What used to be quite a frequent sight has seen a drought over the past 20 years - dedicated IndyCar games. It's not just because of this that Yannik thinks it is about time for a new one.
Ah, IndyCar - probably the open-wheel racing series with the wildest history out there. Once almost on par with Formula One, the last 30-odd years have been interesting in the premier US single-seater series, to say the least. And this is reflected in the selection of dedicated games about IndyCar - or the lack thereof.
Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, there were a ton of IndyCar games. Papyrus' IndyCar Racing II, Microsoft's CART Precision Racing, Sony Interactive Studios' CART World Series, Psygnosis' Newman/Haas Racing - the list could go on and on. However, this stopped in 2004, when Codemasters' IndyCar Series 2005 launched, the final standalone IndyCar game to date.
Image: Honda Newsroom (Michael L. Levitt, USA. LAT Photographic)/Codemasters
However, a new standalone IndyCar game looked to be on the horizon in recent years. Motorsport Games had the license and the Dallara IR-18 already in rFactor 2, and a full game was supposed to be released in 2023.
That, of course, did not happen. The game was reportedly rather far along in development, but with the significant restructuring Motorsport Games went through, the license agreement was terminated, and all assets that have been developed so far went to IndyCar themselves, who can now look for a new developer to carry on. As racer.com's Marshall Pruett recently reported, however, this does not seem to be on the horizon anytime soon.
Image: Motorsport Games
Personally, I think that is a shame. Not just because I am a fan of the real-life IndyCar series, but also because an IndyCar game could make the series more interesting to younger fans if pulled of really well. In that sense, the fallout from the infamous Split from 1996 to 2008 can still be felt today.
Essentially, Tony George, President of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, felt like he should have more power on the CART board, so the sanctioning entity of the IndyCar World Series at the time. In George's eyes, CART made decisions that benefitted the series' team owners rather than the sport, so he vowed to create his own series.
Another factor that is often mentioned as part of the reason for the Split was the ongoing internationalization of IndyCar at the time. The series had drivers from all over the world and went to Australia besides the US and Canada already, with a race in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to be held from 1996 onwards. Coupled with the increase of road courses on the schedule, purists felt like IndyCar had lost its connection to its roots in dirt track and short oval racing.
Anyway, once the 1996 season rolled around, George took the Indy 500 and formed the Indy Racing League. Initially, nothing much changed, as most of the teams and drivers stayed with the much faster and arguably more exciting CART-sanctioned series. Once Chip Ganassi Racing made the jump back to the 500 in 2000 and won with Juan Pablo Montoya behind the wheel, however, the floodgates opened. Teams and sponsors wanted to be at Indy, and IRL equipment was much cheaper.
Considering this chaos and waning interest, it makes sense that the IndyCar (and CART/Champ Car) series did not see much attention when it comes to standalone games. It is still nowhere near its former glory, except for the spectacle that is the Indy 500 each year - although now run with mostly spec cars instead of tech innovations as it used to have.
But that is just the thing: The series that runs the biggest single-day event in all of sports each year, with spectator counts exceeding 300,000, is not captured properly anywhere.
Interest in the actual IndyCar Series has been increasing, albeit slowly, over the past 10 years or so, and not just because of ex-F1 drivers like Romain Grosjean or Marcus Ericsson being on the grid. Exciting drivers like Scott McLaughlin, Colton Herta, Pato O'Ward or Alex Palou (who may or may not be the second coming of his teammate Scott Dixon) have made for thrilling on-track battles while also showing their fun and sometimes intense personalities off the track - something that F1 is so often lacking.
A new game could be a way for IndyCar to capture a younger audience again, as a very well-made game focusing on a single series can be a catalyst for this. And if the game was indeed progressing in development already, it would be a shame to see those assets go to waste.
Plus, IndyCar has a long and rich history. An IndyCar game could evolve into something that highlights and preserves this history the way it deserves.
Until then, we can still have some IndyCar fun in other sims. The Dallara IR-18 is available as DLC for rFactor 2, iRacing has the car and most of the tracks as well, and Automobilista 2 has an excellent mod as well as a fictionalized current-day version - plus the 1995, 1998 and 2000 CART cars.
What are your thoughts on an IndyCar game? Let us know in the comments below and join the discussion on our forums!
Ah, IndyCar - probably the open-wheel racing series with the wildest history out there. Once almost on par with Formula One, the last 30-odd years have been interesting in the premier US single-seater series, to say the least. And this is reflected in the selection of dedicated games about IndyCar - or the lack thereof.
Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, there were a ton of IndyCar games. Papyrus' IndyCar Racing II, Microsoft's CART Precision Racing, Sony Interactive Studios' CART World Series, Psygnosis' Newman/Haas Racing - the list could go on and on. However, this stopped in 2004, when Codemasters' IndyCar Series 2005 launched, the final standalone IndyCar game to date.
Image: Honda Newsroom (Michael L. Levitt, USA. LAT Photographic)/Codemasters
Everywhere & Nowhere
The series' cars and most of its tracks have featured in various games and sims since, such as iRacing, rFactor 2, or the Forza Motorsport series. And for those who really want to embrace the Indianapolist 500, the iRacing Special Event is the closest you can get, as it is excellent fun to try and run the full distance - something I have yet to achieve, as my race ended just under 30 laps from the finish when a backmarker spun in front of my car and took me out this year. Sigh.However, a new standalone IndyCar game looked to be on the horizon in recent years. Motorsport Games had the license and the Dallara IR-18 already in rFactor 2, and a full game was supposed to be released in 2023.
That, of course, did not happen. The game was reportedly rather far along in development, but with the significant restructuring Motorsport Games went through, the license agreement was terminated, and all assets that have been developed so far went to IndyCar themselves, who can now look for a new developer to carry on. As racer.com's Marshall Pruett recently reported, however, this does not seem to be on the horizon anytime soon.
Image: Motorsport Games
Personally, I think that is a shame. Not just because I am a fan of the real-life IndyCar series, but also because an IndyCar game could make the series more interesting to younger fans if pulled of really well. In that sense, the fallout from the infamous Split from 1996 to 2008 can still be felt today.
The Split - Still Felt Almost 30 Years Later
While it is possible to fill entire books about this time that damaged US open wheel racing seemingly beyond repair, as John Oreovicz did with 'Indy Split' (highly recommended, by the way), we shall keep it short for the sake of this column not running on for another 1,500 paragraphs.Essentially, Tony George, President of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, felt like he should have more power on the CART board, so the sanctioning entity of the IndyCar World Series at the time. In George's eyes, CART made decisions that benefitted the series' team owners rather than the sport, so he vowed to create his own series.
Another factor that is often mentioned as part of the reason for the Split was the ongoing internationalization of IndyCar at the time. The series had drivers from all over the world and went to Australia besides the US and Canada already, with a race in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to be held from 1996 onwards. Coupled with the increase of road courses on the schedule, purists felt like IndyCar had lost its connection to its roots in dirt track and short oval racing.
Anyway, once the 1996 season rolled around, George took the Indy 500 and formed the Indy Racing League. Initially, nothing much changed, as most of the teams and drivers stayed with the much faster and arguably more exciting CART-sanctioned series. Once Chip Ganassi Racing made the jump back to the 500 in 2000 and won with Juan Pablo Montoya behind the wheel, however, the floodgates opened. Teams and sponsors wanted to be at Indy, and IRL equipment was much cheaper.
Reunited, But Only Slowly Getting Better
After a relatively quick demise, CART folded in 2003, was replaced by Champ Car, and then died for good before the 2008 season got underway. What that left was a US open wheel series that struggled tremendously, with NASCAR having taken over as THE household name in racing in the States.Considering this chaos and waning interest, it makes sense that the IndyCar (and CART/Champ Car) series did not see much attention when it comes to standalone games. It is still nowhere near its former glory, except for the spectacle that is the Indy 500 each year - although now run with mostly spec cars instead of tech innovations as it used to have.
But that is just the thing: The series that runs the biggest single-day event in all of sports each year, with spectator counts exceeding 300,000, is not captured properly anywhere.
Authentic Indy 500? Yes, please!
Sure, the cars and most of the tracks are there, as mentioned above, and in outstanding quality in some games and sims. But everything else is not - the proper Indy 500 qualifying procedure is missing, well-known street circuits like St. Petersburg and Toronto are hardly seen anywhere - all while the on-track product of the real series is one of the most exciting in all of racing.Interest in the actual IndyCar Series has been increasing, albeit slowly, over the past 10 years or so, and not just because of ex-F1 drivers like Romain Grosjean or Marcus Ericsson being on the grid. Exciting drivers like Scott McLaughlin, Colton Herta, Pato O'Ward or Alex Palou (who may or may not be the second coming of his teammate Scott Dixon) have made for thrilling on-track battles while also showing their fun and sometimes intense personalities off the track - something that F1 is so often lacking.
A new game could be a way for IndyCar to capture a younger audience again, as a very well-made game focusing on a single series can be a catalyst for this. And if the game was indeed progressing in development already, it would be a shame to see those assets go to waste.
Plus, IndyCar has a long and rich history. An IndyCar game could evolve into something that highlights and preserves this history the way it deserves.
Until then, we can still have some IndyCar fun in other sims. The Dallara IR-18 is available as DLC for rFactor 2, iRacing has the car and most of the tracks as well, and Automobilista 2 has an excellent mod as well as a fictionalized current-day version - plus the 1995, 1998 and 2000 CART cars.
What are your thoughts on an IndyCar game? Let us know in the comments below and join the discussion on our forums!
![Luca [OT]](https://overtake-data.community.forum/avatars/s/3235/3235113.jpg?1697196734){kind=avatar}