MotoGP 26 Review: Faithful Simulation

This year’s MotoGP season has already started, and you know what that means? MotoGP 26, the upcoming release in the yearly franchise, is following suit, this time offering improvements via its new Rider-Based technology, a tweaked Arcade experience, as well as an updated roster of racers and modes.

But is that enough? Or does the game feel like last year’s installment, now simply showcasing a few tweaks and a new coat of paint? Here are our thoughts on MotoGP 26 after a couple of days of riding, a lot of podiums, and, as expected, just as many falls.

Arcade And Pro, Explained

MotoGP 26 pairs its photorealistic on-track look and stellar audio mixing with two distinct gameplay experiences in Arcade and Pro, the latter of which offers a true simulation of the sport, where you must control every aspect of your bike, from your Joint Breaks to your Starting Clutch.

The above also allows the game’s new Riding-Based Handling technology to shine, as it gives you full control over your rider’s movements and introduces a core variable to the mix, thus streamlining the learning curve for newcomers while keeping the experience just as rewarding once you master its new intricacies. To make it less overwhelming, you can also fine-tune your gameplay and ease yourself into that dreamed-of 1-to-1 simulation without committing too big a jump.

Arcade then further streamlines handling by locking most settings to auto on default, smoothing breaking, and increasing your grip. The result is an experience that, although it lets you excel while focusing only on the basics of racing, still captures the franchise’s feel once you master movement, weight distribution, and precise inputs. In other words, even if lacking the high degree of freedom you will find in Pro, it allows less seasoned riders to still get that unforgettable sensation that comes while hitting a perfect apex or clutching a win via a last-minute overtake.

If you are a newcomer, make sure to also use the game’s rewind feature to fix mistakes and make the game even more beginner-friendly. Just keep in mind that the mechanic cannot be used online, and triggering it on Time Trials will automatically nullify your lap.

An Improved Career Experience

Shifting gears towards modes, Career is where the meat of the MotoGP 26 experience is truly at, and allows you to create your own racer (or select any star part of the current MotoGP roster) before starting your journey on either the top or the lower categories and competing on all tracks part of the 2026 season. You can also adjust the length of both the seasons and the tracks to your liking.

Those looking for further realism will also be happy to know that a Day One patch is scheduled to add the updated 3D models for the 2026 MotoGP-class bikes to the game, while the Moto2 and 3 rosters are expected to receive the treatment via a week-one update also featuring their new liveries.

Offering a more cinematic feel to the mode, your plans, possible bike upgrades, and relationships with fellow riders/brands are now also affected by choices made during press conferences, talks with your team, and in Flat Track, Motard, Minibike, and the new Promotion Bike Face-Off races. Personal Manager meetings are then the best way for you to give direct feedback on your bike and push for select upgrades, even if you can still perform on-the-fly tweaks before races to get an edge. Getting new contracts is also more dynamic than ever. Do you want to take on Márquez’s spot? Well, you must prove your worth both during the season and while performing the negotiation that follows.

But not everything is perfect; while the mode lets your playing guide the narrative, its wide array of new cinematic features also highlight both its outdated models and a strikingly low degree of player customization, a problem shared by many other simulation titles (cough, cough, F1 25). To be more specific, MotoGP 26 only allows you to customize your unique rider’s face via presets, while cosmetic features like your hairstyle and skin color cannot be touched upon. Nevertheless, to say the latter is something that becomes hard to ignore when you must look at your player during every single major off-the-track interaction.

I know some might say that the game’s high degree of freedom when designing or customizing gear can more than make up for it, and I get it; after all, I totally didn’t spend over 2 hours trying to get my own Senna-themed helmet. But does it really seem to be that much to expect a 2026 title to offer anything more than the minimal in this regard, especially when the mode can be considered the game’s biggest seller?

Don’t Worry, There’s Still More To Do

The game also allows you to take a break from the mentioned career by testing your might online, as well as offline via its ever-addicting Time Trials, Grand Prix, and Championship modes. Those looking to play locally will also be happy to know that split-screen is back, even if I was not able to play with the Flat Track, Motard, Minibike, and Promotion Bike categories while using it.

As you can expect, all of the mentioned categories demand a different approach from the standard and can provide a breath of fresh air when attempted during your career or on an off day. As a cheeky extra, you can also collect in-game Trading Cards by opening packs rewarded after both online and offline races. Wait, don’t go raising that flag just yet, as there’s no monetization here, and the cards only serve as another testament to the time you put in.

We were unable to test the game’s online features, such as its 22-player lobby, Smarter Lobby Selection, Voice Chat, and Crossplay integration, before writing this review.

But What About Accessibility?

To close off on a must-have, MotoGP 26 also comes with a varied array of accessibility features, ranging from a one-handed control option with multiple mappings to Color Blindness and Tinnitus reduction filters. I’m not gonna lie, though, even if the presence of the above is 1000% a win, I just wish more titles would invest in deeper accessibility features.

Final Thoughts

MotoGP 26 marks another step forward for the franchise and further segments it as by far the best simulation-focused experience for fans of the sport. I can’t help but feel like the series needed a few more improvements outside the tracks to truly pull off the overtake it seemed to be fishing for.

This game was reviewed on a PlayStation 5. MotoGP 26 will be released on April 29, 2026, for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Steam, Epic Games, and Nintendo Switch & Switch 2.