Online racing games are as popular as they have ever been. They allow people from all over the world to compete against others in the hopes of getting to first place. There are several reasons why so many players choose this type of game in particular.
Car Enthusiasm
A large portion of the more successful racing games feature car models based on real-life vehicles. This makes them very appealing to people who are car enthusiasts. Players get to drive a variety of different cars. Some of these are so expensive that players would never get to experience driving them in real life. Virtual replications of the vehicles can allow enthusiasts to compare the performance of each one, without even having to leave the house.
Escapism
However, not all racing games focus on realism. Others are set in more unusual worlds such as fantasy and science fiction landscapes. The vehicles and animals being used in these races do not exist in the real world. This gives the games a sense of escapism which appeals to a large portion of players. For instance, in World of Warcraft, magical animals can be mounted and used to race with. There is also a game set in the Star Wars universe that allows people to engage in high-speed pod races.
Competition
Perhaps the primary reason why so many people like to race online with others is that it gives the game an extra layer of difficulty. When players compete with A.I., it is much easier to work out how enemies will move. However, the human mind is very unpredictable.
Online racing games also have a social element to them. Friends can connect to the same race and see who is the best. With microphones they are also able to talk directly to each other, increasing the sense of interaction.