E3 2022 may have been cancelled, but Gamescom is back this week. Taking place in Cologne, Germany, for five days, Gamescom is the world’s largest game event.
This year, the show will be in-person for the first time since 2019, with over 500 companies exhibiting the latest games. But what can racing game fans expect to see at the show?
We’ve compiled every confirmed racing game at Gamescom 2022 and predict some unannounced games we would love to see at the show.
Confirmed games
These racing games are confirmed to be shown at Gamescom by developers and publishers.
WRC Generations
With just a couple of months until release, WRC Generations will be one of the key racing titles at Gamescom.
WRC Generations is the final officially licensed WRC game from French studio Kylotonn before Codemasters takes over the reins next year. Thankfully, the series looks like it’s going out with a bang.
With 22 locations, 165 special stages, and 37 classic rally cars, WRC Generations is shaping up to be the most comprehensive WRC game ever. Kylotonn has already shown off the new-generation hybrid Rally1 cars in the game, so we’re hoping to see some historic cars and new stages revealed.
Don’t get your hopes up about Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, though. Also developed by Kylotonn, TDUSC will not be shown at Gamescom after it was delayed to 2023.
Dakar Desert Rally
WRC Generations won’t be the only new off-road racer at Gamescom this year. Back in December last year, Dakar Desert Rally was announced as a sequel to Dakar 18. News on the official Dakar Rally game went quiet until last week when the October release date was announced.
Saber Interactive has confirmed Dakar Desert Rally will be appearing at Gamescom, where it will be shown to the media. Following last week’s CG trailer, we’re hoping to see some Dakar Desert Rally gameplay showcasing the game’s vehicles, full day-night cycle, and open-world environment.
Wreckreation
THQ Nordic will have a huge presence at Gamescom this year. The publisher is presenting nine new games at the show, but the one on our radar is Wreckreation.
Playable for the first time at Gamescom, Wreckreation is a new open-world arcade racer by Three Fields Studios, a studio made up of former Criterion Games developers who worked on the Burnout games. First announced at the THQ Digital Showcase, Wreckreation looks like a cross between Burnout and Trackmania, blending combat racing with track creation.
Players have the freedom to create their own tracks, challenge friends, and add objects on the fly from stunt ramps to giant rubber ducks.
The brief announcement trailer gave us a taste of this concept, but we’re hoping to get a closer look at what Wreckreation is all about at Gamescom.
Stuntfest - World Tour
As well as Wreckreation, THQ Nordiq's Stuntfest - World Tour will also be on show at Gamescom. Screeching onto Steam Early Access later this year, Stuntfest is an over-the-top action racer mixing demolition derbies with stunt races where you can throw your hapless driver through the windscreen FlatOut-style to reach shortcuts and fly around the track on gliders.
Stuntfest was recently playable on Steam in a limited demo and will be available to play at Gamescom. We may find out more about new game modes and possibly the release date this week.
Wreckfest Mobile
Wreckfest is available on a plethora of platforms, recently arriving on Nintendo Switch. Later this year, BugBear’s smashing demolition derby racer is making a surprise debut on mobile devices later this year with Wreckfest Mobile.
HandyGames is porting Wreckfest to mobile. From the footage shown, it’s a surprisingly faithful port with an impressive damage model and up to 24 cars on screen. As expected, the controls are simplified, with touch controls for accelerating, braking, and steering, or you can use a controller.
Wreckfest Mobile will be playable at Gamescom at the Indie Arena Booth. You can also pre-register the game on the Google Play Store and Samsung Galaxy Store.
Unconfirmed games
These games are unconfirmed and are pure speculation.
Need for Speed 2022
Speculation about Need for Speed 2022 is rife right now. EA is adamant a new Need for Speed game is coming this year, but Criterion’s new NFS game still hasn’t been officially revealed. This could finally change this week.
You may remember that Need for Speed Heat had a full gameplay reveal at Gamescom in 2019 before the game was released in November the same year. EA won’t be attending Gamescom this year, but NFS 2022 could still be announced outside the show.
After months of rumours and speculation, we’re hoping to finally see Need for Speed 2022 this week. If it isn’t announced by the end of August, the rumoured November release date seems doubtful.
Forza Motorsport
Forza Motorsport was last shown at the Xbox and Bethesda showcase in June, but Microsoft has not confirmed if it will appear at Gamescom.
Microsoft has confirmed it will be attending Gamescom with a plethora of playable games on the show floor. There will also be an Xbox Booth live stream on 25 August with developer interviews and gameplay from Xbox Game Studios titles including Microsoft Flight Simulator, Sea of Thieves, and A Plague Tale: Requiem.
Sadly, Forza Motorsport is not on the list of confirmed Xbox games at Gamescom 2022. Since it isn’t launching until spring 2023, we may have to wait until later this year or early next year for a fresh glimpse of Turn 10’s new racing simulation.
The Crew 3
Ubisoft is also attending Gamescom but is keeping its plans a secret. The next episode of The Crew 2 could be revealed during Gamescom. With The Crew 2 in its fifth year, the open-world racer is also overdue a sequel. The Crew 3 is rumoured to be in development with a Hawaii setting. Nothing is confirmed, but we would love to see Ubisoft surprise us and announce The Crew 3 at Gamescom.
If it isn’t shown at Gamescom, The Crew 3 could be announced at the dedicated Ubisoft Forward showcase in September if it's in development.
When does Gamescom 2022 start?
Gamescom 2022 opens its doors on 24 August and ends on 28 August.
Before the show, starts, Geoff Keighley will host the Opening Night Live show in a livestream on 23 August, where over 30 games will be shown.
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