Picture this: you’ve spent years paying your iRacing subscription, buying cars that cost as much as a family pizza (but with no cheese) and tracks that, if you add them up, you could’ve funded a real trip to Nürburgring. And suddenly, boom, the company announces an arcade game, a shiny NASCAR 2025, and even its own IndyCar title.
And of course, the first thought is:
“Excuse me? With MY money you’re making games for casuals? Fix the netcode, darn it!”
The reaction is almost automatic, because deep down we feel like iRacing isn’t just a product it’s practically a relationship. And you know how that goes: if your partner starts looking elsewhere, you get jealous.
The Fear of Digital Betrayal
I get it. Really, I do.
When you hear “iRacing Arcade,” your brain imagines the devs pulling a lever:
“Alright team, stop working on tire physics, let’s build neon-bumper mayhem.”
Drama served. And the sense of abandonment, too. Because let’s be honest: every time we sweat over a setup and eat a netcode crash, it hurts. And it hurts more to imagine that someone, somewhere, is designing stickers for an arcade while you’re ghosted by packet loss.
But… What If That’s Not the Story?
The other side of the coin is less tragic and much more logical: they’re different teams.
It’s like thinking that because Ferrari makes a SUV now, they’ll stop racing in F1.
Spoiler: not happening.
In fact, many external projects have brought direct benefits. Updated NASCAR tracks, officially licensed cars… assets we end up enjoying in the simulator without even asking. That’s when you think:
“Okay, maybe it’s not so bad that iRacing is dabbling elsewhere… if the goodies rain back into the sim like a summer shower.”
The Community
The fun part is how the community splits. There are the doomsayers, who see every new announcement as the first horseman of the simracing apocalypse:
“This isn’t iRacing anymore; it’s Candy Crush with wheels.”
And then you have the zen optimists, who take it in stride:
“Relax. More games, more revenue, more resources. The rising tide lifts all boats.”
Personally, I’m with the second group. Although, yes, I still have that tiny irrational fear like watching your partner laugh a little too much at someone’s joke at a party. You trust, but you keep one eye open.
So… Threat or Salvation?
In the end, the answer isn’t about launching an arcade or a new NASCAR game. The answer is whether the core simulator keeps evolving.
If iRacing maintains its essence physics that matter, season updates with bite, content that moves the needle then by all means, make twenty more games.
But if the sim ever feels paused, the community won’t forgive it. And rightly so: we’re not casual players; we’re people who’ve learned more about tire pressures than some real-world mechanics.
I don’t think iRacing is betraying us. It’s doing what any healthy company would do: diversify. And if they do it right, we all win.
That said… if one day I see the simulator stagnate and all we get are shiny skins for the Arcade, believe me: I’ll be the first to lead the virtual torch-bearing revolution.
- Remember, you can join iRacing clicking here.
See you on the track!
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