“What is the best sim racing game on console?”. This is a question I get asked surprisingly often, especially from people who are either just getting into sim racing or are already invested in a PlayStation or Xbox setup and want to know where to focus their time.
The honest answer is that console sim racing comes with compromises, but that does not mean there are no good options. The experience you get depends heavily on which console you are on, what type of racing you enjoy, and how competitive you want to be.
Below, I will break down the strongest console sim racing options available today, where they excel, and where they fall short.
If you are on PlayStation, Gran Turismo 7 is the most complete and accessible sim racing experience available on console. While it is not a hardcore simulation in the same sense as iRacing or rFactor, it offers an unmatched combination of content, structure, and player activity.
Gran Turismo 7 features a massive car list, a wide selection of real world tracks, and a very active online ecosystem. Sport Mode provides daily races, ranked matchmaking, and a penalty system that, while not perfect, gives structure and progression to online competition.
One of the biggest strengths of Gran Turismo 7 is its player base. At almost any time of day, you can jump into competitive online races with minimal wait times. For console players who want consistent multiplayer action, that matters a lot.
From a driving perspective, the physics lean toward accessibility rather than absolute realism. Tire behavior, weight transfer, and force feedback are convincing, but not as detailed as what you would find in dedicated PC simulations. That said, with a decent wheel and pedals, Gran Turismo 7 can still feel very engaging.
For PlayStation users, Gran Turismo 7 remains the clear front runner.
On both PlayStation and Xbox, Assetto Corsa Competizione is the most realistic circuit racing simulator currently available. Its physics model, tire behavior, and force feedback are far closer to a true simulation than most console titles.
ACC focuses exclusively on GT racing, which means you are limited to GT3 and GT4 cars and officially licensed series. While this narrower scope may turn some players away, it allows the game to deliver a far more authentic driving experience.
The biggest drawback on console is performance and online population. While ACC has improved significantly since launch, console versions still do not feel as smooth or polished as the PC version. Online racing also relies more heavily on external communities rather than a built-in, always-active matchmaking system.
That said, if your priority is driving realism rather than variety, Assetto Corsa Competizione is the best option on console.
The original Assetto Corsa is also available on console and offers a more open-ended driving experience. You get a wide range of cars, tracks, and driving styles, but without the mod support that makes the PC version so powerful.
While still enjoyable, the console version of Assetto Corsa feels dated in terms of presentation, online structure, and user interface. It can be fun for hotlapping and casual racing, but it does not offer the same long-term engagement as Gran Turismo 7 or the realism of ACC.
Other console-friendly options include the official Formula 1 titles, which offer strong career modes and presentation but lean more toward simcade than simulation. EA WRC is another solid choice for rally fans, offering a more authentic experience than earlier Dirt Rally titles while still being approachable.
Each of these games has its place, but none truly replace the depth and consistency of the top options.
On Xbox, the sim racing landscape is more limited. Forza Motorsport, while visually impressive, struggles to deliver a consistent or competitive simulation experience compared to its predecessors and rivals.
As a result, Xbox sim racers often gravitate toward Assetto Corsa Competizione as their primary option. While it does deliver excellent driving physics, the lack of a massive player base and built-in ranking system can make competitive racing harder to find.
This is one of the main reasons many serious Xbox sim racers eventually look toward PC.
As much as there are good console sim racing options, it is important to be realistic. These platforms will always be more limited in terms of physics fidelity, update frequency, mod support, and competitive infrastructure compared to PC.
Games like iRacing, Le Mans Ultimate, and heavily modded Assetto Corsa experiences simply are not available on console. That gap becomes more noticeable the deeper you get into the hobby.
For casual players or those who prefer a plug-and-play experience, console sim racing can be more than enough. For anyone looking to take sim racing seriously in the long term, PC remains the end goal.
If you are playing on PlayStation, Gran Turismo 7 is the best overall sim racing experience available on console. It offers unmatched player activity, strong online structure, and enough realism to stay engaging with proper hardware.
If you are on Xbox or value realism above all else, Assetto Corsa Competizione is the better driving simulator, even if it comes with compromises in usability and online accessibility.
Beyond that, other console sims can still be enjoyable depending on your interests, but none truly rival the depth found on PC.
Personally, if you are already investing heavily in sim racing hardware, I would put more effort toward transitioning to PC rather than building a long-term console-only setup. That said, console sim racing still has its place, and as always, I am curious to hear what others think.
