The Meta Quest 3 has been a massive success for Meta since its 2023 release, with countless top titles to play across every genre. However, there is a real lack of high-quality racing games due to various factors.
With RACECLUB on the horizon, could Mixer Lab’s driving title pave the way for more racing experiences on the Quest 3? Meta’s headset has proven it can handle fast-paced, graphically demanding games at high frame rates, so why have so few racing games shown up on the Quest?
Can RACECLUB Buck a Trend?
RACECLUB is hitting the Meta Quest store this January. A new racing game in VR always catches the eye, as driving games in general on standalone hardware are few and far between; just look at the upcoming games list for Quest.
The racer from Mixer Lab promises “the most realistic driving simulation” on the Quest. RACECLUB offers true-to-life racing with accurate driving physics and top-notch graphics. With a team of racing game fans behind the project, RACECLUB has all the potential in the world and could live up to the hype.
RACECLUB is now in early access, with multiplayer coming down the line. Players can race in Formula V12 cars, similar to F1, with superb presentation and excellent handling. Also, Formula Electric cars are in the game alongside several tracks and various challenges.
We have waited a long time for a proper racing game to show up on the Meta Quest Store, and Mixer Lab could have a winner on its hands with RACECLUB. Although the list is growing, we would love to see more car racers on standalone VR devices, especially F1-type driving games.
If RACECLUB turns out to be a big hit, the sports simulation title could pave the way for more driving games on the Quest, which in turn would add even more value to Meta’s critically acclaimed VR headset. Some big names in the racing sim world could join the party, which would be excellent news for the VR sim racing community.
What Are the Best Racers Currently on Quest?
Alongside RACECLUB, several racing games in the store are poorly rated, though there are exceptions. In terms of leading names in the industry, Codemasters’ GRID Legends is arguably the biggest.
Getting Legends on the Quest was certainly an exciting announcement at the time, though the port undoubtedly missed the mark. The full GRID Legends experience is playable in single-player, multiplayer, and co-op modes, but the graphics are atrocious and the controls are poor. This is a real letdown from a game published by Electronic Arts.
The racer promised so much on the headset, and even though Quest owners have been starved of AAA racing games, GRID Legends has not gone down well. With over 900 reviews, the game is stuck at three stars out of five.
You would think that kart racers would work well with the Quest’s pick-up-and-play nature, but VR Karts: Sprint, Galaxy Kart, and ibisim KART are about as good as it gets. Galaxy has solid and fun gameplay, while ibisim tries a little too hard to be a simulation. Sprint finds itself sitting uncomfortably between the two.
It’s not all bad though, as there are some decent racing experiences on the Quest. One of the best is MotoX, which has a sensational 4.9 out of 5 rating. The game is a top seller on the Quest store and is just $7.99.
With 20 tracks and a huge selection of bikes available, MotoX offers a true motocross experience in VR. However, even though the game is rated extremely highly, it does have limitations. The graphics are solid, and the gameplay is thrilling, but the racing action can be dull.
Although bikes work well in virtual reality, with Off Track VR and Hard Drive popular choices on the store, V-Speedway and Mini Motor Racing X offer solid car-racing experiences. Like RACECLUB, Driven is also currently in early access. The title looks like another decent racing game on the Quest 3 and Quest 3S, with a respectable 4.1 rating.
Will the Quest 4 Open the Racing Sim Floodgates?
Even though the Meta Quest 4’s development has been pushed back so Meta can focus on the ‘Puffin’, we fully expect the next Quest to be a graphical beast. Of course, with more horsepower at their disposal, developers can build bigger and more ambitious games for standalone VR.
The Quest will also face some stiff competition with the arrival of the upcoming Valve Steam Frame, with the new Valve headset likely to be a direct rival to the Quest. With a gigantic library of titles to dive into on the Steam store, several top-quality racing games could be developed for Valve’s shiny new headset.
Competition is healthy when it comes to virtual reality gaming, and the Quest 4 will take things up a notch. Meta’s new VR hardware will reportedly have a next-gen Qualcomm chip, OLED lenses, and eye-tracking. These advanced technologies could pave the way for more racing games on the Quest.
Of course, hook your Quest device up to a capable PC, and you can already play a host of exceptional racing games, including iRacing, Project Cars, and Assetto Corsa. Still, nothing beats wire-free and native gaming in virtual reality.
Having a dedicated racing wheel for the Quest could also open countless opportunities for racing games. The Quest controllers can hold back racers, with games like GRID and MotoX making players grip the wheel and handlebars using both hands. A proper wheel would work well with games like RACECLUB and would solve the issue instantly.
Although the graphics will still take a hit on standalone hardware, the next generation of virtual reality headsets should be able to handle certain sim racers with ease. The PlayStation VR 2 may have the backing of Sony and the power of the PS5, but just look at how seamlessly and incredibly Gran Turismo 7 plays in VR.
We may be a long way off from GT7-quality games on standalone VR headsets, but the technology is heading in the right direction. Could the Quest 4 finally be the headset where proper VR sim racing games become the norm?
