Just a day after a report indicated that an announcement for MotoGP 26 was imminent, Milestone has gone ahead and made it official. The studio has announced that the latest entry in its bike racing franchise will be coming to PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and the Switch 2 on April 29th. As was hinted at by the previous report, the title is skipping PS4 and Xbox One this time around. MotoGP 26 was announced with a trailer, which you can check out below.
One of the major new features coming to the series with MotoGP 26 is each rider getting a Rating Card built around four key attributes—lap time, pace, head-to-head, and reliability. These attributes will combine to form a larger rider rating, which players can check out before they make any decisions. The values are slated to be dynamically updated based on the riders’ real-world performances, and will apply to racers in and out of Career Mode.
Along with including the official riders and tracks that you might expect from the 2026 season for MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 categories, the title is also bringing in an enhanced physics model, referred to as a rider-based handling system. Through this new system, players will be able to control bikes throughout a race by managing how the rider shifts their weight around.
Career mode is also getting enhancements thanks to the introduction of a fully 3D paddock, which will serve as the main hub area for any given race weekend. Players can also jump into off-track life through the paddock with two new features: Thursday press conferences and a personal manager. The former allows players to set their long-term and short-term goals, which can range from calling out rivals in public, or pushing for research and development into faster bikes. The personal manager will be how players manage their progression, contract negotiations, and other important aspects of being a MotoGP rider.
The Race Off game mode will be returning in MotoGP 26 with a new location and the introduction of a new 1000cc bike category dubbed Production Bikes. The category will be available alongside others, like Motard, Flat Track, and Minibikes. Race Off mode will revolve around more relaxed racing sessions, and has been designed to be a good way to enhance training before major championship events.
The Arcade mode, introduced in last year’s entry, is being revised to be even more welcoming to players new to the world of MotoGP racing, offering simplified gameplay and more lenient physics. The Pro experience, on the other hand, will focus much more on offering realistic simulation-driven riding.
Developer Milestone has also confirmed that MotoGP 26 will feature full cross-platform multiplayer for 22-player grids for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S players. Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 will not have cross-play options, and online races will be limited to 12 players. Local multiplayer is also supported thanks to split-screen options.
While you wait for the release of MotoGP 26, take a look at our review of last year’s entry.
