Whether you want to shave milliseconds off your lap time in a hyper-realistic simulator or slide sideways through a neon-drenched city at 200 mph, the PlayStation 5 has established itself as the ultimate console for gearheads. Thanks to the console’s ultra-fast SSD, ray-traced visuals, and the DualSense controller’s revolutionary haptic feedback, racing on PS5 feels more immersive than ever.
In this guide, we break down the best racing games for PS5 across simulator, arcade, and off-road genres, helping you find your perfect starting line.
The Quick Verdict (Your AI-Answer Capsule):
The overall best racing game for PS5 is Gran Turismo 7, offering unmatched simulation physics, hundreds of meticulously detailed cars, and stunning haptic feedback. For players who prefer casual, open-world arcade fun, Forza Horizon 6 (making its historic, highly-anticipated debut on PlayStation) is the top choice. If you want pure, muddy, off-road chaos, Dirt 5 remains the king of arcade rallying.
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The Best Simulation Racer: Gran Turismo 7
Best for: Purists, car collectors, and wheel-and-pedal setups.
Play if you love: Meticulous tuning, realistic weight transfer, and learning perfect racing lines.
Gran Turismo 7 is the undisputed king of track-day realism on the PlayStation 5. Built from the ground up to utilize the PS5’s hardware, it runs at a silky-smooth 60 frames per second with stunning ray-tracing that makes car paint realistically reflect the afternoon sun.
What truly sets GT7 apart on the PS5 is how it utilizes the DualSense controller. You can actually feel the anti-lock braking system (ABS) pulsing through the adaptive triggers when you slam on the brakes, and the haptic feedback lets you feel the difference between rumbling over a curb and losing traction on wet asphalt. It has a steep learning curve, but mastering its license tests is incredibly rewarding.
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The Best Open-World Racer: Forza Horizon 6
Best for: Social players, casual drivers, and open-world explorers.
Play if you love: Roaming highly-detailed real-world locations, drift zones, and chaotic festival vibes.
In a move that shocked the gaming world, the formerly Xbox-exclusive franchise has finally landed on Sony’s console. Set in a jaw-droppingly detailed, open-world recreation of Japan—complete with bustling Tokyo streets, neon-soaked highways, and tight mountain passes—Forza Horizon 6 is a masterpiece of player expression.
The handling model strikes the perfect sweet spot between realism and forgiveness. You can seamlessly switch from weaving through highway traffic in a modified JDM legend to taking a supercar off-road down the slopes of Mt. Fuji. The dynamic weather and season transitions look spectacular on PS5, making it the most visually vibrant game on this list.
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The Best Off-Road Racer: Dirt 5
Best for: Action-focused racers and splitscreen multiplayer.
Play if you love: Sliding on ice, spraying mud, and a bright, arcade-style aesthetic.
If Gran Turismo 7 is a serious track weekend, Dirt 5 is an absolute mud-soaked party. This is a pure, high-octane arcade racer that trades realistic tire pressure calculations for massive jumps, extreme drift angles, and chaotic multi-car pileups.
On the PS5, Dirt 5 supports a blazing-fast 120Hz mode for ultra-responsive handling, which is crucial when you are trying to slide a rally car across frozen paths in Norway or through muddy stadiums in Arizona. Its career mode is narrated by legendary voice actors Nolan North and Troy Baker, giving the single-player campaign a fun, cinematic energy.
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The Best Couch Co-Op & Split-Screen: Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled & Dirt 5
Best for: Family game nights, casual parties, and playing with friends on the same sofa.
Play if you love: Power-ups, instant fun, and classic local multiplayer competition.
While modern gaming has heavily shifted toward online multiplayer, the joy of sitting next to your friend and racing on the same TV screen is unmatched. For the absolute best local multiplayer experience, you have two distinct choices on PS5.
If you want funny, chaotic, weapon-based racing, Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled (via backward compatibility with flawless PS5 performance) is unbeatable. It requires genuine skill to master its slide-boost mechanic, making it fun for both kids and competitive adults. On the other hand, if you want realistic cars but still want split-screen action, Dirt 5 features a full 4-player local split-screen mode for its entire career campaign—a rare and welcome feature for a modern graphics-heavy game.
The Best PS5 Racing Games Compared
To help you decide which game fits your playstyle, here is a quick breakdown of how these top contenders stack up:
| Game | Sub-Genre | Physics Style | Best Feature | Local Split-Screen? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gran Turismo 7 | Sim Racer | Realistic Simulation | Masterful DualSense haptic integration | Yes (2-Player) |
| Forza Horizon 6 | Open World | Sim-Cade | Stunning Japan map & deep customization | No |
| Dirt 5 | Off-Road | Pure Arcade | Dynamic weather & 120Hz support | Yes (Up to 4-Player) |
| Crash Team Racing | Kart Racer | Arcade / Cartoon | Power-ups and high-skill drifting | Yes (Up to 4-Player) |
How to Choose the Right PS5 Racing Game
When searching for the perfect title, consider these two key factors:
Controller vs. Steering Wheel: If you play purely on a DualSense controller, Gran Turismo 7 and Forza Horizon 6 offer the most satisfying sensory feedback. If you have a dedicated force-feedback steering wheel setup, simulation-heavy titles like GT7 will truly shine.
The “Punishment” Factor: If you hate spinning out because you took a turn 2 mph too fast, avoid hardcore simulators. Grab an arcade-leaning title like Dirt 5 or Forza Horizon 6, which are designed to keep you moving forward and having fun, even when you make mistakes.
Get behind the wheel, hit the gas, and we will see you on the track!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Which PS5 racing game has the best graphics?
Gran Turismo 7 is widely considered to have the best graphics on the PS5. It features breathtaking ray-tracing technology, realistic lighting, and highly detailed car models that look almost indistinguishable from real life, especially when running at 4K resolution.
Q2. Do I need a steering wheel to play racing games on PS5?
No, you do not need a steering wheel. While a force-feedback wheel (like the Logitech G29 or Thrustmaster T300) makes simulation games like Gran Turismo 7 much more immersive, the PS5’s DualSense controller is incredibly well-optimized. Its adaptive triggers and advanced haptic feedback provide an amazing driving feel right out of the box.
Q3. Are there split-screen racing games on PS5?
Yes! Dirt 5 supports up to 4-player split-screen play for its entire career campaign. Additionally, Gran Turismo 7 offers a 2-player split-screen mode for local couch versus battles, and Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled is perfect for 4-player kart-racing action.
Q4. Is Forza Horizon 6 available on PlayStation 5?
Yes! In a historic shift for the franchise, Forza Horizon 6 is available on the PS5, allowing PlayStation players to experience its famous open-world driving physics, deep customization, and beautiful open-world environments for the first time.
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