After more than twenty years of waiting, the North American single-seater championship is finally getting its own official standalone game. Titled INDYCAR Racing The Game and developed by iRacing Studios, the project immediately raises an interesting question: how to create an experience that’s significantly more accessible than the iRacing PC simulation—on both console and PC—without losing the authenticity for which the studio is known. That’s the balance they need to strike, and the July 10 announcement already offers some insight into their approach.

The bare facts: a name, platforms, early 2027

First, the timeline. The game, originally expected in 2026, has been officially delayed until early 2027. This delay is intended to align the release with the 111th Indianapolis 500, scheduled for May 30, 2027. Tony Gardner, president of iRacing, sums up the project in one sentence: “We can’t wait.” As for platforms, the game is coming to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. Alex Damron, INDYCAR’s chief marketing officer, accompanied the announcement by emphasizing the goal of “hyper-realistic” graphics.

Choosing the Orontes Engine Over the Unreal Engine

It is on the technical front that the project reveals its true intentions. While the publisher’s other NASCAR games have opted for the Unreal Engine, this one is taking an in-house approach. Development is led by Orontes Games, using its proprietary engine,the Orontes Engine, which has already been featured in the off-road game ExoCross.

This decision has a specific goal: to handle a large volume of physics data while streamlining the experience to make it more accessible than a hardcore simulator, especially when playing with a controller. Rather than starting from scratch with the physics, the studio is expected to create a bridge with its PC simulation. The game would thus reuse assetsfrom iRacing: the handling of the recent hybrid system, as well as tracks already modeled for the sim, such as Barber Motorsports Park or the St. Petersburg street circuit. This is a credible production shortcut, leaving the studio free to polish the finishing touches: a multi-tiered Career mode, online multiplayer, and the integration of the Indy NXT feeder series.

2028 in Sight: The Dallara IR18’s Final Dance?

The postponement to 2027 also provides insight into the content. The first screenshots provided by the publisher show the cars driven by Pato O’Ward (Arrow McLaren) and Álex Palou (Chip Ganassi Racing) in their 2026 liveries, though the studio has not specified whether the game will cover the 2026 season, 2027, or both.

However, on the track, IndyCar will transition to new chassis and new engines by 2028. The game’s release in early 2027 could therefore make it one of the last opportunities to drive the current generation of Dallara IR18s equipped with the Aeroscreen before they are replaced. The accuracy of these models remains the central focus, with real-life drivers like Scott McLaughlin (Team Penske) involved in the development. We’ll have to wait for the detailed announcement of game modes and pricing, expected in the coming months, to judge whether the title successfully blends iRacing’s authenticity with console accessibility. Pre-orders are not available at this time.