Drifting Games We’re Excited For In 2025

A huge variety of drifting games are expected in 2025, and things are looking wild. Here’s our rundown of the most exciting titles to look out for.

Drifting games have been around since the days of cartridges and arcade cabinets. Now they’re (thankfully) everywhere – from surprisingly impressive mobile games you can play on the move (not at work, of course) to hardcore sims requiring a setup that’ll make your wallet cry if you want to maximize their full potential.

It should come as no surprise that we’ve been keeping close tabs on all the latest updates in the drift gaming scene, and it’s gotta be said – 2025 is already looking pretty special!

There will undoubtedly be some familiar names in the mix, but we’ve also thrown in a few surprises that caught our attention for good measure.

Some of these games are built purely with drifting in mind, while others just happen to do it really well. Whether you’re the type who spends hours tweaking suspension settings or just wants to have fun sliding around with friends on a controller, there’s something for everyone.

Let’s separate the genuine gems from the hype (no marketing fluff here!) and explore the drifting games that are (hopefully) worth checking out this year.

You can click the titles you’re most interested in using the menu above or scroll past to check out what each game offers.

JDM: Japanese Drift Master

Release Date: March 26, 2025 (PC) – PS5/Xbox to follow

Platforms: PC (Steam), PS5 and Xbox Series X|S expected later this year

JDM’s early ‘Rise of the Scorpion’ prologue demo created quite a bit of hype in the drift community last year. While it showed promise, it wasn’t quite hitting the mark, but the devs handled the situation perfectly.

“With all the improvements we’ve made, demo-prologue JDM: Rise of the Scorpion no longer reflects the quality of the full game which will be a significantly enhanced experience in comparison,” Gaming Factory stated, as they pulled the free game from Steam.

Following an initial delay, the full version of the game, due to arrive on PC for Steam gamers on March 26, 2025, will be set in a fictional Japanese prefecture of Guntama, designed specifically for drifting.

As you probably guessed, this means you’ll get to slide through plenty of touge mountain passes, which look incredible day and night, before hitting up the bustling city streets.

They’ve even managed to bag official partnerships with several JDM manufacturers along the way, with the list currently including Mazda, Subaru, and Nissan.

We’d class JDM’s physics as “simcade” (a mix of simulator and arcade.) The drifting feels realistic enough to satisfy hardcore drift enthusiasts, and there are also detailed tuning options and realistic tire physics. However, it’s still fairly easy to get the hang of for newcomers, unlike hardcore sims like Assetto Corsa.

Recent footage shows the physics have evolved significantly since that first demo, with the dev team actively implementing community feedback, which is always a good sign.

If they can nail the final tweaks necessary before launch, this could be exactly what drift enthusiasts have been waiting for. The graphics are already stunning – now it’s just down to getting those physics feeling just right. (No pressure!)

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CarX Drift Racing 3

Release Date: PC – Expected Early 2025, Consoles – Expected Summer/Fall 2025

Platforms: Currently on Mobile, coming to PC (Steam), Consoles

“Uhh, this is already out,” we hear you say. Well, while CarX Drift Racing 3 has already made an impression on mobile, it’s soon (hopefully, at least) heading to more powerful platforms. The potential here is huge, especially when you consider what they’ve achieved so far with mobile hardware.

When it comes to physics, the drift-focused entry to the CarX series also falls into the “simcade” category but leans a little more toward the realistic side. It’s not quite Assetto Corsa levels of realism, but it requires a little more talent than full-blown arcade offerings like Forza Horizon 5.

The standout feature has to be the new damage system. We’re talking crazy BeamNG.drive-style physics here, to the extent we’ve never seen before in drifting games – bumpers flying off, glass shattering, and chassis bending in big impacts. It’s bonkers when you see it for yourself, especially considering most licensed games will barely let you scratch the paint!

CarX 3 launched with 30 (unlicensed but familiar-looking) drift cars on the mobile game, and we’re expecting even more by the time it hits PC and various consoles. You can now own multiple versions of the same car for different setups, which is perfect for having a car for grip, and another for drifting.

Fans of the CarX series will be (very) familiar with the main downside of the series, which is the team’s pace of updates/new versions. They’re known for often taking on way more than they can handle, leaving many feeling neglected along the way.

Still, if they can fully utilize the extra power that PC and consoles offer, CarX Drift Racing 3 could be truly epic and well worth waiting for (when it finally arrives.) The foundations are certainly there – we just need them to deliver. (No major rush… But maybe a little, please?!)

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Night-Runners

Release Date: Full game expected late 2025

Platforms: PC (Steam), with console versions potentially following later

Prologue: Available now (Free on Steam)

If you’re tired of soulless, perfectly polished modern racing games with their pristine showroom cars, Night-Runners might be exactly what you’re looking for.

This passion project from a solo developer, Planet Jem Software, does an incredible job of delivering the raw essence of the glory days of the 90s-00s JDM car culture in a way that bigger studios seem to have forgotten.

The free Prologue version already shows incredible promise. Set in a beautifully crafted fictional Japanese city, it nails that nostalgic street racing vibe with its trippy VHS-style visual effects and period-appropriate atmosphere.

When you get started, you even need to head to the JDM auctions on the computer and scroll through beat-up old missile cars to find your first ride.

What makes Night-Runners stand out most is how it does things differently from everything else out there. If you’re a hardcore JDM fan, this is a must-try game. While the handling isn’t perfect yet, it captures that raw 90s feel that perfectly matches the game’s vibe. The customization goes surprisingly deep, too.

The current build includes sprint races, time trials, and free-roam modes. While only a few cars are available right now, they each deliver their own physics, and there are plenty of tuning options. The developer has been actively taking community feedback, regularly updating the game to improve performance and physics.

Sure, there’s no official car licensing, but most drifting fans will know that’s not always a bad thing. Plus, you’ll know which cars they’re based on anyway!

The full release promises to expand significantly on what was delivered in the Prologue, with more race types, an expanded map, and additional vehicles. What’s been achieved so far is already crazy for a one-person project.

A Kickstarter Beta is landing in November 2025, with the full game planned for December (fingers crossed!) Those who’ve been missing the Tokyo Xtreme Racer vibes but wanted more drift action will feel right at home here. You can keep informed of the latest updates on the official Patreon page.

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Assetto Corsa EVO

Release Date: January 16, 2025 (Early Access), Fall 2025 (v1.0)

Platform: PC (Steam), consoles to follow

The long-awaited sequel to the legendary Assetto Corsa has finally arrived, but it’s not quite the grand entrance many hoped for. After over a decade of waiting, the early access version feels a bit basic and underwhelming, especially for drifting fans.

While the initial early access game shows some promise and looks undeniably stunning. Of course, the physics are on-point, too, as you’d expect from Kunos. However, it lacks many features that made the original AC the most sought-after sim drifting game.

The car list is surprisingly small so far, with barely any tuning, basic customization, and (most notably) zero third-party mod support. Yet, at least. Whether it’ll ever have the mod support of the original is yet to be established. For now, you’ll have to make do with sliding stock cars around, which isn’t exactly what the drift community hoped for.

That said, there are some exciting features in the pipeline. The upcoming German free-roam mode is the first in the series, promising a huge 1,600-square-kilometer LIDAR-scanned playground. It’s a potential game-changer that could completely transform the game. However, the details are still scarce for now, but we’re interested to see what they have in store.

If it’s just a serious free-roam mode, with nothing much to do, it might lack the vibes that make Forza Horizon’s festivals engaging and successful. With that said, it’s targeting a completely different audience, so we’ll wait and see!

The dev team has promised regular updates throughout the early access period, which have been trickling out (gradually.) However, the active player numbers are currently leaving them overshadowed by unexpected competition from Tokyo Xtreme Racer’s successful 2025 return.

While EVO has yet to live up to the decade’s worth of hype, there’s still plenty of time to turn things around. We’re looking forward to seeing the addition of plenty more sideways action returning to the series!

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Wreckfest 2

Release Date: March 20, 2025 (PC Early Access), Consoles coming later

Platforms: PC (Steam), PS5, and Xbox Series X|S versions confirmed (post-Early Access)

While it’s obvious that drifting isn’t its main focus, the original Wreckfest became a surprising favorite among drift enthusiasts thanks to its incredible physics and awesome damage system.

The sequel looks to bring some serious upgrades to the table with its completely rebuilt ROMU physics engine. And Bugbear is promising even more detailed crash physics and damage simulation this time around, which should make it even more impressive than before.

The original game already offers some surprisingly decent drifting action when you opt for the manual gearbox with a fully locked differential. Cars like the Razor (their take on a Skyline R33) and the Rocket RX are tail-happy and make for a great way to show off your sideways skills in races.

Hopefully, with the newly improved physics and deeper vehicle customization, it could become even more drift-friendly.

Steam Workshop support during Early Access might also mean that the drift community could potentially create even more drift-specific mods. There’s also hope for more JDM destruction derby cars joining the traditionally muscle-heavy roster.

The Early Access launch will include three racing modes – Racing, Derby, and 34-player Multiplayer. While no dedicated drift mode has been announced yet, we’re keeping our fingers crossed that the “special vehicle challenges” might include some sideways action. (School bus drifting challenges, anyone?)

Until CarX Drift Racing 3 brings its damage modeling to “proper” devices, Wreckfest 2 might just be your best bet for some destructive drift sessions. We’re still regularly hopping into the original for some sideways mayhem, and March 20 can’t come soon enough!

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Forza Horizon 6

Release Date: Expected announcement in June 2025

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S and PC, possible PS5 version later

The next chapter in the Horizon series is taking longer than usual to arrive, but hopefully for good reason! It’s already been over three years since Forza Horizon 5 launched, making this the longest gap between releases in the franchise’s history, and there’s still nothing confirmed… Yet.

While Playground Games hasn’t officially revealed anything, there are an ever-increasing number of signs that things are ramping up. They’ve wrapped up FH5’s content with a massive Ultimate Car Pack bundle, and Fable 4 is finally launching later this year. (Perfect timing?)

Also, let’s not forget the hugely controversial PlayStation Forza Horizon 5 release. We think they did this to create some buzz ahead of the FH6 announcement, which could come in June 2025.

Many recent updates have also got fans (yet again) buzzing about Japan potentially being the next location. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that this will finally be the chance to hit up the legendary touge mountain passes and Tokyo’s highways!

Whether we end up in Japan or somewhere else entirely, we’re just hoping they’ll put some real effort into this one, as most fans feel Horizon 5 failed to match the hype.

As you may have guessed, there’s one (rather huge) issue. With GTA VI planned for Fall 2025, we’ll likely have to wait until 2026 to actually get our hands on FH6, but we’re at least hoping to see an announcement this year.

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Grand Theft Auto VI

Release Date: Fall 2025 (PS5, Xbox Series X|S), PC version expected later

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S initially, PC version likely 12-18 months after launch

As we mentioned, here’s the big one! GTA VI is (apparently) officially dropping in Fall 2025, despite fresh rumors every week. When it eventually arrives, it’s expected to bring some huge improvements to the driving physics.

We’ve been teased with proper tire deformation, more realistic body roll, and suspension movement that actually makes sense. (At last!)

Early footage shows cars behaving more naturally during drifting, with weight transfer that looks significantly more convincing than GTA V’s arcade-like handling. Hopefully, they can cause a shock by delivering a properly impressive drifting game – it’s taken long enough!

The customization options are expected to be better than ever, though details are still scarce. Unsurprisingly, the damage modeling looks impressive, with crash physics that might be able to give BeamNG.drive a run for its money.

Take-Two keeps confirming the Fall 2025 release window, but PC players will likely need to wait another year or so. For those who like to take advantage of mods in the game, you’ll unfortunately need to wait until then.

Given their recent (February 2025) drift racing and tuning update for GTA Online, it’s looking like Rockstar is focusing on drifting more than ever. Perfect timing!

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