MotoGP 26 Review – Like Riding a Bike

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The MotoGP series has become a reliable yearly release for racing game fans. Developer Milestone, known for RIDE, Monster Energy Supercross, and other racing titles, has established itself as a leading name in the genre, consistently improving with each new game they create.

As always, the Career mode provides the most substantial gameplay, and it’s been improved with some changes to make it run more smoothly and efficiently.

For over twenty years, the MotoGP series has been a major racing franchise. Like many yearly sports games, new versions sometimes offer significant improvements, while others focus on updates to players and licenses. MotoGP 26 is a visually appealing and fluid game, but it largely resembles last year’s edition. It features some adjustments to the game’s physics and slight additions to Arcade and Race Off modes. While it remains the best way to experience MotoGP with a comprehensive selection of tracks, race types, and difficulty settings, MotoGP 26 doesn’t offer a dramatically new experience for returning players.

Like previous MotoGP games, MotoGP 26 prioritizes getting players racing right away. This year’s version doesn’t introduce any significant new game modes, and the Career mode still lacks a strong narrative. The core single-player and multiplayer experiences are mostly unchanged from earlier games. You’ll find the usual single-player options and online modes, with online lobbies now supporting up to 22 players – though we weren’t able to test the online features during our review.

I’m really excited about the new way to collect cards! It’s kind of like building an Ultimate Team, but the best part is, it doesn’t cost anything! It just gives me another fun reason to keep playing and completing my collection, which is awesome.

The Career mode remains the most substantial part of the game, and it’s been improved for a better, more streamlined experience. You can still create your own rider, but now you also have the option to play as a real MotoGP rider and experience their season – even if you begin your career in the Moto3 class.

The racing is now more captivating week by week because teams can openly discuss their competitors and development plans in press conferences. This direct communication influences who their main rivals are and how their bikes are improved throughout the season.

Aside from a few improvements, Career mode remains similar to past games. You experience a complete season in Moto3, Moto2, or MotoGP with your chosen rider, and each race weekend includes practice sessions, qualifying, and the main race – plus sprint races when you reach the MotoGP class.

“The Arcade mode significantly pulls back the realism in favor of accessibility and ease of use.”

The main goal is to earn the most points throughout the racing season to win the championship. Along the way, you’ll also have shorter-term weekly goals and challenges where you compete directly against another player to see who can score more points over a few weeks.

These changes are designed to keep races exciting and unpredictable while still feeling true to the core experience of the game. MotoGP has always been praised for realistically capturing the delicate balance between speed and skillful cornering, and this year’s updates maintain that strength.

Bikes now have more distinct characteristics than ever before. Some handle corners effortlessly, while others excel in straight-line speed but are harder to maneuver. It’s incredibly rewarding to learn how your bike behaves and then master corners and overtake other riders.

It’s understandably frustrating when a bike feels difficult to control, but thankfully, the game provides plenty of accessibility features to tailor the experience to your preferences and skill. You can choose between two main racing modes: Sim, which delivers the authentic, detailed simulation that defines the MotoGP series, and Arcade, a more relaxed and forgiving style introduced previously. The Sim mode gives you complete control over every aspect of your bike and team – from tire management to pit stop strategies – and features the most realistic riding physics and regulations.

Arcade mode prioritizes fun and ease of play over realistic simulation. You’ll crash less often, penalties are less severe, and it’s easier to recover from mistakes. While Arcade mode is more forgiving, the Simulation mode offers precise control and allows for greater skill expression on the bike.

The game’s sound design is particularly impressive. The realistic engine noises combined with the energy of the crowd truly capture the excitement and intensity of high-stakes racing, making success feel even more rewarding.

These racing modes demonstrate how customizable MotoGP‘s gameplay is. You can play with the default settings, or easily adjust things like penalties, assistance features, and AI difficulty to match your skill level. While the game can be very easy or very challenging depending on your choices, this flexibility makes it enjoyable for both experienced racers and newcomers to the sport.

I’m really digging the expanded Race Off mode! It’s cool to jump into races with different bikes – not just the full grand prix stuff. They’ve added new production bikes to the mix alongside flat and minibikes, and honestly, they handle totally different, which is a blast. I especially love when these shorter races pop up during my Career season as a nice break. They’re super fun, but let’s be real, they don’t quite have the same depth as a full-on race weekend.

Even for a MotoGP game, the graphics in this game are stunning and run very well. The tracks look fantastic, changing dramatically with different times of day and weather, which also affects how the race plays out. I didn’t experience any technical problems while playing, and although some off-track details aren’t as sharp, the game’s overall look is beautiful and realistic.

Honestly, the sound design is incredible! You really feel the pressure of the race – the engines, the roaring crowds… it all comes together to make you feel like you’ve actually reached the top. And it’s not just sound, the controls are fantastic too. They’re super responsive, and the controller’s vibrations really add to the experience, making everything feel so much more connected and rewarding.

MotoGP 26 doesn’t offer significant changes from previous games, but it’s still the best choice for fans of the MotoGP series.

Developer Milestone consistently improves the MotoGP series each year. While yearly changes aren’t always massive, they consistently deliver the most polished and comprehensive MotoGP experience available. However, MotoGP 26 features fewer major updates and focuses more on smaller improvements.

While the game looks and sounds better than ever and offers plenty of options to make it easier for new players, MotoGP 26 doesn’t offer a huge leap forward compared to previous versions. It’s still the best way to experience the world of MotoGP for fans, but it doesn’t drastically change the formula.

This game was reviewed on PlayStation 5.

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2026-04-29 17:15