iRacing: Maybe It’s Not That Expensive Anymore

I still remember the first time I signed up for iRacing. It was twelve years ago, when many of us were looking for a way to escape without leaving home. It wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. I stared at the pricing page for days, read countless forum threads, watched reviews. And still, when I finally paid for the subscription, I felt that tiny sting of guilt. Is this really worth it?

And of course, the expenses didn’t stop there. Extra cars, extra tracks, renewing the subscription… It’s easy to spend $300 or more a year if you’re really into it. At the time, people called it insane. “A game that charges you just to race on a new track?” they scoffed. Even I had my doubts.

But now, in 2025, the conversation feels different.

Enter Mario Kart World on the new Nintendo Switch 2. When I saw the announcement and the price tag, I had to do a double take. €89.99 for the physical copy, €79.99 for digital. For Mario Kart. Don’t get me wrong — I love Mario Kart. I grew up on it. I’ve had some of my most fun gaming nights tossing red shells at friends. But… isn’t it kind of wild?

When iRacing charged $110 a year, people were furious. Now, people are practically sprinting to throw money at a game they might finish in a handful of hours. And not only are they buying it — they’re defending it, celebrating it.

Don’t get me wrong, comparing iRacing and Mario Kart is absurd. They’re not even playing the same sport — one is a hyper-realistic sim with serious competition, the other is a colorful chaos-fest where banana peels are a real threat. But maybe that’s exactly the point: it’s not about the comparison, it’s about the shift.

Prices are going up everywhere. Games, subscriptions, hardware. Not long ago, $60 was the standard for a AAA game. Now, $80 is the norm. Throw in deluxe editions, early access, season passes, and suddenly, those $110 a year for iRacing — which can easily stretch across hundreds of hours — don’t seem quite so ridiculous.

Maybe iRacing was never the problem. Maybe we just weren’t used to paying that kind of money for a game that didn’t come in a shiny box with a soundtrack and a smiling plumber on the cover.

Today, I’m still racing on iRacing. I still think carefully before buying another track, or another car, but I no longer feel like I’m overspending. In fact, in a world where everything costs more and offers less, at least here, I know exactly what I’m paying for — and why.

• Remember, you can join iRacing clicking here.

Happy Racing!