List of NASCAR video games

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NASCAR, the most popular motorsport in the United States, has worked with video game developers to design several video games. In 2003, EA Sports received an exclusive console license to produce NASCAR games, eliminating Papyrus and Hasbro Interactive as competitors. In May 2009, iRacing.com received a license to run NASCAR-sanctioned online racing starting in 2010. In June 2009 at the E3 Gaming Expo, NASCAR was revealed to be a part of the Gran Turismo series for the first time in Gran Turismo 5 for the PlayStation 3.

Developers[edit]

Papyrus Design Group[edit]

In 1994, Papyrus Design Group, an up-and-coming simulation racing developer (at the time) that was best known for the IndyCar Racing series, released the first installation to the NASCAR Racing series into the video game market.[1]

Over the next decade Papyrus teamed with Sierra Entertainment and continued producing games for their NASCAR Racing series. The NASCAR Racing games were universally praised for their accuracy in terms of physics and track feel, with NASCAR Cup and Xfinity (formerly Nationwide) Series drivers regularly practicing for upcoming tracks using the games. Prior to sweeping both races at Pocono in 2006, Denny Hamlin had only seen the track in NASCAR Racing 2003 Season.

Electronic Arts[edit]

Electronic Arts, through their EA Sports banner, developed NASCAR games for the Sony PlayStation, Sega Saturn, and Nintendo 64 under names such as NASCAR 98, NASCAR 99, NASCAR 2000 and NASCAR Road Racing. Also, a big hit for the company was NASCAR Rumble, a spin-off of the normal NASCAR racing games. The company expanded into NASCAR games for PC, Game Boy Color for their 2000 game, and the PlayStation 2 for their 2001 game, the last under the old name. For 2002, the series was renamed NASCAR Thunder, and by 2003, has simultaneously been released on GameCube, Xbox, PlayStation 2, Microsoft Windows, and PlayStation.

EA Sports decided to split their old "Thunder" titles into two separate racing lines; one for consoles focused on gameplay, and one for PC, which attempted to focus on technical accuracy in the spirit of the old Papyrus/Sierra lines – indeed the PC game used many former members of the Papyrus development teams (although David Kaemmer was not involved). The games were given differing names, as to not confuse the two, with the console series renamed NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup (released in 2004, a reference to the new NASCAR playoff format) and the PC series renamed NASCAR SimRacing (released in 2005). Sweeping gameplay changes meant that the "Chase for the Cup" name was dropped from the 2006 edition of the console game. Instead, the game was titled NASCAR 06: Total Team Control. The new name is derived from the new feature by which a player who has teammates in the field can actually switch to their teammates' cars and control them during a race. It was released on August 30, 2005. Released on September 6, 2006, NASCAR 07 was EA Sports' tenth game in the series. NASCAR 09 was the final game in the EA Sports NASCAR series. It is available on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, as well as PlayStation 2. The NASCAR series took a different approach in 2009, as EA introduced NASCAR Kart Racing on the Wii console. It was later announced that EA would not make a NASCAR 10, and the series is currently on hiatus because of a drop in sales and now has lost the license they had with NASCAR since 2003.

2010–present[edit]

Starting in 2010, EA's license to make NASCAR games expired. Gran Turismo 5 features NASCAR in the game with cars from 2010 season and some tracks on the NASCAR schedule; 2011 season cars were added later in an update. Also, iRacing.com and NASCAR started an Online Racing Series which started in 2010 and the NASCAR Peak Antifreeze Series later that year. iRacing and NASCAR had a close partnership and by the start of the 2014 season, the simulation had every car make/model that has run in Sprint Cup from 2013 and 2014 seasons and every track that the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series on the simulation. Other games that came out with NASCAR licensing after 2010 included Days of Thunder: Arcade (based on Days of Thunder), which is a game sold as an Xbox Live Arcade or PlayStation Network game for the Xbox 360 and PS3.

Eutechnyx[edit]

In 2010, Eutechnyx began creating games based on NASCAR starting in 2011 with NASCAR The Game: 2011.[1] NASCAR The Game: Inside Line was released on November 6, 2012. Afterwards, Eutechnyx made two new games: the first NASCAR licensed video game for iOS, and NASCAR The Game: 2013 for Steam. Eutechnyx switched publishers for NASCAR '14 to Deep Silver after having Activision publishing previous games of the NASCAR The Game series. DMi Games replaced Eutechnyx for NASCAR '15 on January 1, 2015.

Dusenberry Martin Racing / 704Games[edit]

Dusenberry Martin Racing took over the NASCAR license and began developing new games in 2016, as well as releasing a Eutechnyx-developed update game for the 2015 season. DMR is an American-based company located in the NASCAR Plaza building in Uptown, Charlotte, North Carolina. The company is headed by former Hasbro Interactive CEO Tom Dusenberry (developers of the NASCAR Heat series) and Ed Martin, former executive at Papyrus, Hasbro, Atari, EA Sports, and most recent licensee Eutechnyx.[2][3][4][5] DMR partnered with NASCAR Heat developer Monster Games to create NASCAR Heat Evolution.[6]

In 2017, DMR rebranded to 704Games and hired former NASCAR Media Group President, NASCAR Senior Vice President and DMR chairman Paul Brooks as CEO.[7]

Other[edit]

Other NASCAR games include Hasbro Interactive's NASCAR Heat; Papyrus' NASCAR Legends, which took players back to the 1970 season, featuring a different point system, and many different tracks. There is also a pinball game: 3-D Ultra NASCAR Pinball. This game was based on the NASCAR Racing 3 engine; EA Sports' NASCAR Revolution (released between NASCAR 99, which came out in 1998, and NASCAR 2000, which came out in 1999); and NASCAR Rumble, an EA game incorporating some of the features of Nintendo's Mario Kart series, but with NASCAR car designs. Gran Turismo 5 featured NASCAR as one of several new licenses that was included in the game.[8] NASCAR has also partnered with Roblox experience "Jailbreak" twice in both 2021 and 2023 and has created their own experience titled, "NASCAR SPEED HUB."[9]

List[edit]

Simulation/realism[edit]

Title Release date Platform(s) Developer Publisher
Richard Petty's Talladega 1984 C64, Atari 8-bit Cosmi Cosmi
Days of Thunder 1990 Amiga, Atari ST, C64, MS-DOS, Game Boy, NES, ZX Spectrum Argonaut Software Mindscape Group
Bill Elliott's NASCAR Challenge April 1991 Amiga, MS-DOS, Mac, NES Konami Konami
NASCAR Racing October 1994 PC, Mac, PlayStation Papyrus Sierra
Kyle Petty's No Fear Racing April 1995 Super NES Williams Entertainment Williams Entertainment
NASCAR Racing 2 December 9, 1996 PC Papyrus Sierra
NASCAR 98 August 31, 1997 Sega Saturn, PlayStation Stormfront Studios EA Sports
NASCAR 99 September 11, 1998 Nintendo 64, PlayStation Stormfront Studios EA Sports
NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition November 1998 PC Papyrus Sierra
NASCAR Revolution January 31, 1999 PC Stormfront Studios EA Sports
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Racing April 1, 1999 PC Papyrus Sierra
NASCAR Racing 3 August 31, 1999 PC Papyrus Sierra
NASCAR 2000 September 30, 1999 PC, Nintendo 64, Game Boy Color, PlayStation Stormfront Studios EA Sports
NASCAR Challenge November 15, 1999 Game Boy Color Morning Star Multimedia Hasbro Interactive
NASCAR 2001 September 19, 2000 PlayStation, PlayStation 2 Black Box EA Sports
NASCAR Heat September 27, 2000 PlayStation, Game Boy Color, PC Monster Games Hasbro Interactive
NASCAR Racing 4 February 6, 2001 PC Papyrus Sierra
NASCAR Thunder 2002 October 2, 2001 PlayStation, Xbox, PlayStation 2 EA Tiburon EA Sports
NASCAR Heat 2002 November 14, 2001 PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance, Xbox Monster Games Atari/Infogrames
NASCAR Racing 2002 Season February 14, 2002 PC, Mac Papyrus Sierra
NASCAR Thunder 2003 September 19, 2002 PC, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube EA Tiburon EA Sports
NASCAR: Dirt to Daytona November 11, 2002 PlayStation 2, GameCube Monster Games Infogrames
NASCAR Racing 2003 Season February 14, 2003 PC, Mac Papyrus Sierra
NASCAR Thunder 2004 September 16, 2003 PC, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, Xbox EA Tiburon EA Sports
NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup August 31, 2004 PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube EA Tiburon EA Sports
NASCAR SimRacing February 15, 2005 PC EA Tiburon EA Sports
NASCAR 06: Total Team Control August 30, 2005 PlayStation 2, Xbox EA Tiburon EA Sports
NASCAR 07 September 6, 2006 PlayStation 2, Xbox, PSP EA Tiburon EA Sports
NASCAR 08 July 23, 2007 PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 EA Tiburon EA Sports
NASCAR 09 June 10, 2008 PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 EA Tiburon EA Sports
NASCAR The Game: 2011 March 29, 2011 PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii Eutechnyx Eutechnyx, Activision
NASCAR The Game: Inside Line November 6, 2012 PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, Eutechnyx Eutechnyx, Activision
NASCAR The Game: 2013 July 24, 2013 PC Eutechnyx Eutechnyx, Activision
NASCAR Red Line October 3, 2013 iPhone, iPad, Android Eutechnyx Limited Eutechnyx Limited, Activision
NASCAR '14 February 18, 2014 PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows Eutechnyx Eutechnyx, Deep Silver
NASCAR '15 May 22, 2015
October 14, 2015 (Victory Edition)
PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, Steam Eutechnyx Eutechnyx, Deep Silver,
Dusenberry Martin Racing
NASCAR Heat Evolution September 13, 2016 PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows Monster Games 704Games
NASCAR Heat Mobile March 8, 2017
April 25, 2017
iPhone, iPad, Android 704Games 704Games
NASCAR Heat 2 September 12, 2017 PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows Monster Games, 704Games 704Games
NASCAR Rush December 17, 2017 iPhone, iPad, Android 704Games 704Games
NASCAR Heat 3 September 7, 2018 PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows Monster Games, 704Games 704Games
NASCAR Heat 4 September 13, 2019 PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows Monster Games, 704Games 704Games
NASCAR Heat 5 July 10, 2020 PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows 704Games Motorsport Games
NASCAR 21: Ignition October 28, 2021 PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows Motorsport Games Motorsport Games
NASCAR Heat Ultimate Edition+ November 19, 2021 Nintendo Switch 704Games Motorsport Games
Untitled 2025 NASCAR game 2025 Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox, PC Monster Games iRacing

Arcade/casual/other[edit]

Title Release date Platform(s) Developer Publisher
Bill Elliott's NASCAR Fast Tracks December 1, 1991 Game Boy Distinctive Software Konami
3-D Ultra NASCAR Pinball 1998 PC, Mac Dynamix Sierra
Trivial Pursuit: NASCAR 1999 PC Hasbro Interactive Hasbro Interactive
NASCAR Rumble January 31, 2000 PlayStation EA Redwood Shores Electronic Arts
NASCAR Arcade 2000 Arcade Sega AM3/Electronic Arts Sega
NASCAR Racers 2000 PlayStation, Game Boy Color, PC Majesco Entertainment Majesco Entertainment
EA Sports NASCAR Racing August 3, 2007 Arcade EA Tiburon EA Sports, Global VR
Days of Thunder February 5, 2009 iPhone Piranha Games Freeverse
NASCAR Kart Racing February 10, 2009 Wii EA Tiburon EA Sports Freestyle
Days of Thunder: Arcade February 22, 2011 PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade Piranha Games Paramount Digital Entertainment
NASCAR Unleashed November 1, 2011 PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, 3DS Firebrand Games Activision
NASCAR Rivals October 14, 2022 Nintendo Switch Motorsport Games
Nascar Arcade Rush September 15, 2023 PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, PC Team6 Game Studios GameMill Entertainment

Games with NASCAR as a non-core element[edit]

This list includes games that have a NASCAR license but are not based specifically around it (such as racing simulators with other series/disciplines of racing worked into them, or which have mods which add NASCAR cars and/or tracks).

Title Release date Platform(s) Developer Publisher
TrackMania November 2003 Microsoft Windows, Nintendo DS, Wii Nadeo Enlight
Rigs of Rods August 5, 2005 Microsoft Windows, Linux, Mac OS Pierre-Michel Ricordel OGRE
FlatOut 2 August 1, 2006 Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, PlayStation 2, Xbox, PlayStation Portable Bugbear Entertainment Empire Interactive
RFactor August 31, 2006 Microsoft Windows Image Space Incorporated Image Space Incorporated
ROBLOX September 1, 2006 Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X and Series S, Fire OS, Mac operating systems, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 Roblox Corporation Roblox Corporation
ARCA Sim Racing '08 March 5, 2008 Microsoft Windows The Sim Factory The Sim Factory
iRacing.com August 26, 2008 PC IRacing.com IRacing.com
Gran Turismo 5 November 24, 2010 PlayStation 3 Polyphony Digital Sony
Test Drive Unlimited 2 February 8, 2011 PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC Eden Games Atari
TrackMania 2 August 17, 2011 PC Nadeo Ubisoft
Forza Motorsport 4 October 11, 2011 Xbox 360 Turn 10 Studios Microsoft Studios
Real Racing 3 2013
(1st NASCAR update released September 2015)
iOS, Android Firemonkeys Electronic Arts
Gran Turismo 6 December 5, 2013 PlayStation 3 Polyphony Digital Sony
Project CARS May 8, 2015 PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One Slightly Mad Studios Slightly Mad Studios
Forza Motorsport 6 September 15, 2015
(NASCAR Expansion released May 17, 2016)
Xbox One Turn 10 Studios Microsoft Studios
Forza Motorsport 7 October 3, 2017 Microsoft Windows (Windows 10 only), Xbox One Turn 10 Studios Microsoft Studios
Wreckfest January 15, 2014 Steam, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 Bugbear Entertainment THQ Nordic
Shell Racing May 17, 2019 iOS, Android BrandBase B.V Shell Racing
Rocket League July 7, 2015 Steam, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 Panic Button Psyonix

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Robinson, Jon (October 4, 2010). "NASCAR revs up video game return". ESPN. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  2. ^ Martin, Ed (January 17, 2015). "An open letter to NASCAR fans from DMi". DMi Games. Archived from the original on May 7, 2015. Retrieved April 12, 2015.
  3. ^ "HC2's Subsidiary DMi, Inc. Acquires Exclusive NASCAR Gaming Rights With Multi-Year Agreement". HC2 Holdings, Inc. January 15, 2015. Retrieved April 12, 2015 – via Marketwired.
  4. ^ Makuch, Eddie (April 10, 2015). "NASCAR 15 Is Exclusive (at Retail) to GameStop". GameSpot. Retrieved April 12, 2015.
  5. ^ "About Us". Dusenberry Martin Racing, DMi Games. 2015. Archived from the original on May 10, 2015. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
  6. ^ Jensen, Tom (May 20, 2016). "Dusenberry Martin Racing to unveil new NASCAR video game". Fox Sports. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
  7. ^ "Dusenberry Martin Racing Combines with Industry Leader to Create 704Games". American City Business Journals. March 21, 2017. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
  8. ^ GameTrailers – via YouTube.
  9. ^ "NASCAR Launches Immersive Gaming Experience on Roblox". NASCAR. March 10, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.

External links[edit]