polygon
When it comes to the most thrilling categories at The Game Awards, Best Sports/Racing Game typically ranks near the bottom—though it still outshines Best Fighting Game, which often struggles to find five nominees. Year after year, the category remains one of the most predictable, both in its nominees and its winner.
The Sports/Racing category follows a set of nearly unbreakable rules. First, racing games almost always win: a racing title has taken the prize in nine of the 12 years the award has existed. The only exceptions are Rocket League (a viral sensation), Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 (a remaster of two beloved classics), and EA Sports FC 25, which won in a historically weak year for racing games.
Second, Forza dominates. Of those nine racing victories, Gran Turismo and Crash Team Racing each have one, Mario Kart has two, and the Forza series has claimed the other five—three for Forza Horizon titles and two for Forza Motorsport. The franchise hasn't lost since 2015, when Forza Motorsport 6 was beaten by Rocket League.
Third, FIFA/FC, NBA, and F1 are perennial nominees. EA's soccer game, whether under the FIFA banner or as EA Sports FC, is nominated every single year without fail. Codemasters' F1 series, a natural fit as both a sports and racing game, has been nominated seven years running. 2K Games' NBA franchise is slightly less consistent but still has eight nominations out of a possible 12.
Fourth, only sports with global appeal need apply. As the previous rule suggests, sports with mainly U.S. appeal don't impress The Game Awards' international jury. Madden and NHL games have never been nominated, nor has EA's well-received revival of College Football. MLB The Show has one nomination, and a WWE game has one. Tennis and skateboarding games have a couple each, while Konami's rocky eFootball/Pro Evolution Soccer series somehow has five nominations.
Given these patterns, predicting the 2026 nominees for Best Sports/Racing Game seems straightforward: Forza Horizon 6, Star Wars: Galactic Racer, EA Sports FC 27, NBA 2K27, and Mario Tennis Fever. And presumably, Forza Horizon 6 will win—right? Well, this is where things get interesting.
For the first time in a long time, there's a real competition. Forza might actually lose—not to any sports game, but to Star Wars: Galactic Racer. On paper, Forza seems to have an overwhelming advantage: it has the Game Awards track record, massive popularity, and a Metacritic score of 90, making it one of the year's best-reviewed games. Galactic Racer, while not as universally acclaimed, holds a Metascore of 88—not far behind.
Galactic Racer has a couple of strong advantages over the favorite. First, it offers a more compelling narrative that could attract jury members. Forza Horizon 6 represents iterative excellence—it's good because the series is always good, but it doesn't innovate. Galactic Racer, on the other hand, aims to shake up a stale genre with its daring roguelike structure, buildcrafting elements, and innovative multiplayer design.
Second, while Galactic Racer is nowhere near as popular as Forza Horizon 6, it may have reached more jury members, including many who don't typically play racing games. Part of that is the Star Wars license, but it also has roots in two arcade racing lineages that critics fondly remember: Burnout and Wipeout. Finally, critics are drawn to any game willing to innovate within its genre.
A Galactic Racer win wouldn't be a massive upset, but Forza hasn't faced a challenger that could genuinely beat it for this award in a decade. That might not make the category the most exciting, but it's great news for the creative health of racing games.
Key Analysis
The Best Sports/Racing Game category at The Game Awards has long been predictable, with Forza as the dominant force. However, the emergence of Star Wars: Galactic Racer as a credible contender signals a potential shift. The jury's tendency to reward innovation and narrative could tip the scales, especially given Galactic Racer's fresh approach to the racing genre. This competition not only spices up the awards but also highlights the importance of creativity in game development.
Originally reported by polygon.