Article last updated on 16/02/2024
Sim racing, a contraction of the words “simulation” and “racing”, is a video game category that includes all racing simulations. These games seek to reproduce driving as faithfully as possible by taking care of the physics of vehicles and providing many parameters to manage, such as tires, fuel, damage. They also offer a multitude of possible adjustments related in particular to the suspensions, the brakes, the gearbox, the differential and the aerodynamics.
This type of game, demanding in terms of commitment (time, equipment, etc.), is naturally distinguished from the more accessible “arcade” style of driving, which is more focused on the sensation of speed, hectic action and immediate fun. However, sim racing is historically derived from the arcade and the separation between the two genres has been progressive, as we will see.
Summary:
1. The history of sim racing
The beginnings of simulation
Many people agree that Pole Position, developed by Namco and released in 1982 on an arcade machine, is the ancestor of sim racing. It was the first game to include a real circuit, Fuji Speedway, and a qualifying stage that the player had to pass in order to participate in the Grand Prix race. The cabinet was equipped with a steering wheel, a gear lever and one or two pedals depending on the type of installation.
Developed by Tatsumi, TX-1 took the realism up a notch in 1983 with its trickier gameplay that required the player to slow down, downshift and brake to progress at the controls of his F1 car. It was also the first arcade game to feature a force feedback wheel. The cabinet was also distinguished by its three screens which offered a wide view of the track.
Released in 1986, Konami’s WEC Le Mans 24 allowed the players to drive racing cars on the famous Sarthe competition day and night. Very difficult, the game presented a punishing handling where the slightest error resulted in long penalty seconds. The “deluxe” cabinet was distinguished by its ability to turn 360°.
The 1980s also saw their first racing “simulations” on microcomputers, notably Psion Software’s Checkered Flag, developed for the ZX Spectrum. This 1983 game offered to drive an F1 in subjective view on several real or fictitious circuits. Among other things, the player had to ensure the fuel level of his single-seater, not to overheat the engine and to negotiate his pit stops correctly.
Geoff Crammond’s Revs game, released in 1984 on BBC Micro, was in the same vein and allowed the player to control a Formula 3 on the Silverstone circuit. It particularly stood out at the time for its fully 3D environment and its possibilities for adjusting the aerodynamics.
The birth of a genre
Indianapolis 500: The Simulation was the first game to truly bridge the gap between simulation and arcade. Developed by Papyrus Design Group and originally released on MS-DOS in 1989, this 3D polygonal game was played in a cockpit view and offered races up to 200 laps with 33 single-seaters. It also offered many settings possibilities (tires, suspensions, wings).
MicroProse’s Formula One Grand Prix game, available at its launch in 1992 on the Amiga 500 and Atari ST, was also a cornerstone for the genre. It allowed a full season to be played on 16 circuits and included a multiplayer mode which gave rise to the first organized competitions. It also benefited from an advanced physics engine with driving aids and was the first game to reproduce the slipstream effect.
In 1994, NASCAR Racing, another flagship Papyrus title, was released for DOS and Macintosh. A huge commercial and critical success, it was the first game to offer online competitions. Its realistic “high resolution” graphics have also impressed many players.
On console, Polys Entertainment’s Gran Turismo was a real phenomenon when it was released in 1997 on PlayStation. It offered the ability to drive and modify a large number of vehicles, included a career mode and introduced its famous license system. At the time, it was considered the most realistic racing game on console.
Towards a modern era
From the mid-1990s, racing simulations followed one another at a frantic pace and saw the emergence of many successful IPs. Ubisoft’s F1 Racing Simulation, launched in 1997 on PC, was one of the first games to take advantage of new generations of graphics cards, which opened up new possibilities in terms of fidelity and realism.
In 1998, Grand Prix Legends by Papyrus also made an impression, despite disappointing sales. It allowed the player to relive the 1967 F1 season and was praised for its intense action as well as its excellent driving sensations.
Sega AM2’s F355 Challenge, although initially released on an arcade machine in 1999, has also managed to make a name for itself, in particular thanks to its superb cabinet with three screens, H-shaped gear stick and three pedals. The player could drive a Ferrari F355 on real circuits, quite a difficult experience once all assists were disabled.
Many other simulations followed, mainly on PC. Some of these titles are: Live For Speed in 2002, Richard Burns Rally in 2004, rFactor, GTR – FIA GT Racing Game and Forza Motorsport in 2005, netKar Pro in 2006, iRacing in 2008, Assetto Corsa in 2014, Project CARS in 2015…
2. Sim racing games
Today, car racing simulations are more realistic than ever and give the player a remarkable immersion by pushing the limits of graphics and physics engines. By the way, can we still consider these simulations as “games”? The degree of fidelity is such that many professional drivers use these softwares to train or sharpen their reflexes between two seasons.
The offer in terms of simulation is now huge and covers most of the motorsports, from Formula 1 to rallying, including endurance, drifting, rallycross, drag racing… There are so many games that it is not always easy to navigate. We therefore offer a quick overview of some of the most popular simulations to help you see more clearly.
Assetto Corsa Competizione (PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, Xbox One)
Developed by Kunos Simulazioni, Assetto Corsa Competizione is a 2019 title that follows on from the first game in the licence, Assetto Corsa, one of the biggest references in sim racing. The game focuses on GT racing and is particularly appreciated for its ultra-realistic and precise driving, striking immersion, advanced artificial intelligence and great attention to detail. Available on PC and consoles, it is regularly updated with free content and DLCs. With these, the game now boasts over 50 officially licensed vehicles and more than twenty tracks. The long-awaited Assetto Corsa 2 is due for release in 2024.
iRacing (PC)
Released in 2008, iRacing remains the preferred choice of many professional sim racers to this day. It mainly stands out for its monthly subscription system and its very strict user behavior policy. The community of players is thus mostly very involved and respectful. The title has been the subject of numerous partnerships with organizations and official championships such as NASCAR, IndyCar, SCCA, Formula Renault… Note that the cockpit view is the only option retained for official races.
Gran Turismo 7 (PS5, PS4)
Released in 2022, Gran Turismo 7 from Polyphony Digital is a game exclusive to Sony consoles that can be classed as a ‘simcade’, a title that offers a compromise between pure realism and accessibility. The game is vast in scope, offering players a wide range of solo and online progression options, with support for vehicle tuning and weather changes. The title also highlights the history of the automobile through the GT Café and the museums available at dealerships. Thanks to a number of updates, you can now take the wheel of almost 500 cars on some forty circuits.
Forza Motorsport (PC, Xbox Series)
Released in 2023, Turn 10 Studios’ Forza Motorsport is a title in another cult series, the worthy counterpart on Xbox (and PC) to Gran Turismo. Its distinguishing feature is its role-playing progression, in which players can acquire points to improve their vehicle’s performance. In addition to its career mode, the game offers the chance to compete against other players online in a variety of events to suit all profiles, from casual gamers to hardcore gamers. The title is very generous, with more than 500 modern and vintage vehicles, ranging from city cars to supercars, including F1 and other racing machines, and around twenty circuits.
EA Sports WRC (PC, PS5, Xbox Series)
The successor to the highly acclaimed Dirt Rally 2.0 developed by Codemasters, EA Sports WRC was released in 2023 and focuses on driving rally cars. Benefiting from the official licence of the World Rally Championship, the title offers the chance to take control of machines in 18 different categories, including classics, and features more than 200 special stages spread across 18 rallies in the championship. A demanding game with a realistic physics engine, beautiful graphics and changing weather conditions in real time to faithfully reproduce the sensations experienced in this flagship motor sport discipline.
The games seen above are just an overview of the many simulations available on the market. Other titles may also be of interest, such as rFactor 2, GTR 2, RaceRoom Racing Experience, Automobilista 2, F1 2023, Project CARS 3…
3. Getting started in sim racing
To make the most of the immersion capabilities demonstrated by racing car simulations, it is essential to acquire suitable equipment. Some manufacturers offer complete sets, but it is also possible to buy the different products separately. Before making your choice, you will need to assess your expectations, establish your budget and choose which type of platform you will play on in priority (PC/Xbox or PlayStation) in order to ensure the compatibility of your setup.
Cockpit
The essential element and the basis of your setup is the cockpit, also called play seat. This is a structure generally incorporating mounts for fixing the seat, the steering wheel and the pedals, or other accessories. Many adjustments (height, depth, angle, etc.) are possible and some offer several driving positions: GT, F1, hybrid… There are different kinds of cockpits, depending on the space available and your playing habits. Some are mobile and foldable and are perfect for regular transport and storage. Stiffer and more cumbersome, fixed models are more complicated to move (some are however equipped with wheels) but allow greater comfort of use. Usually, the stronger it is, the better the cockpit will be able to support high-performance equipment. Manufacturers like Next Level Racing also offer wheel stands, which are less expensive than a complete chassis.
Bucket seat
Sometimes delivered with the cockpit, the bucket seat is another major component of a sim racing setup. Most are made of fiberglass covered with fabric or leatherette. There are several brands of seats, specifically designed for gaming. Sparco notably offers products inspired by real FIA racing seats. The model you choose must be adapted to your size and your morphology for optimal comfort and high-level immersion. It is necessary to check the mounts and the type of fixing of your seat in order to make sure of its compatibility with your cockpit. Finally, remember that these seats are not compatible with road use.
Steering wheel
For the steering wheel, if possible, choose a force feedback model, a technology that has been proven for decades to bring vibrations and resistances into the device according to many parameters. This allows you to feel your vehicle more precisely and to correctly understand the surface and the roughness of the track. That said, the ultimate currently resides in the Direct Drive wheel bases, which are becoming more and more popular. They use the power of the engine without intermediary for more responsiveness and reliability, and allow for greater effort to be transmitted.
With the necessary hardware, it’s possible to play with a real car steering wheel, as Gaetan Valero 88 shows us in his DriftShop “Top Gear” steering wheel test: watch the video.
Pedal box
You should choose your pedal set carefully, paying particular attention to the brake pedal, which can use two different technologies. The most common and inexpensive uses potentiometers that measure the distance traveled by the pedal, without measuring the force applied. The other, more high-end and durable solution employs Load Cell force sensors for more precise metering and a more realistic feel. It is important to verify the compatibility of the product with the steering wheel.
Gear shifter and handbrake
If you don’t want to shift gears on the steering wheel using the paddles, you can integrate a gear shifter into your system, to be placed on the right or left side of your cockpit. Here again, there is a wide choice with sequential or H-shaped models, and sometimes both in the same product. For the handbrake, some offer several feelings: conventional and linear or more progressive in a hydraulic way. It is often possible to fix the handle horizontally (GT) or vertically (rally and drift). Finally, some products combine both functions: gear shifter and handbrake.
Monitor
You have the option of integrating one or more monitors into your sim racing station in order to have an optimal view of the track from your cockpit. There are flat, curved or extra-wide monitors that will have to be installed on a dedicated mount. Very often, these supports with foot or to be fixed to the cockpit are adjustable and benefit from VESA compatibility, a standard which aims to simplify adaptation. For the most demanding sim racers, it is possible to set up to four screens and thus benefit from a panoramic view thanks to the three aligned monitors while using for example the upper screen to display various race data.
Dynamic platforms
In order to further perfect the immersion in the game and improve feedback, manufacturers have developed sim racing platforms that allow you to move your cockpit by reproducing with striking fidelity the Gs and vibrations, as well as other effects such as mass transfers, roll, wheel lock, 4-wheel drifts… This professional quality equipment, which is still very expensive, is becoming more and more compact and silent so that it can be integrated more and more easily into your station.
Virtual reality
VR, or virtual reality, has entered the world of gaming for several years now and the diversity of the offer opens up many prospects for its use in sim racing. These headsets immerse you in the heart of the action by allowing you to navigate your environment as if you were really there: the ability to turn your head and feel the presence of other vehicles, to look exactly at the apex of the corner, and at the overall to improve your driving skills. Here are some examples of recommended hardware for sim racing: Valve Index, Oculus Quest 2, HP Reverb G2, Samsung HMD Odyssey+, HTC Vive Pro. Please note: not all VR headsets are compatible with all games and platforms.
4. Esports and championships
While it’s entirely possible to play alone or against AIs (computer-controlled vehicles), many sim racers thrive in esports, the virtual competitive environment. Thus, championships are organized, on PC or on console, and the players compete to determine which is the fastest or the most talented driver.
These competitions, organized mainly online, benefit from specific regulations, often inspired by reality. The events can use an existing pattern in motorsport, such as practice sessions, qualifying and then the race.
From 2008 to 2016, the international GT Academy program saw many aspiring drivers compete in Gran Turismo games with the possibility, for the most successful, of going from virtual to real by driving real racing cars in FIA championships. Lucas Ordóñez, Jordan Tresson and Jann Mardenborough notably started their competitive careers thanks to this program.
Some simulations on PC make it possible to make mods, created by fans or independent development teams. These modifications of the game allow to add new vehicles, tracks, championships, or to change parameters (integration of a dynamic weather for example). Many competitions use mods to enhance the content of the game and offer a unique experience.
Today, a multitude of championships are organized around the world. Among the most famous, we can mention the Supercars eSeries, Virtual Drift Championship, GT World Challenge, Endurance eRacing Championship, V10 R-League, eNASCAR, Le Mans Virtual Series… The level of these competitions is very high and the best sim racers, including esports professionals, participate.
In France too, championships take place, highlighting different types of motorsports. DriftShop is proud to be a partner of the ACDFR (Assetto Corsa Drift France), at the initiative of the first edition of the AC Drift France Championship. The competition started at the end of 2021 and the participants, talented sim racers, visit a different circuit, faithfully recreated, at each round. A truly breathtaking show that has little to envy to the real official events! You can check the championship and the news of the community on the following Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/assettcorsa.driftfr
Photos sources: Sparco Gaming / RSeat / Next Level Racing / Thrustmaster / Fanatec / Oculus / YouTube / Highwayforever / lfs.net / assettocorsa.gg / Polyphony Digital / forza.net / EA / Epic Games / wtf1.com / Wikipedia