Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Steam’s 2025 Summer Sale is heating up, and racing fans have no shortage of high-octane discounts to burn through. From hardcore sim racing to open-world arcade mayhem, there’s a title for almost every kind of speed junkie in this year’s lineup. Whether you’re into GT3 realism, mud-plugging truck runs, or leaderboard-crushing time attacks, this breakdown will help you pinpoint the best value deals—and figure out which type of racer suits your style.
Accessible Arcade or Experimental Chaos? The Casual Corner
Let’s kick things off with games that don’t demand a sim rig to enjoy. At the forefront is Trackmania—which remains completely free to play for its base experience. Despite a modest Metacritic score of 74, the game thrives through its competition-driven loops. The draw here isn’t depth; it’s precision. With short user-made tracks and constant seasonal content, Trackmania thrives on community involvement and perfectionist time-hunting. It’s a simple formula, but it works, especially at zero cost.
If you’re leaning more toward chaos and anime flair, Haste enters as a stylish underdog at €13.29. It lacks a Metacritic rating, but it positions itself clearly: anime kart-style combat racing with a heavy emphasis on arcade mechanics. There’s no official score yet, and because it’s from an indie studio, this one’s more for those who prize aesthetic and energy over engineering detail.
BeamNG.drive straddles the line between simulation and experiment. While there’s no formal Metacritic rating, Steam classifies it as “Overwhelmingly Positive,” and honestly, that seems fair. With its advanced soft-body physics, BeamNG lets players simulate car crashes, suspension tweaking, or build full-blown off-road obstacle courses. It’s not structured racing per se, but if your inner gearhead enjoys vehicle dynamics above all else, this €18.00 tag (-20%) feels justified for the sheer depth of toys at your disposal.
Sim Racing Core – For the Purists and Pedal Pushers
If you’re into straight-laced realism, several standout titles deserve immediate attention. Automobilista 2 is practically a giveaway at €3.69—a jaw-dropping 90% discount off its original €36.99 price. Sporting a 78 Metacritic score, it’s a sim that delivers a surprisingly in-depth South American motorsport catalog with dynamic weather and solid handling. Built on the Madness Engine, it carries a polished driving feel that never quite hit mainstream fame—making this deal a hidden gem for sim enthusiasts.
Another rock-solid buy is the original Assetto Corsa. At €4.99 (-75%) and boasting an impressive 85 Metacritic score, it continues to enjoy popularity nearly a decade after launch. Its modding scene is still on fire, which means the base experience evolves constantly with fan-made tracks, cars, and drift setups. For value, AC is practically unbeatable.
Assetto Corsa Competizione, the more modern sibling, dials everything toward official GT World Challenge accuracy. For €9.99 (-75%), you’re getting a focused GT3/GT4 simulator with precise tire models, dynamic weather, and full laser-scanned tracks. The Metacritic score of 78 reflects its niche appeal—pure focus on GT racing means less variety—but for endurance-minded racers, it hits exactly where it needs to.
Sim heads should definitely also bookmark iRacing. It’s a unique offer: €3.73 gets you one month of subscription access (-66% off), unlocking what is arguably the most structured competitive ecosystem in sim racing. Metacritic puts it at 79, and its community-driven ride—with licensing, officiating, and SR/IR tracking—is unrivaled. The catch? You’ll need to pay monthly to continue, and meaningful progress requires further purchases. Still, this trial is a great entry point to a meticulous, league-based sim experience.
Endurance and Variety: Bridging Arcade and Sim Ideals
The sim market has been steadily evolving toward long-form racing, and Le Mans Ultimate enters the battlefield as one of 2025’s most interesting releases. While still under development and not Metacritic-rated, its positioning as “successor to rFactor 2” gives it pedigree. It’s €30.44 for now—a bit steep compared to others here—but it’s the only title on this list designed around multi-hour endurance scenarios, complete with day/night cycles and dynamic weather. It’s not done yet, but if you want cutting-edge endurance racing, this is where you look.
SnowRunner deserves mention, even if its focus isn’t traditional racing and its summer 🙂 . Sitting at €14.99 and sporting an 81 Metacritic score, this off-road haul sim delivers satisfaction in rugged traversal, not breakneck speed. Mud physics, water resistance, and cargo balance make it a surprisingly strategic experience. It’s slow and deliberate but deeply rewarding—especially if you’ve got a steering wheel or a friend to co-op with.
For something that strikes a broader balance, Forza Motorsport (2023) steps in at €34.99. That price doesn’t scream deal, but you do get a full-featured, graphically stunning, sim-leaning racer with a solid 81 Metacritic score. The car customization system, streamlined assists, and competitive online modes give it both accessibility and depth. It’s arguably the most modern sim-style game on this list, and while not ultra-realistic, it supports wheel setups and tuning flexibility better than most semi-casual racers.
Open-World Freedom and Festivals of Speed
Only one major open-world racer made the discount board this year: The Crew Motorfest. On a massive €20.99 tag (-70% off from €69.99), it stands out both by map size and car roster. With a Metacritic score of 74, it’s the most accessible big-box arcade racer on the list. You’re looking at dozens of disciplines in one sandbox—from drift challenges to jet-powered drag racing—and a tone that embraces chaos, customization, and exotic settings. It’s not high-brow, but it’s high-fun. For less than half the cost of a modern AAA title, it fills the “need-for-speed-meets-variety” gap nicely.
