rFactor

2005 Image Space Incorporated Racing, Simulation, Sports

Windows 11With a fix

MacNot sold

LinuxGold

Steam DeckPlayable

Gamicality score

Metacritic Not rated

OpenCritic Not rated

Steam players 861

How it’s combined

Playability today

Runs today4.5/5

Design today3.5/5

Steam user reviews

Very Positive

91%

808 reviews1

Get it on Steam Watch the trailer

Facts checked November 1, 2026

Does rFactor run on Windows 11, Apple Silicon Macs, Linux and Steam Deck?

Windows 11With a fix

Runs with a fix. See the steps below.1

Mac (Apple Silicon)Not sold

No Mac version is sold.

LinuxGold

Through Proton. ProtonDB: Gold, runs perfectly after tweaks.3

Steam DeckPlayable

Playable, as rated by Valve. May need some setup.1

Played rFactor lately?

One click, no account, so the next player knows. How we check where it runs

How to get rFactor running today

If the game crashes when joining a multiplayer server, back up rfactor.exe and apply the 4GB Patch to it (PCGamingWiki).

Synopsis

rFactor is a PC racing simulator from Image Space Incorporated, built from the start to be opened up by modders. The base game has a small set of fictional cars and tracks, while thousands of community mods add real series, historic seasons and famous circuits. Players race against adjustable AI over full race weekends, build seasons, or join online leagues on dedicated servers.

Developer: Image Space Incorporated
Released: 2005
Genre: Racing, Simulation, Sports
Where to get it: Steam

Reception

Enthusiast press praised rFactor as a detailed, realistic and rewarding sim, and it became one of the most modded racing games ever made. Critics also noted it asks for a strong PC, a wheel and pedals, and plenty of time for setup, and readers pointed to the missing weather and thin base content. Steam players rate it Very Positive, praising the physics, force feedback and huge mod library while warning that graphics are dated. Many reviews stress that the out-of-the-box content is sparse and that the game shines only with mods.

Trailer from Steam

Playability today

The average of two parts, each from 1 to 5. Tap a check to see why. How it works

Runs today

4.5/5

Sold or given away today by an official source
Needs fan patches to run well on Windows 11
?Not confirmed yetSingle-player works without an internet connection
No source covers the current version yet, so this check counts as open, not passed. Played it lately? Tell us
All of its content still works (servers, DLC, unlocks)
Online racing runs on self-hosted dedicated servers with direct IP, so nothing depends on an official service (PCGamingWiki).
Supports modern resolutions and widescreen
Widescreen, ultrawide, multi-monitor and 4K are supported natively (PCGamingWiki).
Full controller support or remappable controls
XInput controllers and wheels are supported with remapping, though menus require a mouse (PCGamingWiki).
Steam Deck Verified or Playable
No intrusive DRM or required third-party launcher account
No pay-to-win or pushy microtransactions
No known game-breaking bugs in the current version
The one listed problem, a crash on joining multiplayer servers, has a known fix (PCGamingWiki).

Design today

3.5/5

Controls feel natural on a modern controller or mouse and keyboard
Racing wheels and XInput gamepads are supported with remapping and sensitivity settings, although the menus and display launcher need a mouse. Source: pcgamingwiki.com.
Menus, text and interface are clear on today's screens
Widescreen, ultrawide, multi-monitor and 4K resolutions are all supported natively, with an adjustable field of view. Source: pcgamingwiki.com.
Saving is fair: free saves or frequent checkpoints, little lost progress
Races are single sessions, and the player profile file keeps progress between them. Source: pcgamingwiki.com.
Hard to make progress without a guide
Getting the most from the sim takes a wheel and pedals, long fine-tuning and outside sites for mods, and Steam reviewers describe it as a game for modders. Source: racefans.net, steamcommunity.com.
Pacing drags: grind, filler or forced backtracking
The base game has little content, and most cars and tracks must be unlocked by earning race money unless a cheat code is used. Source: steamcommunity.com, steamcommunity.com.
Camera and movement never fight the player
Cockpit and external views are available, and the field of view can be set in game. Source: pcgamingwiki.com.