Best Online Racing Games for PC

Racing games have always stood apart among all online games. After all, they don't require memorizing attack combos, delving into the intricacies of plot or role-playing systems, crafting characters in detailed editors, or flaunting armor bought with real money. All you need in multiplayer racing is to feel the track and the behavior of the virtual vehicle. The outcome of competitions here depends on intuition and reaction speed, not the ability to equip a level 80 elf. That's why racing is great entertainment even for those who aren't very knowledgeable about games but want to have a fun evening with friends. We'll tell you about popular options for computers, available on digital platforms both for free and for a fee.

Ubisoft has invested considerable effort and resources into various racing games. The first The Crew, entrusted to the French studio Ivory Tower, became a kind of experiment for the developers. Essentially, it was one of the first MMO racing games on the market: all its action took place in an open world where hundreds of gamers freely interacted. Only instead of raiding bosses, they competed in high-speed races using numerous roads on the map. In the second part, all the ideas from the prequel were developed, and the graphics improved. Notably, you can try the game with a free demo version.

In The Crew 2, players have access not only to cars but also to buggies, motorcycles, planes, motorboats, and other types of vehicles. There's also a story campaign about an unknown racer striving for fame. But at any moment, you can switch from scripted missions to multiplayer races. Just open any of the four large regions and choose a track where participants gather for the next competition. There are no boundaries in terms of vehicle types or track types here. You can organize a regatta on a river, supercar races on a highway, or extreme off-road rallies, inviting seven friends. According to the developers, the game's audience is already about 30 million people, so even without friends willing to compete, you'll find company.

Another racing project released under the Ubisoft banner. Unlike The Crew 2, the main theme here is extreme sports. Tricks on pit bikes, skateboards, bicycles, and wingsuits are commonplace in this game. There are even fantastical vehicles—like hoverboards from «Back to the Future 2» or planes you can ride like horses. If such inventions aren't to your taste and you just want to have fun, you can race on quirky tracks. The gameplay, by the way, follows the example of other MMO racing games: an open world with parks, regular roads, ski resorts, and beaches, where you freely choose which race to join.

Riders Republic is only available for purchase, and if you download it from Steam, you'll still need a Ubisoft Connect account for online competitions. You can buy several versions, from standard to full (which will cost the equivalent of $100). The difference lies in the sets of cosmetic items and vehicle/character customizations. The selection of decorations here is truly vast. The game also excels in recreating real locations like Yosemite and Bryce Canyon National Parks. Notably, up to fifty players can participate in a single competition—a rarity even in popular shooters.

Of course, GTA 5 is a game about everything under the sun, and it's more of an action game with a large story campaign than a racing game. But it so happens that Rockstar's employees have provided their creation with very enjoyable mechanics for driving all imaginable vehicles, including tanks and military fighters. The same applies to the online component of Grand Theft Auto. Racing enthusiasts will find several key advantages in GTA Online. First, there's a huge selection of cars, with new models still being released—12 years after the game's launch. Recently, for example, the developers introduced the Pegassi Torero XO supercar.

Second, there are numerous private servers with their own car collections—here you can race in a «Zhiguli» or a UAZ. Third, in GTA Online, players can build their own tracks and organize competitions with their own rules. Nothing stops you from setting up races with shooting or motorcycle vs. helicopter competitions. The developers keep up with regular users. For instance, in the summer of 2025, they hosted a drift week for fans, introducing special tracks for such stunts and discounts on several suitable cars: Bravado Gauntlet Hellfire, Annis Hardy, Vapid Dominator FX, and Dinka Chavos V6. However, there's one catch: besides paying for the game, fans of beautiful cars will also need to subscribe to GTA+ for an additional fee.

The Forza series has become a classic not only on Xbox consoles, where it first appeared, but also on PC. The Horizon series was originally conceived by the developers as open-world racing games based on real locations. If the first installment is set in Colorado, the fifth one takes gamers to Mexico. And races on this map, as per tradition, involve various types of vehicles and disregard sporting rules. You can race in supercars, off-roaders, classic auto industry models, and exotics like tuned pickups or buggies. What never ceases to delight in Forza Horizon is the meticulously recreated cars from familiar brands, be it Porsche, Mitsubishi, or Ferrari.

Although the fifth installment was released four years ago, fans still debate whether the fourth or fifth part is better. Let's not overcomplicate things and recommend Horizon 5—as the more graphically impressive one. All competitions in the game are divided into two parts: races for account progression, tied to the Horizon Festival theme, and free-mode races. Multiplayer is simple: you can go to any point on the map and join a race, with no obligation to stick to roads—you can race off-road, climbing to the most scenic spots. How about a ride around an active volcano or past Aztec temple ruins? Of course, each car can be tuned—it's easy to get lost in the game for a long time.

Few people today haven't heard of Hot Wheels—the series of 1:64 scale toy cars produced by Mattel. Among fans of this product, you'll find not only children but also serious collectors, and the most exciting part is organizing races for these miniatures on homemade tracks. In Hot Wheels Unleashed by Milestone studio, you'll find the same thing, only in digital format. The game allows you to build any tracks and then test them in competitions with friends. Nothing stops you from turning a library into a race track, performing loop-the-loops in a basement, or circling under the roof of an industrial warehouse. Those who remember the fun of the first Re-Volt will enjoy this racing game too.

In addition to a wide selection of miniatures ever released under the Hot Wheels brand, the game features ready-made track sets, physics simulation accounting for gravity and skids on turns, and multiplayer for up to twelve players. But the most interesting part is that Unleashed offers both traditional online play and split-screen, where the display is divided so two can play on one device. Or engage in creativity—besides tracks, you can place objects like ramps on levels. However, the fun comes at a price equivalent to $40. Too expensive? Then the next option might suit you better.

This game is a different story altogether, as it's available by subscription. Pay a modest sum—and entertain yourself as much as you like, and when you're bored, the subscription can just as easily be canceled to retain a minimal set of features and tracks. The creators present it as a serious sports simulator, which for full immersion requires not just a mouse and keyboard but also a gaming wheel. This racing game simulates real sporting events, including NASCAR, Champ Car, the Indy 500, Formula races, and other competitions. Unlike most MMO racing games, there's no open world or random events on the map.

Nevertheless, this project allows gamers to feel like participants in real professional races. The base game includes 16 cars and 22 tracks, but the subscription significantly expands this list. The developers, by the way, treated the cars the same way as the competitions—here you can race in real-life models from various series. But if you're not into ready-made options, gamers are free to organize their own series—over 800 private leagues already exist. The main condition for all races in the game remains sportsmanship, as even private competitions follow rules. If you're a beginner, start with the tutorial mode and complete the qualification before inviting friends.

Faaast Penguin is a free game, and it looks like a 3D cartoon, though the penguins here aren't from «Madagascar.» However, don't judge the racing game by its appearance. Anyone who's had fun in Stumble Guys will easily adapt to this creation by Historia studio. Up to forty participants can join a single session to race on crazy tracks, collect all the tuna cans, and knock opponents off the route. All penguins race on skateboards, carts, chunks of ice, or even just slide on their bellies, so inertia plays a big role in gameplay: get distracted or overdo the speed on descents—and you're off the track. Still, if you want, you can cut the track by jumping off and deploying a parachute.

The controls in Faaast Penguin are intuitive, as it's not a simulator. All you need to do is steer where necessary and brake occasionally. Each character can be customized in the editor, but the best decorations cost extra. Those playing for free make do with standard presets. The game offers a wide selection of tracks and modes, including a 10-minute series of four competitions, co-op, and a «battle royale.» Notably, races can be organized with other PC owners or console users. However, cross-platform matches require an Epic Games account, not just Steam. Overall, the project has enough qualities to give it a try—it's fun, bright, and free.

Finally, let's talk about a game with a more serious setting. The author is Czech racing enthusiast Petr Šimůnek. He's a living legend, with about a dozen simulators to his name and no signs of stopping. For clarity, let's examine one of his latest creations, which has garnered many positive reviews on Steam. The game follows a free-to-play model, structured like World of Tanks. You have a set of competitions with replicas of real vehicles, from bikes to Formula 1 cars. Choose a series and track that interest you to compete with other gamers and earn virtual currency, which unlocks more cars.

On the «technology tree» branches, Šimůnek has hung a hundred historical vehicles from seven countries, with over a thousand upgrades available. Unlocking new branches lets you participate in increasingly complex races. The game also features 40 digital copies of real tracks and a dozen biomes to keep the scenery interesting during races. The graphics here aren't the most advanced, but much attention is paid to controls: there's physics simulation, behavior of different drivetrains, support for gamepads (including Xbox and PlayStation), and wheels. However, cross-platform play isn't possible—everyone in multiplayer must connect from computers.