NASCAR and iRacing’s new console release, NASCAR 25, is off to a strong start. Not only were we pretty warm on the game in our review, but according to data shared by industry tracker GamesDiscoverCo and reported by Sports Business Journal, the title surpassed 100,000 units sold in its first month on console — despite launching midway through October.
The early momentum landed NASCAR 25 inside the top 10 best-selling new releases on both Xbox and PlayStation platforms. GameDiscoverCo estimates the game sold roughly 52,200 units on PlayStation in October, placing it ninth among new titles. On Xbox, sales were even stronger, with around 60,200 copies sold, making it the fourth best-selling new release for the month.
This marks the first console entry developed under NASCAR’s expanded relationship with racing-sim leader iRacing, following years of criticism surrounding the brand’s previous licensed games. With longtime players frustrated by half-baked or technically unsound entries such as NASCAR 21: Ignition, NASCAR has been pushing for a more polished, authentic experience to win back fans across both sim and casual audiences, especially on console.
So far, NASCAR 25 has been warmly received by the public. As previously mentioned, we at Operation Sports called the game a “pleasant surprise,” which was deeper than expected. On Metacritic, the game currently boasts a 73 aggregate critic score, which is solid for the premier stock car racing organization’s first foray into console gaming in a while. It’s far from perfect, but NASCAR 25 is a solid foundation to build upon, and one that can be made even better with future patches and updates.
Another thing that quite frankly surprised me was that NASCAR 25 was the best-selling sports game on console last month, and the only one to crack the top 10, despite facing fierce competition such as EA’s highly anticipated Battlefield 6. It’s especially impressive, considering the release of other sports titles — EA FC 26, skate., and NBA 2K26 — the previous month.
Momentum should continue through November as NASCAR 25 expands beyond console. A PC version launches tomorrow on Steam, opening the door for iRacing’s large sim racing community to jump in. If PC sales follow the early console trajectory, NASCAR may finally have the long-awaited rebound fans have been hoping for.
