Must-Play Xbox Drifting Games In 2025

Whether you’re on the latest Series X or still rocking an Xbox One, there are plenty of awesome drift games worth your time on Microsoft’s consoles.

Sure, PC players might get the latest third-party mods, and some are still upset about the exclusivity loss of Forza Horizon earlier this year, which marked the end of an era for Xbox’s open-world dominance. But don’t panic, there’s still plenty more out there for Xbox gamers that’ll scratch your sideways itch!

While serious PC sim racers will often opt for triple-monitor setups or VR headsets on their crazy expensive gaming rigs, the Xbox platform still offers its own appeal. Xbox consoles can be had for a reasonable price tag, and you can fire up any of these games and start skidding within minutes – no driver updates, compatibility issues, or wondering if your rig can handle it.

Some of these games might bring some surprises. For instance, GTA V’s drifting scene is surprisingly active, while CarX Drift Racing Online’s physics are super addictive. Meanwhile, Forza Motorsport recently added the fan-favorite Fujimi Kaido into the latest game – the same legendary mountain track that made FM4 (arguably) the ultimate drifters’ choice at the time.

Other games will deliver exactly what you’d hope and expect given the hype. Forza Horizon, for example, is re-living the initial buzz once again following its recent release on PlayStation. (Even if they are a little late to the party!) While Xbox gamers await further details on the release of Forza Horizon 6, which will hopefully see the series return to Xbox exclusivity once again.

We’ve tested all the latest options available for Xbox One and Series X|S consoles to determine which games are worth your time and money. From arcade-style fun to serious drifting sims, here’s what’s worth playing if you want to get sideways on your Xbox in 2025.

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Forza Horizon 5

Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S

Forza Horizon 5 remains one of the best drift games, period. Sure, it’s no longer exclusive after launching on PlayStation in April, but that doesn’t change what makes it Xbox’s most popular open-world drifting game.

For one, the car roster is insane, with over 900 cars, including notable drift legends like the Nissan Silvia S15, Toyota AE86, and BMW E30 M3. You’ve even got the likes of properly licensed, pre-tuned Formula DRIFT cars, as well as old-school JDM classics, and the latest drifters, all with detailed tuning and upgrade options.

In fact, Horizon 5’s tuning system is among the best when it comes to console drifting. You can tweak just about anything, from differential settings and suspension geometry to tire pressure and even gear ratios.

Want a snappy, responsive setup? Adjust your anti-roll bars and damping. Building a high-horsepower monster? Fine-tune your differential to manage all that power. All sounding a little overwhelming? Our Horizon 5 drift tune guide will help!

Needless to say, the depth is genuinely impressive considering it’s main focus is being an open-world arcade racer.

Although not everyone is a huge fan of the open-world Mexico map compared to previous offerings, it still offers tons of drift spots beyond the official zones. Mountain roads, industrial areas, airport runways – there’s heaps of variety whether you want tight technical sections or wide-open spaces to practice.

The physics are pretty easy to get the hang of right away, allowing you to focus on refining your drift skills as quickly as possible, before moving on to perfecting your lines rather than fighting the game. There’s always the Assetto Corsa if you’re looking for a tougher challenge!

FH5’s only real downside is the lack of planned content; however, if you’re just getting started, FH5 truly has a lot to offer. It’s players who have been playing it for almost five years that are starting to feel it’s lacking fresh additions. However, with the recent PS5 move, the expanded cross-play community means you’ll get to tandem with more of your friends than ever.

“The next Forza” (expected to be Horizon 6) is officially in development, with a 2026 release currently targeted, which breaks the series’ typical two- or three-year cycle.

Rumors are swirling about a Japan setting (finally!), especially after Fujimi Kaido’s recent return to Forza Motorsport. Playground Games is keeping things tight-lipped for now, but with GTA VI also set to land in 2026, FH6 will need to deliver something truly special!

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CarX Drift Racing Online

Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S

At first, you’ll likely notice that CarX Drift Racing Online’s graphics aren’t quite on par with AAA blockbusters like Horizon 5 (they’re not far off), but it’s got a huge, loyal following in the drift community for good reason. It (arguably) delivers some of the most satisfying drifting physics available on Xbox consoles, developed with input from professional drifters who compete in real events.

With that said, it’s not impossible to get the hang of it, either, especially with the right car. It’s a satisfying combination of being simple enough to grasp quickly, yet also highly rewarding and challenging when you want to start winning battles and tandems.

The physics model lies somewhere between simulation and arcade. Unlike games that make drifting overly easy, which can also be said for FH5, CarX requires proper technique, including throttle control, counter-steering, and understanding weight transfer. It supports both controllers and steering wheels, with driving assists available for newcomers who need a little help getting sideways.

There are over 100 cars with detailed tuning options that allow you to fine-tune everything from suspension geometry to differential settings, as well as a vast selection of aftermarket body kits, offering a similar level of customization to FH5. There’s also a workshop system for downloading and sharing setups, in case you’re not yet confident in building your own drift car.

The online community is surprisingly strong too, with plenty on offer, from tandem competitions, online rooms for casual sessions, plus a single-player tandem mode where you can refine your skills against your previous lines.

CarX isn’t an open-world game (that’s CarX Street, which we’ll check out soon.) Instead, it focuses on a variety of tracks and street courses. The learning curve is real, but if you want to understand proper drifting technique or you’re already into the scene, CarX Online delivers authenticity that other games can’t match.

CarX Drift Racing Online 2 is expected to arrive in Q4 2025, and we’re hyped to see what it has in store. Given that it’s based on the hugely popular CarX Drift Racing 3 on mobiles, we’re expecting to see the best damage physics of any Xbox drifting game to date!

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Need for Speed Unbound

Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S

Need for Speed Unbound often gets a bad rap for its anime-inspired cartoon-y visual effects, but strip away the flashy visuals and you’ll find one of the most satisfying drift experiences in recent NFS history.

The handling model was completely rebuilt from the ground up from “Heat”, focusing on improved grip-based physics that reward proper technique over button-mashing.

It might be an arcade racer (it’s NFS, after all!), but the drift mechanics still require a bit of skill. To maximize your car, you’ll need to master similar skills to those found in real-world experience, such as throttle control, brake-to-drift timing, and differential tuning.

The steering sensitivity adjustment is crucial (set it to minimum for precision), and finding the right balance between grip and drift settings in your tune makes all the difference.

What makes Unbound a little more unique is the burst nitrous system, where chaining together clean drifts fills your nitrous meter faster, rewarding smooth technique with serious speed boosts. The 35 dedicated drift zones scattered across Lakeshore City offer numerous practice opportunities, ranging from tight, technical sections to wide-open airport runs.

It might not be the ideal game for everyone, but for those looking for a more fun, arcade approach to drifting, Unbound delivers some of the most unique and rewarding sideways action you’ll find on Xbox consoles.

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Assetto Corsa

Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S

Assuming you’re already familiar with drifting games, you’re probably expecting Assetto Corsa to destroy the competition here. However, due to console limitations, it’s unable to offer the same experience as the highly regarded PC version.

While it still provides some of the most realistic drift physics you can get on console, the downside is that the base game only includes a small handful of actual drift cars.

The huge third-party mod support is what makes the PC version what it is. Without access to the hundreds of thousands of community mods that make AC legendary on PC, you’re working with extremely limited content with the stock package.

If you can deal with the lack of cars and tracks that you would otherwise get on PC, you still get the same sim-level drifting mechanics AC is best known for, where you’ll need to learn how to master throttle control, weight transfer, and precise counter-steering.

It’s significantly harder than the more “simcade” titles, such as CarX or Forza, because it replicates actual real-world drifting rather than simplifying it to make it easy for everyone.

The Ultimate Edition (often available for under $10) gives you the most drift-friendly content available on console. However, you’ll still be missing the custom drift cars, tracks like Ebisu Circuit, and physics improvements that PC modding provides. If you’re planning to move to PC for serious sim drifting eventually, AC on Xbox serves as good practice for learning the fundamentals.

It’s essential not to confuse this with “Assetto Corsa Competizione”, which is a purely GT racing-focused game and therefore completely unsuitable for drifting. While there is a newer game in the series, Assetto Corsa EVO, it’s not yet available on Xbox, and with the Early Access period mostly failing to impress fans so far, we may still have a long way to go until it arrives.

For Xbox players who are serious about learning real-world drifting physics, AC delivers a realistic simulator that other Xbox games can’t match. Just know you’re getting the foundation without the community content that makes it the most popular PC drifter.

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Forza Motorsport

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S

Although the latest Forza Motorsport has been disappointing from a drifting perspective since its release, things recently took an interesting turn for drift fans. After years of speculation, Turn 10 finally brought back the legendary Fujimi Kaido track from Forza Motorsport 4, a touge-style mountain road street track specifically designed with drifting in mind.

The drifting paradise of Fujimi Kaido features over 10 miles of winding Japanese mountain roads with significant elevation changes and a vast variety of different corners. In total, it boasts a whopping 144 turns, which the dev team calls their “biggest track project ever”, and boy, did we miss it!

Turn 10 Studios explicitly stated their goal was to “recapture the magic of drifting with your friends on the massive stretches of serpentine Japanese mountain roads at Fujimi Kaido.” They’ve even added dedicated Public Meetups specifically for drift sessions, including a 24/7 Fujimi Kaido Drift Meetup that runs constantly.

Don’t worry, we’re not recommending this for a single track (well, maybe!), but the drifting physics have also been improved over the past year. Unlike its arcade-focused sibling, Forza Horizon 5, FM is a little more unforgiving and requires learning proper technique. It’s not as realistic (or difficult) as Assetto Corsa, but it’s about as close as you’ll get if you’re looking to progress to AC eventually.

With that said, many drift fans still swear by Forza Motorsport 7’s physics over the latest game, and the debate continues. However, with Fujimi Kaido’s return and dedicated drift meetups, Forza Motorsport has finally started to get the drift community’s attention this year.

It’s the closest thing to a purpose-built drift simulator that Xbox offers, especially with the return of the legendary mountain pass now available for endless practice sessions. The key problem there is “practice sessions” – they’re still not fully embracing the tandem drift lobby experience from past FM titles, much to the disappointment of many.

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CarX Street

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S

CarX Street is the open-world alternative to CarX Drift Racing Online, which finally arrived on Xbox consoles in June 2025 following a rocky PC launch in 2024.

Thankfully, the console version now arrives with the benefit of months of patches that have addressed the initial issues, along with all the PC DLC content completely free from day one.

Think of the game as CarX’s answer to Forza Horizon, offering open-world street drifting (and racing) through “Sunset City” with the signature CarX drift physics that the community swears by.

The game has undergone a major overhaul since its initial PC release. The March 2025 update specifically improved the feel of suspension, gear shifts, and wheel slippage when drifting, which makes a huge difference for console players using controllers rather than wheels.

Street’s drift mechanics carry over from CarX Drift Racing Online, meaning you’re getting the same realistic physics, but with a little more variety on offer. If you’re already a big fan of the CarX series, but looking for a bit more to choose from, this is a must-try!

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Grand Theft Auto V/GTA Online

Platforms: Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S

Here’s the surprise entry that might raise eyebrows – despite it not being a dedicated drifting game, GTA V’s drift scene is genuinely active and also surprisingly capable.

While everyone’s hyped for GTA VI (which won’t arrive until May 2026), GTA V continues delivering solid sideways action that many drift fans overlook.

There are even dedicated Drift Races in GTA Online, complete with specialized drift tuning kits and a proper scoring system based on angle, precision, and style. You’ll need to build drift chains, multipliers, and chase “Drift God” status by proving your technical sideways skills.

What makes GTA V a clear standout is the variety. Even for GTA fans who have zero interest in drifting, there’s a near-infinite number of things you can do in the game. This has helped it remain popular despite being released in 2013 for the Xbox 360. (Yes, it’s been that long!)

 Los Santos offers plenty for drifters, from tight parking garage sessions to high-speed mountain runs, as well as iconic spots that the community has turned into drift meccas. Cars like the Karin Futo GTX (based on the legendary Toyota AE86) and the Jester Classic (based on the Toyota Supra/300ZX/BRZ – you get the idea!) remain community favorites, bringing JDM vibes along with numerous drift-specific tuning options.

The physics aren’t sim-level realistic like you’d expect from Assetto Corsa, but they’re still satisfyingly consistent and rewarding. Xbox controller drifting works well, especially, and the customization system lets you build proper drift tunes.

GTA Online’s drifting community remains dedicated in the present day, with regular meet-ups, tandem sessions, and competitions. It’s not trying to be a dedicated drift sim, but for casual sessions with friends or learning basic car control concepts, GTA V delivers more than you’d expect. Plus, at this point, most people already own it.

The downside? It’s still fundamentally an action game, so don’t expect the physics of purpose-built drift titles. However, for sheer number of things to do in the game, nothing comes close.

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Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged

Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S

Here’s a wildcard entry you probably weren’t expecting! Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 delivers surprisingly solid arcade drifting, especially considering its target market.

The game includes dedicated drift events with a forgiving drift mechanic that fills your boost bar gained through sideways action on linked corners and clean transitions.

This is a perfect choice for those of you wanting to play an easy drifting game with your kid(s), or embrace your inner child!

For something fun and simple, it’s definitely worth a shot, especially with the addition of the new lateral dash system. This adds tactical elements, allowing you to slam into rivals or dodge obstacles while maintaining your drift.

There’s a vast selection of over 130 vehicles on offer, including motorcycles and ATVs. You’ll undoubtedly recognize plenty of them, too, which can be great for teaching the little’uns.

Another unique feature is the Track Builder, where the community creates dedicated drift circuits, building on the original game’s 400,000+ user-created tracks.

Of course, it’s pure arcade fun rather than a sim, but it’s something different, and the drift mechanics are still genuinely enjoyable.

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The Crew Motorfest

Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S

The Crew Motorfest is Ubisoft’s direct rival to Forza Horizon, set in a condensed version of Hawaii with significantly improved driving physics compared to previous “The Crew” games. Its handling model sits somewhere between Forza Horizon and Need for Speed – grippy and connected, yet playful enough for a satisfying arcade drifting experience.

Drift events are score-attack challenges where you rack up points within time limits through slides and tricks, with dedicated drift cars such as the Mazda RX7, which is arguably the best drifter thanks to its ease of control and ability to maintain long combos. Other solid options include the Toyota GR Supra, Nissan 370Z, and (wait for it…) the Ford Crown Victoria Limousine.

The drift mechanics are straightforward, as you’d expect. However, they’re more built for point-to-point drifting rather than precise, technical open-area sessions. Most drift events follow linear routes instead of the open drift zones that made The Crew 2 popular. Only the Hoonigan Barnyard event offers true open drifting, and even that requires many to use the special “stunt assist” difficulty.

For Xbox players seeking an alternative to Forza Horizon’s aging offering, Motorfest offers solid arcade drifting in a stunning Hawaiian setting. Just don’t expect the open drift playground that many hoped for.

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Wreckfest

Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S

If you’re already aware of Wreckfest, you’ll probably be aware this isn’t primarily a drift game. Still, it has surprisingly solid sideways action wrapped in a super-satisfying physics-crunching destruction derby package, which makes it a great alternative.

Admittedly, the tuning and customization options are limited compared to those of most other games, and the drifting feels slightly restricted, despite the option of a locked differential.

What makes Wreckfest worth trying for drift fans is the “destruction drifting” concept – you’re sliding while racing around corners with your angry rivals trying to wreck your ride, with fully destructible environments adding plenty more chaos into the mix along the way. It’s a proper (often frustrating) adrenaline rush that we rarely find in other games.

Admittedly, the sideways physics will take a little getting used to, and feel more “powerslidey” than other drifting games. However, once you get the hang of mashing the throttle a little more than usual, the whole experience is super addictive.

With the various updates that’ve arrived over the years since the initial release, they’ve gradually embraced drifting a little more. Banger versions of popular drift cars such as the Nissan Skyline R33 (Razor) and Rocket RX, based on Ken Block’s “Hoonicorn”.

Right now, the latest game in the series, Wreckfest 2, is in the Early Access period. It’s due to arrive on Xbox consoles after this, at some point before March 2026.