How Racing Games Have Transformed - From Retro Styles To Modern-Day Immersive Experiences

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So many gaming styles have been able to adapt to the ever-changing technological world we live in - but not as many have made the journey from the days of the retro arcade game in the 1970s and 1980s to adapt then and become a multi-billion dollar market in the 2020s. However, racing games unequivocally fit into that category.

Early Origins

Racing games date back over half a century, with Atari being the first company to make waves in this genre. While racing games have since taken a different shape, there is no disputing the monumental impact of Astro Race and Space Race on forming the racing game world as we see it today.

Nowadays, there are games with multiple installments and a longstanding reputation in the gaming world stretching back over 20 years, whether it’s games like Gran Turismo or F1 games specifically focused on that theme. Although plenty of retro games can be found online, the world has moved with technological advances.

These Atari classics were the top-of-the-range racing games in the early 1970s. Although they had a considerable market and audience in these years, the structure of racing games changed significantly when home video consoles emerged on the scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Home Video Console Revolution

It wasn’t just a marked improvement in graphic design and gaming quality that meant home video consoles were the new sheriff in town - they also offered a rise in convenience and playing time that arcade-style racing games couldn’t match.

Sure, there was a community and camaraderie about playing racing games in an arcade. However, now that racing game fans could seek out alternative means, the age of the arcade appeared to be on borrowed time. Landmark console games such as Formula 1 on the Sega Genesis, which you can play online for a trip down memory lane, meant that the dynamic of the whole market had changed.

This didn’t just apply to racing games either, and because game designers were now looking more toward console game designs, it meant that more racing games and more possibilities were explored.

The monumental success of Mario Kart meant that it wasn’t only a racing game based around real-life courses and featuring professional drivers that could find an audience; fictional game ideas could also find a significant market. Famed for its excellent playability, it also sold millions of units. Mario Kart continues to amaze critics decades after the original SNES game from 1992.

Racing Game Accessories

Undoubtedly, the most significant innovation in the home video console era was the development of racing game accessories. Subsidiary markets that catered to gamers were becoming extremely profitable, and those gamers who wanted to take their racing gaming to the next level had no shortage of creative ideas and accessories they could explore.

By the time F1 2001 came around, racing gamers had access to steering wheels, pedals, and gear sticks that they could connect directly to their console at home. Within a decade, racing games had gone from buttons and joysticks to 3-dimensional, immersive driving worlds that could mimic actual driving conditions.

F1 In The 2010s & 2020s

Although Formula 1 games were growing rapidly, let’s not forget that Gran Turismo was another seminal racing game that defined this era. Gran Turismo 2 was considered the best racing game of the 2000s and was nominated for the console game of the year in any genre.

F1 is witnessing some of its highest ratings in over a decade, so there’s still a consistent demand for racing games that help to supplement this growing demand. While console games became the dominant way gamers played in the 2010s, the emergence of professional video gaming markets and eSports competitions led to the next innovation to capture the imagination of racing gamers.

Professional video gaming has become a multi-billion dollar business. Although racing games don’t have the same market as more prominent titles, the top competitions still offer six-figure prizes. Other recent innovations that have caught the interest involve VR racing game experiences, where gamers can strap their headsets in, completely immerse themselves, and replicate the driving experience.

Summary

Racing games haven’t just moved with the times; some titles have established themselves as market-leading ideas over the years, including the emergence of racing accessories and, more recently, VR racing games, which have helped to buoy up casual gaming interest within the racing niche.

So long as there’s a strong demand for F1, EA Sports will be more than happy to continue churning out games that accommodate this fanbase. The same applies to Gran Turismo games, too.

It’ll be intriguing to see where game designers innovate next. Now that VR driving games have become the latest piece of ingenuity, it’s hard to see where they go from here, but there’s no denying that those bright minds within the industry will prove why they earn the big money and continue to keep racing games relevant and fresh as we approach the mid-point of this decade.