[Updated to include the latest hits of 2025]
2025 was a great year to be a Racing fan. With games driving the genre across sub-categories like off-road, arcade, simulators, and beyond, Xbox Series X|S has some phenomenal Racing games for you to try out. While the Series X may outperform its little sibling Series S, in some aspects, both these machines are capable of running these titles at their best potential.
We’ve compiled a list of the best racing games on Xbox Series X|S to test your mettle against.
Forza Horizon 5 (2021)
Forza is an outstanding franchise made by a team that puts its heart and soul into the racing genre of games. Horizon 5 is no different. The game introduces you to a version of Mexico you have probably never seen before. Weekly and seasonal content (races/events, cars, and trials) releases keep you invested for the long haul.
The open-world features showcase the many terrains of the diverse nation, from deserts to farmlands to volcanoes, all of which are accessible for racing and exploration. With oozing visual fidelity, this racing title keeps you occupied while you blast through the reimagined land of Mexico in the wheels of your choice.
Assetto Corsa Competizione (2019)
This racing sim focuses on the (officially licensed) GT World Challenge Europe and was launched first for PC in 2019, before finding its way to Xbox Series S|X in 2022.
You have all the classic modes one would expect in a full-fledged racing sim: from career to custom racing to online multiplayer ones as well, with the added benefit of full crossplay support on PS5 and Xbox Series S|X. While launch issues on performance kind of marred the Xbox One release, the game works well on the higher capacity of the next-gen consoles, and forms a great option as one of the best racing games on Xbox Series S|X if you have not tried it yet.
Also Read: Best Games To Play On Xbox Game Pass Right Now
Wreckfest (2014)
Wreckfest is a dangerously fun racer. Anyone seeking to push their car’s limits into the most hazardous situations should try this one out. It’s the ultimate power trip for destruction-freaks.
With amazing visuals and framerates, slamming other drivers and driving dangerous vehicles feels like a thrill. Wreckfest has solid gameplay mechanics that include smashing AI into obstacles, playing cooperatively, or competing against drivers online.
F1 25 (2025)
The latest entry in the venerated F1 series is also its best, with the gaming community clearly siding with a much improved and well-received entry as compared to F1 24 launched last year. This is thanks to the developers clearly listening to feedback, and specific areas like updating the handling model, adjusting AI, revamped podium ceremonies, and getting the ‘Braking Point’ story mode first introduced in F1 21 and then in F1 23, back.
The game currently sits at a score of 82 with a Generally Favorable label on Metacritic, and is easily one of the best racing games available for you to play on an Xbox Series S|X.
Also Read: The Best Horror Games To Play On Xbox Right Now
MotoGP 23 (2023)
MotoGP claims to be the most realistic and immersive bike racer ever, and rightfully so. Along with some incredible racing, there is a plethora of customization available, thanks to five visual editors, which let you change anything from your helmet to your suit to your race number.
MotoGP 23 is a franchise that is under developer Milestone’s helm and is based on the FIM MotoGP World Championship.
Dirt 5 (2020)
Dirt 5 is a sight to behold for off-road lovers. As one of the greatest off-road rally experiences you can have in a virtual environment, the Dirt series frequently shot to the top.
The most powerful game to date, Dirt 5, makes full use of the powerful hardware of the new Xbox consoles. With its myriad visual options and features, such as Ray Tracing and a 120 frames-per-second performance mode, Dirt has never looked or played better. Although Dirt 5’s gameplay shift towards an arcade-like style may not be to everyone’s taste, it undoubtedly maintains the franchise’s charm alive and roaring.
GRID Legends (2022)
GRID is a franchise that combines arcade-like mechanics and realistic racing simulation. The gameplay makes sure that this equilibrium remains flavorful.
GRID Legends gives the player a fair collection of racing content to choose from. You have access to every car that suits your playstyle with its vast selection of maps and vehicles. You may test out more than 100 different cars, and there is plenty of stuff to keep you interested for hours. International circuits, both on and off the track, provide a variety of racing experiences.
Need For Speed Unbound (2022)
Unbound is, without a doubt, the series’s most stylish title to date. NFS Unbound has a campaign followed by intense police pursuits, similar to older NFS games. The game alternates between cycles of day and night, which changes how you play.
Earn credits by taking part in activities and events throughout the day. Wander the city at night while trying to get away from all the “heat” you’ve built up during the day. The nighttime cop pursuit scenes are tense and filled with the trademark Need for Speed flair. This title also gives drifting a new significance. Additionally, with its vivid cel-shaded visuals and the lifelike city of Lakeshore, NFS Unbound is one of the best racing games on Xbox Series X|S that you can get your hands on.
The Crew Motorfest (2023)
The Crew Motorfest team took the learnings from their previous game in the franchise, The Crew (launched in 2018), and worked upon them to deliver a much-improved and well-received iteration in the franchise. While initially planned as a DLC, the game eventually expanded (like it has with a lot of Ubisoft games: Assassin’s Creed Mirage being a more recent example) into a standalone game, featuring smaller O’ahu and Maui maps.
The Crew Motorfest has all the standard trappings of a good racing game, with staged events, challenges, online multiplayer coop, and the option to control a variety of vehicles on land, sea, and air. The game went on to become the fastest selling game in the franchise, and earns its spot on this list of the best racing games available on Xbox Series S|X.
Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled (2019)
Originally developed as a spin-off of the classic Crash Bandicoot games, this racer has been remastered for modern consoles. With the addition of online multiplayer, racers worldwide can now enjoy the 1999 PlayStation release of this kart racing classic on a whole new level.
Its single-player content makes it one of the best racing games on Xbox Series X|S. There is remarkable resemblance (with an adequate touch of novelty) between playing this and the 1999 original, thanks to the updated HUD, aesthetic choices, and character swapping during the campaign.
We hope you enjoyed this list of racing games that you can add to your Xbox collection today. Xbox is home to Forza, which is undoubtedly one of the best racing experiences. However, there are other strong contenders (and competitors) too. And, if you’re in the mood to dive even deeper into the racing experience, grab a racing wheel that is compatible with your Xbox.
