"It's an honor": Scott McLaughlin makes feelings known after bringing IndyCar to life in new iRacing game

IndyCar's pursuit of having a standalone game would seemingly be fulfilled, as iRacing is expected to release a racing title next year, with the help of Scott McLaughlin. The Chelmsford-based company has joined hands with the Team Penske driver for its development, with the Kiwi glimmering with happiness at being a part of the project.

The last standalone game for IndyCar was released in 2004, and since then, the sport has not had a racing title. However, with the championship increasingly tying up with iRacing over the past year, where the pre-race broadcast features the track map with the help of the game's simulation, a new game for the sport was bound to be on the cards.

Moreover, the cordial relations between the two led IndyCar to announce that an exclusive racing title for the championship is expected to hit the shelves in the second half of 2026. The game will be developed by iRacing Studios, a leading player in the racing simulation industry, which has also brought Scott McLaughlin on board for the development of the game.

Sharing his excitement about being a part of the upcoming game, the 32-year-old said (via IndyCar's official website):

"I’m thrilled to be a part of the development process for iRacing Studios’ new INDYCAR title. It’s an honor to work with a team that has developed such amazing products to help deliver INDYCAR’s first dedicated title in quite some time. It’s already an exciting time to be an INDYCAR fan for so many reasons, and this game will take the fans’ at-home driving experience to the next level!"

Meanwhile, Scott McLaughlin joined the IndyCar field in 2020 and has won seven races in the series so far, while garnering considerable fan following in the United States.

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How has IndyCar ended up with a Scott McLaughlin-aided iRacing game?

IndyCar hybrid logo on racecar during the Indy 500 Open test - Source: Getty

The iRacing Studios-developed game was not always on the card for IndyCar. The championship had earlier sought after Motorsports Games to bring the racing title to life.

However, with MSG being unable to meet deadlines, the governing body decided to terminate its partnership with the game developer, as the company reported in its filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission in November 2023:

"(IndyCar) stated that its decision to terminate the IndyCar license agreements was due to (MSG's) alleged failure to satisfy certain of its obligations under (those agreements), including making IndyCar racing series video gaming products available in the United States and facilitating a minimum number of IndyCar racing series esports events"

However, putting that chapter behind, IndyCar moved on to foster a collaboration with iRacing Studios, which has now led to the development of its exclusive title. Scott McLaughlin's help in development is supposed to bring more realism to the game, making it an ideal successor to the sport's last game in over two decades.