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1984 – Richard Petty’s Talladega
The first NASCAR video game was released in 1984 on the C64 and the Atari 8-bit. The gameplay is primitive to say the least, but the hardware or software did not yet exist to make realistic racing video games. It’s a very primitive title, but it’s where NASCAR Gaming got its’ start.
October 10, 20231990 – Days of Thunder
Days of Thunder has the distinction of being the first NASCAR game to be released on a Nintendo console. It’s based on the 1990 movie, Days of Thunder. Again, it runs into the same issues as Richard Petty’s Talladega as being very primitive, albeit on more recognizable hardware. It’s cool as a novelty, but we would have to wait a bit longer for a more realistic NASCAR gaming experience.
October 10, 20231991 – Bill Elliott’s NASCAR Challenge/Bill Elliott’s NASCAR Fast Tracks
While there were other video games featuring NASCAR-like cars and even NASCAR drivers, this was the first to be officially licensed by NASCAR. Again, it’s on Nintendo Entertainment System hardware, so the gameplay is definitely from 1991. The game also is the first handheld NASCAR video game as its counterpart, Bill Elliott’s NASCAR Fast Tracks, was released on the Nintendo Game Boy.
October 10, 20231994 – Kyle Petty’s No Fear Racing
After NASCAR Racing debuted in 1994, this game on old hardware was a step backward to say the least. It was not an officially licensed NASCAR console game, and it was put on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It was back to the old dashboard view style video game, and it was definitely a style of game that was becoming outdated.
October 10, 20231994 – NASCAR Racing First Papyrus Game
There were NASCAR games, but this was the first true simulation 3-D NASCAR video game. The game was released in 1994 on PC and later on the PlayStation 1 in 1996. It was the first NASCAR game to feature basic things like 3-D car models and fully rendered race tracks. The game showcased 25 licensed NASCAR drivers and nine different race tracks. It may seem vanilla to the modern audience, but this truly was a feat of game design back in 1994. Beforehand, racing video games were much more primitive, and now, NASCAR games actually looked like the NASCAR you would watch on TV. The game also featured a pretty realistic damage model for its time. Previously, car damage was all-but impossible to replicate on previous hardware. It also was the first NASCAR video game to feature a Championship season mode as well as online play through LAN connection. It may seem vanilla to some today, but this game was the first of its kind. It was the first true simulation-style NASCAR video game, and that alone deserves recognition.
October 10, 20231996 – NASCAR Racing 2
Papyrus and Sierra took the same formula from NASCAR Racing and expanded upon it for NASCAR Racing 2, which released exclusively on PC. It included more drivers and some tweaked gameplay, but, by and large, it was pretty similar to the original NASCAR Racing. It was all building toward something very special, however, as you will see later in this list.
October 10, 20231997 – NASCAR 98 First EA Sports Game
With Papyrus primarily focusing on developing NASCAR games for the PC, EA Sports developed NASCAR 98 as a console video game. This was happening as other sports were beginning to officially license their own video games more frequently. EA Sports picked up the NASCAR license in 1997, and NASCAR 98 can best be described as a more casual sim-racing experience. While NASCAR Racing and NASCAR Racing 2 were both released on PC and heavily geared towards simulation, NASCAR 98 was a bit more of a casual experience. It was also more easily accessible given that it was a console game. It is the first EA Sports NASCAR video game, and it definitely shows that given its age. However, the graphics and gameplay were very good for the time. It was a great first step for EA into NASCAR, and that’s what this game really should be highlighted for. It started what arguably could be called the greatest NASCAR gaming franchise in history.
October 10, 20231998 – 3D-Ultra NASCAR Pinball
The publisher of the NASCAR Racing series, Sierra, partnered with Dynamix to create a 3D-Ultra Pinball NASCAR game. It’s basically just pinball with a NASCAR skin, but it’s an interesting novelty to say the least. Soon, Sierra was back to publishing more NASCAR simulation video games.
October 10, 20231998 – NASCAR 99
NASCAR 99 was the sequel to NASCAR 98. Similar to NASCAR Racing 2 and NASCAR Racing, NASCAR 99 expanded upon what NASCAR 98 built. The new game now had 31 real life drivers and 17 NASCAR tracks, which was up from 24 drivers and 10 tracks in the previous game.
October 10, 20231998 – NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition
NASCAR Racing 1999 edition was not as well received by critics as its predecessors, but it was the first NASCAR video game to feature all three NASCAR National Touring Series. Many may think that NASCAR Dirt to Daytona was the first to do that, but that is incorrect. Even if it’s not the most well-received, Papyrus still found a way to make this game unique.
October 10, 20231999 – NASCAR 2000
The final EA Sports NASCAR game to be exclusively released on the 64-bit console generation was NASCAR 2000. The game also received a Windows and Game Boy Color port, which was a first for EA Sports’ main line NASCAR titles. Aside from that, this was a pretty standard 64-bit NASCAR game, and we would have to wait until the next console generation for bigger changes.
October 10, 20231999 – NASCAR Challenge
The first exclusively handheld NASCAR video game, NASCAR Challenge. It was also the first NASCAR video game released by Hasbro Interactive, which would later partner with Monster Games on the NASCAR Heat Series. Being a handheld game, it’s not too revolutionary. However, it is an interesting novelty.
October 10, 20231999 – NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Racing
Papyrus decided to do something different in 1999, and, instead of including the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in its NASCAR Racing game, used it as an expansion to NASCAR Racing 3. It’s the first and thus far only NASCAR game to be centered around only a lower tier touring series. Given the fact that it is the only one, we probably will not see this again anytime soon.
October 10, 20231999 – NASCAR Racing 3
Another addition to the NASCAR Racing Series by Papyrus. The game was stripped down some as it originally included just the NASCAR Cup Series before the Craftsman Truck Series expansion in 1999. Therefore, this release falls underneath the quality over quantity philosophy. To its credit, Papyrus never made a game surrounding more than just the Cup Series.
October 10, 20231999 – NASCAR Revolution
In 1999, EA Sports decided to try to get into the NASCAR PC gaming space with NASCAR Revolution. The game was not exceptionally well-received, but it was not the last time EA Sports tried its hand at a PC NASCAR video game. After this, they left the PC NASCAR gaming up to Papyrus.
October 10, 20232000 – NASCAR 2001
This was the first NASCAR console video game that was released on the PlayStation 2. However, even though it’s the first PS2 NASCAR game, there are not as many improvements as some may have expected. The game still did not include full, 43-car fields or even a career mode. For the first PS2 NASCAR game, it may not be as broad as some may have expected.
October 10, 20232000 – NASCAR Arcade
A new publisher, Sega, joined the NASCAR gaming fray in 2000 as they released NASCAR’s first Arcade Game. NASCAR arcade games are commonplace nowadays, but this was the first one released. Due to it being an arcade game, it’s not a game that has the same nostalgia factor as other NASCAR games on this list, but it’s still a part of NASCAR gaming history.
October 10, 20232000 – NASCAR Heat
The first NASCAR video game that Monster Games worked on. Instead of being released on the PS2 like NASCAR 2000, Monster Games elected to stay on the PS1, Game Boy Color and PC for its release. The game was not received exceptionally well, but it was a start for Monster Games as the company began to work on competing with EA.
October 10, 20232000 – NASCAR Racers
NASCAR Racers was a licensed NASCAR TV show that ran for two seasons. The game was only released on PC and on the Game Boy Color, so, no console release likely hurt the game’s reach. There is not much out there on this game, and the show had a short run.
October 10, 20232000 – NASCAR Rumble
While NASCAR 2000 was EA Sports’ final simulation-style console video game in the 64-bit era, NASCAR Rumble was the last game EA itself published. This is an arcade style NASCAR video game in which drivers can drive as licensed NASCAR drivers and cars, but they use power-ups and items similar to Mario Kart. It’s not exactly a kart racer, however, but it is an arcade-style console game that garnered good reception.
October 10, 20232001 – NASCAR Heat 2002
Monster Games made their sequel to NASCAR Heat with NASCAR Heat 2002, and the game is strange to say the least. It does license most NASCAR tracks, but not all. The PS2 version includes only 24 drivers per race while the XBOX version includes 43 drivers per race. A strange difference between the two video games, especially considering EA Sports had full fields, but this game was a precursor to a special NASCAR game.
October 10, 20232001 – NASCAR Racing 4
This was the game with which Papyrus really started to gain some traction. The quote on the box even highlights Dale Earnhardt Jr., noted NASCAR gaming enthusiast, “This is the sim we have been waiting for.” When you start to think about NASCAR PC simulations by Papyrus, this is the game that started to look like a Papyrus NASCAR game.
October 10, 20232001 – NASCAR Thunder 2002
The first game in the NASCAR Thunder series, and the one with many firsts. It was the first console NASCAR game to include features such as a career mode and full, 43-car fields. It also was the first NASCAR game to include all 23 licensed NASCAR tracks. For all intents and purposes, this was the first full NASCAR console video game. It was not quite as deep as its successors, but the game did improve on its predecessor in many ways. This included graphics, gameplay and features. Just looking at this screenshot shows that this game is leaps and bounds better looking than the previous games. However, the game is still not perfect. The career mode is there, but players are only allowed to run in 12 races per season. This is strange, especially considering there is a single season mode in the game that allows players to play a full, 36-race season. However, it is a start, and it’s the first NASCAR console game to include such a mode. This was the foundation upon which EA started building its next NASCAR games. While it’s not as deep as its successors, it still holds a very important place in NASCAR gaming history.
October 10, 20232002 – NASCAR Dirt to Daytona
The NASCAR Heat games were the second tier of NASCAR console games for the most part, but NASCAR Dirt to Daytona perfected something that NASCAR Racing 1999 Season tried to implement, but could not do properly. NASCAR Dirt to Daytona was the first NASCAR console game to include the NASCAR feeder system. As opposed to the EA Sports Career Mode, which just included controlling a Cup Series team, NASCAR Dirt to Daytona allowed the player to work their way up through the feeder system. First starting in dirt stock cars, then working their way up into the modifieds. From there, the player worked their way up to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series before finally making it all the way up to the Cup Series. The game does have some strange omissions, particularly not having all licensed NASCAR tracks. Regardless, this is a game that is still beloved by many. Primarily because it implemented a feature that had never been done on a console game before. For many, this was the first time that they were able to work their way up through the NASCAR feeder system, and it gave people a good reason to buy this game over the EA Sports NASCAR games. The release of this game kick started potentially the greatest run of NASCAR gaming ever seen. Following this game, Papyrus and EA Sports made arguably their best NASCAR video games.
October 10, 20232002 – NASCAR Racing 2002 Season
Papyrus built off of its momentum from NASCAR Racing 4 and created NASCAR Racing 2002 season. This truly was the best NASCAR simulation of its time, and it may go down as one of the most underrated NASCAR video games of all time. The only reason for that is because of the Papyrus NASCAR game that succeeded it.
October 10, 20232002 – NASCAR Thunder 2003
NASCAR Thunder 2003 built upon the foundation of NASCAR Thunder 2002. The most glaring single player improvement is a much deeper career mode that allows a player to race a full season. The handling model may be tough to get used to for some, but it falls into the same category as NASCAR Thunder 2002, a game that was overshadowed by its successor.
October 10, 20232003 – NASCAR Racing 2003 Season
Rarely is a game able to stand the test of time quite like NASCAR Racing 2003 Season. Part of it is being the final licensed NASCAR PC game released by Papyrus, but the other part of it is simply how great of a game it is. It hits all of the points that a NASCAR simulation should, and it does incredibly well. Unsurprisingly, it is the highest rated NASCAR video game on Metacritic. However, the game’s life has been extended not necessarily because of its value then, but because of how easily moddable it is. To this day, the modding community on NASCAR Racing 2003 is second to none. Tracks, drivers and cars from any era in NASCAR post-2003 can be found somewhere. Lots of great NASCAR content has been derived from this game, including TNTMan93’s “Idiots of NR 2003” Series on YouTube. The game is still being played, modded and used to this very day in spite of the game being 20 years old!
October 10, 20232003 – NASCAR Thunder 2004
For many, this was the greatest NASCAR video game of all time. While NR 2003 is a huge game in its own right, the console entry of NASCAR Thunder 2004 reached a much wider audience when it was released. The game features more improved features, including a deepened career mode featuring a new “Rivals” system and Lightning Challenges. There is also an incredible amount of Thunder Plates that can be earned throughout the game to get a slew of special paint schemes, fantasy tracks and drivers. However, the biggest thing this game added was online play. It was the first NASCAR console video game to have an online capability. Sure, online gaming was still relatively new in those days, but this was the first game to include it. It’s the highest rated EA Sports NASCAR console video game on Metacritic, and it is easy to see why. However, this would be the beginning of the end of this “Golden Age” of NASCAR gaming as EA Sports took the NASCAR license exclusively following the release of the 2003 NASCAR games. With that being said, the follow-up would still turn a lot of heads.
October 10, 20232004 – NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup
Those who feared that EA was going to start downgrading its NASCAR games because of the company’s exclusive license had their fears mitigated by this game. NASCAR Thunder 2004 was obviously a tough video game to follow, but EA did a good job. They took a page from the NASCAR Dirt to Daytona book, and EA included the NASCAR feeder system with one major difference. In place of the dirt stock cars, they would feature the NASCAR Xfinity Series, branded as the NASCAR National Series in the game. It still featured licensed drivers from the series though. The career mode was revamped as well. There was still the option to be the owner of a team, but the mode was rebranded as “Fight to the Top.” It focused instead on a player working their way up through the NASCAR feeder system. It did not have as many original ideas as previous games, but EA made good use of them. From here on out, it was only EA that was allowed to make NASCAR video games.
October 10, 20232005 – NASCAR 06: Total team Control
NASCAR 06: Total Team Control retained a lot of features from its predecessor, NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup, but NASCAR 06 did include something new. The “Total Team Control” feature allowed drivers to work with their teammates. The feature was highlighted on the player’s HUD with there being a D-pad looking thing in the bottom corner. There, the player could ask teammates to share draft, block or even swap cars. This was highlighted in the intro of the game where a player switches from a crashed Jimmie Johnson car to Jeff Gordon to win at Daytona. The game also looked a bit different graphically and brand-wise with cover art. The Total Team Control aspect was interesting to players, but the game did not gain too many new features aside from that. Unfortunately, that trend of video games, at least from a single player standpoint, continued with the following entries. However, NASCAR 06 was still well received, and it has had its following to this day.
October 10, 20232005 – NASCAR SimRacing
With Papyrus now unable to create NASCAR simulations on PC, EA tried its hand at making one with NASCAR SimRacing. The game was received well, but it was the only one that EA ever made. It became the final licensed NASCAR game to be released on PC for almost a decade.
October 10, 20232006 – NASCAR 07
This was the last NASCAR video game to be released exclusively on the sixth generation of consoles. The North American cover athlete was also an interesting choice in Elliott Sadler. The game did not garner too many notable new features following NASCAR 06. However, the move to the next generation of consoles was highly anticipated.
October 10, 20232007 – EA Sports NASCAR Racing
There is no official cover art for this game, as this was EA Sports’ first NASCAR arcade specific game. You can still find it in some arcades to this day. It was the first new NASCAR Arcade game since NASCAR Arcade by Sega in 2000, so it has an interesting novelty factor.
October 10, 20232007 – NASCAR 08
NASCAR 08 was the first game on the seventh generation of consoles, but it was not received well. The Car of Tomorrow was featured, but none of the manufacturer licenses were obtained for it. Therefore, every COT car in the game is just a generic COT. The game was actually received better on the previous generation of consoles oddly enough.
October 10, 20232008 – NASCAR 09
NASCAR 09 was the last EA Sports NASCAR simulation video game. It was not necessarily well-known for its single player offering, but its multiplayer is looked back on fondly by many NASCAR gaming YouTubers. RealRadman looks back on this game quite fondly for what it did online. However, the single player was not great, and EA soon dropped NASCAR.
October 10, 20232009 – NASCAR Kart Racing
NASCAR’s run on EA Sports finished with a Mario Kart clone. NASCAR Kart Racing was released exclusively on the Nintendo Wii, and it was the first NASCAR console game to be released on a Nintendo home console since NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup. NASCAR Kart Racing actually features a teammate system, so working together with a teammate helps a player earn more boosts. Long story short, it’s a typical kart racer.
October 10, 20232011 – Days of Thunder: Arcade
Another Days of Thunder game was released in 2011. An arcade variant and a console variant were released. The PlayStation 3 version included licensed NASCAR drivers and tracks, which was strangely missing from the XBOX 360 version. This is curious especially because NASCAR games had previously been licensed on both systems. Regardless, few people bought this game, so very few even noticed.
October 10, 20232011 – NASCAR The Game 2011
The next generation of NASCAR console video games fell to Eutechnyx as Activision took up publishing duties. NASCAR The Game: 2011 was very stripped down from its predecessors with a career mode that was just a single season and no Xfinity or Truck Series. The game also had issues at launch with a ton of glitches to its online play, but leagues like NORC and Full Throttle were able to find their footing eventually.
October 10, 20232011 – NASCAR: Unleashed
After NASCAR The Game 2011, Eutechnyx released NASCAR Unleashed, which is an arcade-style racing game. The game is pretty comparable to the old NASCAR Rumble game on the PS1, and NASCAR Unleashed functions pretty similar to that. It does feature a few licensed tracks with multiple layouts, including Daytona, Chicagoland and Martinsville among others.
October 10, 20232012 – NASCAR The Game: Inside Line
NASCAR The Game: Inside Line was the second game released by Eutechnyx, and it improved on NASCAR The Game: 2011 in a lot of ways. The graphics were improved along with a deeper career mode. Online play was also improved, but there were still plenty of bugs, just like NASCAR The Game: 2011. This is the classic example of a game that has aged quite well. Metacritic has user scores for the game being only 4.0 for the XBOX 360 version and 5.0 for the PS3 version. The game is definitely far from a perfect one. The career mode is improved, but it has nowhere near the depth that the EA NASCAR games had. The online play was improved, but it did show some glitches and flaws. The AI in the game in single player also has some strange behaviors as well. What the game gets right, however, is its gameplay. The driving model and tire wear are about as realistic as any NASCAR has ever gotten. If running a race with tire wear and fuel consumption, you must manage your tires or sacrifice later in the run. There is even a fuel save button on the controller input for the game. For all the hate this game got from the community back in the day, many now look back on it fondly. Especially the driving model after succeeding games struggled in that department.
October 10, 20232013 – NASCAR The Game: 2013
For the 2013 season, Eutechnyx for some reason elected not to release a console game. Instead, they reworked Inside Line into a PC game. It is quite literally, NASCAR The Game: Inside Line on PC with 2013 drivers instead of 2012 drivers. Definitely a strange decision by both Eutechnyx and Activision.
October 10, 20232013 – NASCAR: RedLine
NASCAR: Red Line was the NASCAR’s first mobile phone game. The game is essentially a reworked NASCAR career mode that is optimized for mobile phones. It was definitely the product of its time. It was time for NASCAR to get into mobile gaming, and this game accomplished that. Even if it was pretty forgettable.
October 10, 20232014 – NASCAR ’14
By 2014, the rest of the gaming world had moved on to the eighth console generation, but Eutechnyx and new publisher Deep Silver did not. NASCAR ’14 was released in 2014 exclusively on the PS3 and XBOX 360. A curious move, and, soon afterward, Eutechnyx was done with NASCAR games.
October 10, 20232015 – NASCAR ’15
NASCAR ’15 was the last Eutechnyx game, once again on PS3 and XBOX 360. The new developers of the NASCAR video game series, Dusenberry Martin Racing, published this game based off of Eutechnyx’s version. DMI, as it was known at the time, took over the license from Eutechnyx as NASCAR ’15 was in development, so this game essentially was a placeholder until the next game could come out.
October 10, 20232016 – NASCAR Heat: Evolution
DMI collaborated with Monster Games, the developers of NASCAR Heat and NASCAR: Dirt to Daytona, in 2016 to create NASCAR Heat: Evolution. The game was received absolutely horribly. From the glitchy online play to the lack of private lobbies, to terrible physics, and a lackluster career mode. For the first NASCAR video game on the eighth console generation, this was a major letdown to many.
October 10, 20232017 – NASCAR Heat 2
NASCAR Heat 2 was a big improvement on NASCAR Heat: Evolution. The physics were improved, even though the driving model was still pretty heavily criticized. It also included the NASCAR Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series, and it was the first game to do so since NASCAR 09. As a result, the career mode is similar to NASCAR Dirt to Daytona with drivers working their way up from the Truck Series all the way up to the Cup Series.
October 10, 20232017 – NASCAR Heat Mobile
NASCAR Heat Mobile was the first mobile game that DMI, which changed its name to 704 Games, released. It was available on IOS and Android, and it essentially is like a reworked career mode. It’s not too dissimilar of a concept to Eutechnyx mobile game NASCAR: Red Line, but it does include a home world similar to most mobile games. Again, a product of this current mobile game generation.
October 10, 20232017 – NASCAR Rush
NASCAR Rush is the second mobile game that 704 Games released, and it is NASCAR’s version of an “endless runner.” A player controls a car and swipes left or right to avoid traffic that you come upon. A pretty simple concept, but “endless runner” games were quite popular in 2010s. NASCAR is a sport that translates easily to that, so 704 Games likely thought, why not?
October 10, 20232018 – NASCAR Heat 3
NASCAR Heat 3 continued to build from NASCAR Heat 2 with the addition of a fictional dirt series similar to NASCAR Dirt to Daytona. In addition, the career mode also allowed players to begin owning their own team in addition to just being a driver. Again, the driving model and physics were criticized along with the online mode, but it was beginning to regain some of the depth that many felt was lost following the “Golden Age” of NASCAR gaming.
October 10, 20232019 – NASCAR Heat 4
Likely the best of the four NASCAR games that 704 Games and Monster Games worked on together, NASCAR Heat 4 once again built a little bit more on the foundation NASCAR Heat 3 laid, particularly in the single player modes. The career mode allowed players to start in any series they wanted among Cup, Xfinity, Trucks or the fictional Xtreme Dirt Tour. In single season mode, players now had the option to create a custom schedule. This included being able to run with or without the playoffs and included tracks that were Truck and Xfinity Series exclusive. The game is far from perfect, though. Like the general NASCAR Heat franchise, the online mode left something to be desired. A lot of the community that was on the older NASCAR console games had now moved on to iRacing since it was a more functional online mode. The game also was criticized once again for physics and the driving model. The same complaints that plagued the previous games. However, it was the best 704 Games and Monster Games had put out there. Soon thereafter, however, Motorsport Games entered the fray, and it invested in 704 Games. You know where I am going with this.
October 10, 20232020 – NASCAR Heat 5
As Motorsport Games got set to develop the first NASCAR game that would eventually end up on the ninth console generation, 704 Games hit copy and paste on NASCAR Heat 5. It is literally a reskinned NASCAR Heat 4 with updated rosters. However, this game is still on the minds of many to this day, and that is because of its terrible successor.
October 10, 20232021 – NASCAR 21: Ignition
Where to start with this game. Many people were excited to see NASCAR gaming go to a big budget developer like Motorsport Games. The game would be developed on the powerful Unreal Engine, and people were excited to see what Motorsport Games had. The game released, and it was awful. It was simply unfinished with a ridiculous amount of game breaking glitches at most tracks. There were even some strange settings problems on the track as well including not being able to turn off steering assist. The way the AI went about pit strategy was completely broken. Caution flags were completely broken. Whenever a patch was made, it seemed there was another issue. Unfortunately, this was the last main line console NASCAR game to be released as of this writing. NASCAR gaming has probably never hit a lower low than this game, and there is no timetable for when another NASCAR game will be released. Even though there was some content that was put out following this game.
October 10, 20232021 – NASCAR Heat Ultimate Edition +
Motorsport Games planned on releasing a separate NASCAR game on the Nintendo Switch in 2022, so they released NASCAR Heat Ultimate Edition+ exclusively on the Nintendo Switch. It’s basically NASCAR Heat 5 on the Nintendo Switch, and it’s nothing to write home about. With it being on less powerful hardware, it deals with many of the cut corners as the Nintendo Wii versions of the Eutechnyx NASCAR games did.
October 10, 20232022 – NASCAR Rivals
There was not a replacement to NASCAR 21: Ignition in 2022, but there was NASCAR Rivals on the Nintendo Switch. Like NASCAR Heat Ultimate Edition is NASCAR Heat 5 on the Nintendo Switch, NASCAR Rivals is NASCAR 21: Ignition on the Nintendo Switch. It gives NASCAR games to Nintendo Switch users, but the lack of a true NASCAR 21: Ignition replacement was still glaring on Motorsport Games.
October 10, 20232023 – NASCAR Arcade Rush
NASCAR Arcade Rush is the next licensed NASCAR video game that will be published by GameMill Entertainment. The game will include a few licensed tracks, but, for now, no licensed drivers. It will be interesting to see what this game becomes as it will obviously be an arcade racer. Will it be more like NASCAR Unleashed/NASCAR Rumble, or will there be more elements of NASCAR Kart Racing? Either way, it is a new NASCAR video game, regardless of it being an arcade game.
October 10, 20231984 – Richard Petty’s Talladega
The first NASCAR video game was released in 1984 on the C64 and the Atari 8-bit. The gameplay is primitive to say the least, but the hardware or software did not yet exist to make realistic racing video games. It’s a very primitive title, but it’s where NASCAR Gaming got its’ start.
October 10, 20231990 – Days of Thunder
Days of Thunder has the distinction of being the first NASCAR game to be released on a Nintendo console. It’s based on the 1990 movie, Days of Thunder. Again, it runs into the same issues as Richard Petty’s Talladega as being very primitive, albeit on more recognizable hardware. It’s cool as a novelty, but we would have to wait a bit longer for a more realistic NASCAR gaming experience.
October 10, 20231991 – Bill Elliott’s NASCAR Challenge/Bill Elliott’s NASCAR Fast Tracks
While there were other video games featuring NASCAR-like cars and even NASCAR drivers, this was the first to be officially licensed by NASCAR. Again, it’s on Nintendo Entertainment System hardware, so the gameplay is definitely from 1991. The game also is the first handheld NASCAR video game as its counterpart, Bill Elliott’s NASCAR Fast Tracks, was released on the Nintendo Game Boy.
October 10, 20231994 – Kyle Petty’s No Fear Racing
After NASCAR Racing debuted in 1994, this game on old hardware was a step backward to say the least. It was not an officially licensed NASCAR console game, and it was put on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It was back to the old dashboard view style video game, and it was definitely a style of game that was becoming outdated.
October 10, 20231994 – NASCAR Racing First Papyrus Game
There were NASCAR games, but this was the first true simulation 3-D NASCAR video game. The game was released in 1994 on PC and later on the PlayStation 1 in 1996. It was the first NASCAR game to feature basic things like 3-D car models and fully rendered race tracks. The game showcased 25 licensed NASCAR drivers and nine different race tracks. It may seem vanilla to the modern audience, but this truly was a feat of game design back in 1994. Beforehand, racing video games were much more primitive, and now, NASCAR games actually looked like the NASCAR you would watch on TV. The game also featured a pretty realistic damage model for its time. Previously, car damage was all-but impossible to replicate on previous hardware. It also was the first NASCAR video game to feature a Championship season mode as well as online play through LAN connection. It may seem vanilla to some today, but this game was the first of its kind. It was the first true simulation-style NASCAR video game, and that alone deserves recognition.
October 10, 20231996 – NASCAR Racing 2
Papyrus and Sierra took the same formula from NASCAR Racing and expanded upon it for NASCAR Racing 2, which released exclusively on PC. It included more drivers and some tweaked gameplay, but, by and large, it was pretty similar to the original NASCAR Racing. It was all building toward something very special, however, as you will see later in this list.
October 10, 20231997 – NASCAR 98 First EA Sports Game
With Papyrus primarily focusing on developing NASCAR games for the PC, EA Sports developed NASCAR 98 as a console video game. This was happening as other sports were beginning to officially license their own video games more frequently. EA Sports picked up the NASCAR license in 1997, and NASCAR 98 can best be described as a more casual sim-racing experience. While NASCAR Racing and NASCAR Racing 2 were both released on PC and heavily geared towards simulation, NASCAR 98 was a bit more of a casual experience. It was also more easily accessible given that it was a console game. It is the first EA Sports NASCAR video game, and it definitely shows that given its age. However, the graphics and gameplay were very good for the time. It was a great first step for EA into NASCAR, and that’s what this game really should be highlighted for. It started what arguably could be called the greatest NASCAR gaming franchise in history.
October 10, 20231998 – 3D-Ultra NASCAR Pinball
The publisher of the NASCAR Racing series, Sierra, partnered with Dynamix to create a 3D-Ultra Pinball NASCAR game. It’s basically just pinball with a NASCAR skin, but it’s an interesting novelty to say the least. Soon, Sierra was back to publishing more NASCAR simulation video games.
October 10, 20231998 – NASCAR 99
NASCAR 99 was the sequel to NASCAR 98. Similar to NASCAR Racing 2 and NASCAR Racing, NASCAR 99 expanded upon what NASCAR 98 built. The new game now had 31 real life drivers and 17 NASCAR tracks, which was up from 24 drivers and 10 tracks in the previous game.
October 10, 20231998 – NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition
NASCAR Racing 1999 edition was not as well received by critics as its predecessors, but it was the first NASCAR video game to feature all three NASCAR National Touring Series. Many may think that NASCAR Dirt to Daytona was the first to do that, but that is incorrect. Even if it’s not the most well-received, Papyrus still found a way to make this game unique.
October 10, 20231999 – NASCAR 2000
The final EA Sports NASCAR game to be exclusively released on the 64-bit console generation was NASCAR 2000. The game also received a Windows and Game Boy Color port, which was a first for EA Sports’ main line NASCAR titles. Aside from that, this was a pretty standard 64-bit NASCAR game, and we would have to wait until the next console generation for bigger changes.
October 10, 20231999 – NASCAR Challenge
The first exclusively handheld NASCAR video game, NASCAR Challenge. It was also the first NASCAR video game released by Hasbro Interactive, which would later partner with Monster Games on the NASCAR Heat Series. Being a handheld game, it’s not too revolutionary. However, it is an interesting novelty.
October 10, 20231999 – NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Racing
Papyrus decided to do something different in 1999, and, instead of including the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in its NASCAR Racing game, used it as an expansion to NASCAR Racing 3. It’s the first and thus far only NASCAR game to be centered around only a lower tier touring series. Given the fact that it is the only one, we probably will not see this again anytime soon.
October 10, 20231999 – NASCAR Racing 3
Another addition to the NASCAR Racing Series by Papyrus. The game was stripped down some as it originally included just the NASCAR Cup Series before the Craftsman Truck Series expansion in 1999. Therefore, this release falls underneath the quality over quantity philosophy. To its credit, Papyrus never made a game surrounding more than just the Cup Series.
October 10, 20231999 – NASCAR Revolution
In 1999, EA Sports decided to try to get into the NASCAR PC gaming space with NASCAR Revolution. The game was not exceptionally well-received, but it was not the last time EA Sports tried its hand at a PC NASCAR video game. After this, they left the PC NASCAR gaming up to Papyrus.
October 10, 20232000 – NASCAR 2001
This was the first NASCAR console video game that was released on the PlayStation 2. However, even though it’s the first PS2 NASCAR game, there are not as many improvements as some may have expected. The game still did not include full, 43-car fields or even a career mode. For the first PS2 NASCAR game, it may not be as broad as some may have expected.
October 10, 20232000 – NASCAR Arcade
A new publisher, Sega, joined the NASCAR gaming fray in 2000 as they released NASCAR’s first Arcade Game. NASCAR arcade games are commonplace nowadays, but this was the first one released. Due to it being an arcade game, it’s not a game that has the same nostalgia factor as other NASCAR games on this list, but it’s still a part of NASCAR gaming history.
October 10, 20232000 – NASCAR Heat
The first NASCAR video game that Monster Games worked on. Instead of being released on the PS2 like NASCAR 2000, Monster Games elected to stay on the PS1, Game Boy Color and PC for its release. The game was not received exceptionally well, but it was a start for Monster Games as the company began to work on competing with EA.
October 10, 20232000 – NASCAR Racers
NASCAR Racers was a licensed NASCAR TV show that ran for two seasons. The game was only released on PC and on the Game Boy Color, so, no console release likely hurt the game’s reach. There is not much out there on this game, and the show had a short run.
October 10, 20232000 – NASCAR Rumble
While NASCAR 2000 was EA Sports’ final simulation-style console video game in the 64-bit era, NASCAR Rumble was the last game EA itself published. This is an arcade style NASCAR video game in which drivers can drive as licensed NASCAR drivers and cars, but they use power-ups and items similar to Mario Kart. It’s not exactly a kart racer, however, but it is an arcade-style console game that garnered good reception.
October 10, 20232001 – NASCAR Heat 2002
Monster Games made their sequel to NASCAR Heat with NASCAR Heat 2002, and the game is strange to say the least. It does license most NASCAR tracks, but not all. The PS2 version includes only 24 drivers per race while the XBOX version includes 43 drivers per race. A strange difference between the two video games, especially considering EA Sports had full fields, but this game was a precursor to a special NASCAR game.
October 10, 20232001 – NASCAR Racing 4
This was the game with which Papyrus really started to gain some traction. The quote on the box even highlights Dale Earnhardt Jr., noted NASCAR gaming enthusiast, “This is the sim we have been waiting for.” When you start to think about NASCAR PC simulations by Papyrus, this is the game that started to look like a Papyrus NASCAR game.
October 10, 20232001 – NASCAR Thunder 2002
The first game in the NASCAR Thunder series, and the one with many firsts. It was the first console NASCAR game to include features such as a career mode and full, 43-car fields. It also was the first NASCAR game to include all 23 licensed NASCAR tracks. For all intents and purposes, this was the first full NASCAR console video game. It was not quite as deep as its successors, but the game did improve on its predecessor in many ways. This included graphics, gameplay and features. Just looking at this screenshot shows that this game is leaps and bounds better looking than the previous games. However, the game is still not perfect. The career mode is there, but players are only allowed to run in 12 races per season. This is strange, especially considering there is a single season mode in the game that allows players to play a full, 36-race season. However, it is a start, and it’s the first NASCAR console game to include such a mode. This was the foundation upon which EA started building its next NASCAR games. While it’s not as deep as its successors, it still holds a very important place in NASCAR gaming history.
October 10, 20232002 – NASCAR Dirt to Daytona
The NASCAR Heat games were the second tier of NASCAR console games for the most part, but NASCAR Dirt to Daytona perfected something that NASCAR Racing 1999 Season tried to implement, but could not do properly. NASCAR Dirt to Daytona was the first NASCAR console game to include the NASCAR feeder system. As opposed to the EA Sports Career Mode, which just included controlling a Cup Series team, NASCAR Dirt to Daytona allowed the player to work their way up through the feeder system. First starting in dirt stock cars, then working their way up into the modifieds. From there, the player worked their way up to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series before finally making it all the way up to the Cup Series. The game does have some strange omissions, particularly not having all licensed NASCAR tracks. Regardless, this is a game that is still beloved by many. Primarily because it implemented a feature that had never been done on a console game before. For many, this was the first time that they were able to work their way up through the NASCAR feeder system, and it gave people a good reason to buy this game over the EA Sports NASCAR games. The release of this game kick started potentially the greatest run of NASCAR gaming ever seen. Following this game, Papyrus and EA Sports made arguably their best NASCAR video games.
October 10, 20232002 – NASCAR Racing 2002 Season
Papyrus built off of its momentum from NASCAR Racing 4 and created NASCAR Racing 2002 season. This truly was the best NASCAR simulation of its time, and it may go down as one of the most underrated NASCAR video games of all time. The only reason for that is because of the Papyrus NASCAR game that succeeded it.
October 10, 20232002 – NASCAR Thunder 2003
NASCAR Thunder 2003 built upon the foundation of NASCAR Thunder 2002. The most glaring single player improvement is a much deeper career mode that allows a player to race a full season. The handling model may be tough to get used to for some, but it falls into the same category as NASCAR Thunder 2002, a game that was overshadowed by its successor.
October 10, 20232003 – NASCAR Racing 2003 Season
Rarely is a game able to stand the test of time quite like NASCAR Racing 2003 Season. Part of it is being the final licensed NASCAR PC game released by Papyrus, but the other part of it is simply how great of a game it is. It hits all of the points that a NASCAR simulation should, and it does incredibly well. Unsurprisingly, it is the highest rated NASCAR video game on Metacritic. However, the game’s life has been extended not necessarily because of its value then, but because of how easily moddable it is. To this day, the modding community on NASCAR Racing 2003 is second to none. Tracks, drivers and cars from any era in NASCAR post-2003 can be found somewhere. Lots of great NASCAR content has been derived from this game, including TNTMan93’s “Idiots of NR 2003” Series on YouTube. The game is still being played, modded and used to this very day in spite of the game being 20 years old!
October 10, 20232003 – NASCAR Thunder 2004
For many, this was the greatest NASCAR video game of all time. While NR 2003 is a huge game in its own right, the console entry of NASCAR Thunder 2004 reached a much wider audience when it was released. The game features more improved features, including a deepened career mode featuring a new “Rivals” system and Lightning Challenges. There is also an incredible amount of Thunder Plates that can be earned throughout the game to get a slew of special paint schemes, fantasy tracks and drivers. However, the biggest thing this game added was online play. It was the first NASCAR console video game to have an online capability. Sure, online gaming was still relatively new in those days, but this was the first game to include it. It’s the highest rated EA Sports NASCAR console video game on Metacritic, and it is easy to see why. However, this would be the beginning of the end of this “Golden Age” of NASCAR gaming as EA Sports took the NASCAR license exclusively following the release of the 2003 NASCAR games. With that being said, the follow-up would still turn a lot of heads.
October 10, 20232004 – NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup
Those who feared that EA was going to start downgrading its NASCAR games because of the company’s exclusive license had their fears mitigated by this game. NASCAR Thunder 2004 was obviously a tough video game to follow, but EA did a good job. They took a page from the NASCAR Dirt to Daytona book, and EA included the NASCAR feeder system with one major difference. In place of the dirt stock cars, they would feature the NASCAR Xfinity Series, branded as the NASCAR National Series in the game. It still featured licensed drivers from the series though. The career mode was revamped as well. There was still the option to be the owner of a team, but the mode was rebranded as “Fight to the Top.” It focused instead on a player working their way up through the NASCAR feeder system. It did not have as many original ideas as previous games, but EA made good use of them. From here on out, it was only EA that was allowed to make NASCAR video games.
October 10, 20232005 – NASCAR 06: Total team Control
NASCAR 06: Total Team Control retained a lot of features from its predecessor, NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup, but NASCAR 06 did include something new. The “Total Team Control” feature allowed drivers to work with their teammates. The feature was highlighted on the player’s HUD with there being a D-pad looking thing in the bottom corner. There, the player could ask teammates to share draft, block or even swap cars. This was highlighted in the intro of the game where a player switches from a crashed Jimmie Johnson car to Jeff Gordon to win at Daytona. The game also looked a bit different graphically and brand-wise with cover art. The Total Team Control aspect was interesting to players, but the game did not gain too many new features aside from that. Unfortunately, that trend of video games, at least from a single player standpoint, continued with the following entries. However, NASCAR 06 was still well received, and it has had its following to this day.
October 10, 20232005 – NASCAR SimRacing
With Papyrus now unable to create NASCAR simulations on PC, EA tried its hand at making one with NASCAR SimRacing. The game was received well, but it was the only one that EA ever made. It became the final licensed NASCAR game to be released on PC for almost a decade.
October 10, 20232006 – NASCAR 07
This was the last NASCAR video game to be released exclusively on the sixth generation of consoles. The North American cover athlete was also an interesting choice in Elliott Sadler. The game did not garner too many notable new features following NASCAR 06. However, the move to the next generation of consoles was highly anticipated.
October 10, 20232007 – EA Sports NASCAR Racing
There is no official cover art for this game, as this was EA Sports’ first NASCAR arcade specific game. You can still find it in some arcades to this day. It was the first new NASCAR Arcade game since NASCAR Arcade by Sega in 2000, so it has an interesting novelty factor.
October 10, 20232007 – NASCAR 08
NASCAR 08 was the first game on the seventh generation of consoles, but it was not received well. The Car of Tomorrow was featured, but none of the manufacturer licenses were obtained for it. Therefore, every COT car in the game is just a generic COT. The game was actually received better on the previous generation of consoles oddly enough.
October 10, 20232008 – NASCAR 09
NASCAR 09 was the last EA Sports NASCAR simulation video game. It was not necessarily well-known for its single player offering, but its multiplayer is looked back on fondly by many NASCAR gaming YouTubers. RealRadman looks back on this game quite fondly for what it did online. However, the single player was not great, and EA soon dropped NASCAR.
October 10, 20232009 – NASCAR Kart Racing
NASCAR’s run on EA Sports finished with a Mario Kart clone. NASCAR Kart Racing was released exclusively on the Nintendo Wii, and it was the first NASCAR console game to be released on a Nintendo home console since NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup. NASCAR Kart Racing actually features a teammate system, so working together with a teammate helps a player earn more boosts. Long story short, it’s a typical kart racer.
October 10, 20232011 – Days of Thunder: Arcade
Another Days of Thunder game was released in 2011. An arcade variant and a console variant were released. The PlayStation 3 version included licensed NASCAR drivers and tracks, which was strangely missing from the XBOX 360 version. This is curious especially because NASCAR games had previously been licensed on both systems. Regardless, few people bought this game, so very few even noticed.
October 10, 20232011 – NASCAR The Game 2011
The next generation of NASCAR console video games fell to Eutechnyx as Activision took up publishing duties. NASCAR The Game: 2011 was very stripped down from its predecessors with a career mode that was just a single season and no Xfinity or Truck Series. The game also had issues at launch with a ton of glitches to its online play, but leagues like NORC and Full Throttle were able to find their footing eventually.
October 10, 20232011 – NASCAR: Unleashed
After NASCAR The Game 2011, Eutechnyx released NASCAR Unleashed, which is an arcade-style racing game. The game is pretty comparable to the old NASCAR Rumble game on the PS1, and NASCAR Unleashed functions pretty similar to that. It does feature a few licensed tracks with multiple layouts, including Daytona, Chicagoland and Martinsville among others.
October 10, 20232012 – NASCAR The Game: Inside Line
NASCAR The Game: Inside Line was the second game released by Eutechnyx, and it improved on NASCAR The Game: 2011 in a lot of ways. The graphics were improved along with a deeper career mode. Online play was also improved, but there were still plenty of bugs, just like NASCAR The Game: 2011. This is the classic example of a game that has aged quite well. Metacritic has user scores for the game being only 4.0 for the XBOX 360 version and 5.0 for the PS3 version. The game is definitely far from a perfect one. The career mode is improved, but it has nowhere near the depth that the EA NASCAR games had. The online play was improved, but it did show some glitches and flaws. The AI in the game in single player also has some strange behaviors as well. What the game gets right, however, is its gameplay. The driving model and tire wear are about as realistic as any NASCAR has ever gotten. If running a race with tire wear and fuel consumption, you must manage your tires or sacrifice later in the run. There is even a fuel save button on the controller input for the game. For all the hate this game got from the community back in the day, many now look back on it fondly. Especially the driving model after succeeding games struggled in that department.
October 10, 20232013 – NASCAR The Game: 2013
For the 2013 season, Eutechnyx for some reason elected not to release a console game. Instead, they reworked Inside Line into a PC game. It is quite literally, NASCAR The Game: Inside Line on PC with 2013 drivers instead of 2012 drivers. Definitely a strange decision by both Eutechnyx and Activision.
October 10, 20232013 – NASCAR: RedLine
NASCAR: Red Line was the NASCAR’s first mobile phone game. The game is essentially a reworked NASCAR career mode that is optimized for mobile phones. It was definitely the product of its time. It was time for NASCAR to get into mobile gaming, and this game accomplished that. Even if it was pretty forgettable.
October 10, 20232014 – NASCAR ’14
By 2014, the rest of the gaming world had moved on to the eighth console generation, but Eutechnyx and new publisher Deep Silver did not. NASCAR ’14 was released in 2014 exclusively on the PS3 and XBOX 360. A curious move, and, soon afterward, Eutechnyx was done with NASCAR games.
October 10, 20232015 – NASCAR ’15
NASCAR ’15 was the last Eutechnyx game, once again on PS3 and XBOX 360. The new developers of the NASCAR video game series, Dusenberry Martin Racing, published this game based off of Eutechnyx’s version. DMI, as it was known at the time, took over the license from Eutechnyx as NASCAR ’15 was in development, so this game essentially was a placeholder until the next game could come out.
October 10, 20232016 – NASCAR Heat: Evolution
DMI collaborated with Monster Games, the developers of NASCAR Heat and NASCAR: Dirt to Daytona, in 2016 to create NASCAR Heat: Evolution. The game was received absolutely horribly. From the glitchy online play to the lack of private lobbies, to terrible physics, and a lackluster career mode. For the first NASCAR video game on the eighth console generation, this was a major letdown to many.
October 10, 20232017 – NASCAR Heat 2
NASCAR Heat 2 was a big improvement on NASCAR Heat: Evolution. The physics were improved, even though the driving model was still pretty heavily criticized. It also included the NASCAR Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series, and it was the first game to do so since NASCAR 09. As a result, the career mode is similar to NASCAR Dirt to Daytona with drivers working their way up from the Truck Series all the way up to the Cup Series.
October 10, 20232017 – NASCAR Heat Mobile
NASCAR Heat Mobile was the first mobile game that DMI, which changed its name to 704 Games, released. It was available on IOS and Android, and it essentially is like a reworked career mode. It’s not too dissimilar of a concept to Eutechnyx mobile game NASCAR: Red Line, but it does include a home world similar to most mobile games. Again, a product of this current mobile game generation.
October 10, 20232017 – NASCAR Rush
NASCAR Rush is the second mobile game that 704 Games released, and it is NASCAR’s version of an “endless runner.” A player controls a car and swipes left or right to avoid traffic that you come upon. A pretty simple concept, but “endless runner” games were quite popular in 2010s. NASCAR is a sport that translates easily to that, so 704 Games likely thought, why not?
October 10, 20232018 – NASCAR Heat 3
NASCAR Heat 3 continued to build from NASCAR Heat 2 with the addition of a fictional dirt series similar to NASCAR Dirt to Daytona. In addition, the career mode also allowed players to begin owning their own team in addition to just being a driver. Again, the driving model and physics were criticized along with the online mode, but it was beginning to regain some of the depth that many felt was lost following the “Golden Age” of NASCAR gaming.
October 10, 20232019 – NASCAR Heat 4
Likely the best of the four NASCAR games that 704 Games and Monster Games worked on together, NASCAR Heat 4 once again built a little bit more on the foundation NASCAR Heat 3 laid, particularly in the single player modes. The career mode allowed players to start in any series they wanted among Cup, Xfinity, Trucks or the fictional Xtreme Dirt Tour. In single season mode, players now had the option to create a custom schedule. This included being able to run with or without the playoffs and included tracks that were Truck and Xfinity Series exclusive. The game is far from perfect, though. Like the general NASCAR Heat franchise, the online mode left something to be desired. A lot of the community that was on the older NASCAR console games had now moved on to iRacing since it was a more functional online mode. The game also was criticized once again for physics and the driving model. The same complaints that plagued the previous games. However, it was the best 704 Games and Monster Games had put out there. Soon thereafter, however, Motorsport Games entered the fray, and it invested in 704 Games. You know where I am going with this.
October 10, 20232020 – NASCAR Heat 5
As Motorsport Games got set to develop the first NASCAR game that would eventually end up on the ninth console generation, 704 Games hit copy and paste on NASCAR Heat 5. It is literally a reskinned NASCAR Heat 4 with updated rosters. However, this game is still on the minds of many to this day, and that is because of its terrible successor.
October 10, 20232021 – NASCAR 21: Ignition
Where to start with this game. Many people were excited to see NASCAR gaming go to a big budget developer like Motorsport Games. The game would be developed on the powerful Unreal Engine, and people were excited to see what Motorsport Games had. The game released, and it was awful. It was simply unfinished with a ridiculous amount of game breaking glitches at most tracks. There were even some strange settings problems on the track as well including not being able to turn off steering assist. The way the AI went about pit strategy was completely broken. Caution flags were completely broken. Whenever a patch was made, it seemed there was another issue. Unfortunately, this was the last main line console NASCAR game to be released as of this writing. NASCAR gaming has probably never hit a lower low than this game, and there is no timetable for when another NASCAR game will be released. Even though there was some content that was put out following this game.
October 10, 20232021 – NASCAR Heat Ultimate Edition +
Motorsport Games planned on releasing a separate NASCAR game on the Nintendo Switch in 2022, so they released NASCAR Heat Ultimate Edition+ exclusively on the Nintendo Switch. It’s basically NASCAR Heat 5 on the Nintendo Switch, and it’s nothing to write home about. With it being on less powerful hardware, it deals with many of the cut corners as the Nintendo Wii versions of the Eutechnyx NASCAR games did.
October 10, 20232022 – NASCAR Rivals
There was not a replacement to NASCAR 21: Ignition in 2022, but there was NASCAR Rivals on the Nintendo Switch. Like NASCAR Heat Ultimate Edition is NASCAR Heat 5 on the Nintendo Switch, NASCAR Rivals is NASCAR 21: Ignition on the Nintendo Switch. It gives NASCAR games to Nintendo Switch users, but the lack of a true NASCAR 21: Ignition replacement was still glaring on Motorsport Games.
October 10, 20232023 – NASCAR Arcade Rush
NASCAR Arcade Rush is the next licensed NASCAR video game that will be published by GameMill Entertainment. The game will include a few licensed tracks, but, for now, no licensed drivers. It will be interesting to see what this game becomes as it will obviously be an arcade racer. Will it be more like NASCAR Unleashed/NASCAR Rumble, or will there be more elements of NASCAR Kart Racing? Either way, it is a new NASCAR video game, regardless of it being an arcade game.
October 10, 2023
