyday bet on needs .
How Much Does Sim Racing Cost?
As you can credibly guess, this is exchangeable to the ‘ how long is a piece of string ? ’ motion. It depends on how extreme you want to go with your build and what you already have .
For exemplify, here ’ s an idea of just how extreme things can get :
however, we haven ’ t got a million dollars burning a hole in our pockets, so let ’ s look at a couple of rational alternatives .
Drifted Wheel/Pedal Choice
We ’ ve had big achiever with the Thrustmaster TX wheel/pedal setup, and we ’ d highly recommend it for the price .
Although there are cheaper considerations out there on the market, such as the Logitech G920, we soon found ourselves opting for a superior apparatus, so we recommend jumping straight to the Thrustmaster TX .
Premium Wheel/Pedal Choice
If you ’ ve opted for the Valve Index, then you ’ re apprehensible going to be looking for the best wheel/pedal jazz band to match .
If that ’ s the case, then look no further than the Fanatec Clubsport .
It ’ s a unplayful man of kit, with an eye-watering monetary value tag, but it is the closest you ’ re going to get to the very matter .
Is it worth the money ? only you can decide. It ’ sulfur on my dream wish number. One day !
Conclusion
virtual reality has already progressed leaps and bounds in recent years, and we feel as though there ’ second silent batch of room to make the have even more incredible than it already is .
The inclusion of blend reality has made things even more agitate, with the ability to merge both the real-world and virtual world to provide a trippy combination !
As VR headsets continue to improve and the prices continue to fall, we feel that mass-adoption is closer than ever. We besides believe that more developers will continue to focus on enhancing the genuine capabilities of what VR offers .
We feel that this is still the early stages of what sim racing sincerely has to offer, and we can ’ t wait to see what the future holds .
In this steer, we ’ ve explored what we feel are the greatest VR racing games available in the present day .
We hope we ’ ve covered everything you need to know, whether you ’ re looking to shave seconds off your lap clock time, skin walls while drifting, or throw down scandinavian flicks in your rally car !
sol, there we have it ! We hope that we ’ ve covered everything you could want to know about VR Racing Games in this steer .
Thank you for reading our VR Racing Games guide.
If you enjoyed this article, please partake it with the buttons at the bottom of your screen. If you ’ ve found this information utilitarian, then please take a moment to share it with other sim racing enthusiasts. We appreciate your support .
Photography credits
We thank the succeed entities for the use of their photography in this article :
Written by Joe Terrell
Drifted.com founder, motoring journalist and all-round car enthusiast. Read more about Joe and the Drifted team on our Drifted.com laminitis, motoring diarist and all-around car enthusiast. Read more about Joe and the Drifted team on our about us page.
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