NACON reveals MXGP 26

The official FIM Motocross World Championship video game will have a new home in 2026. NACON will be publishing MXGP 26 as the game is being developed by Artefacts Studio as the series moves away from Milestone for the first time as the series dates back 12 years. While MXGP isn't the Supercross series in America that takes place in stadiums, it does take place in outdoor venues much like the Super Motocross Championship is doing now in America with the latter-half of its schedule. This release is a new beginning for this series as Lyon-based development studio Artefacts Studio has revealed the first trailer for the game, which you can watch below.

New Developer, New Direction

Developer Artefacts Studio will be bringing a new physics engine and visual changes to the MXGP series. To start, MXGP 26 will be running on the Unreal Engine 5. The goal for the game is to provide photorealism that can be witnessed in the trailer. The ability to provide ultra-detailed mud textures under wet conditions and precision mechanical closeups of both the suspension and exhaust on the bikes provide a glimpse of the details that are possible in the game.

MXGP 26 will feature a first-person helmet view and fully rewritten motorcycle physics. Players can also look for reworked rider animations as the rider will react dynamically to the terrain of the track. This also includes the adoption of realistic body movements during jumps, flats or banked turns. The game will also have players navigating ruts, which is something that wasn't seen previously in the series. Both the bikes and the rider's gear will get progressively dirtier throughout the race, as this can vary based on both the weather and the soil conditions. Soil conditions include dirt, sand and mud.

Dynamic Deformation will mean that the terrain in MXGP 26 will be alive. This technology will alter the track as riders pass through, thus meaning the same line will never be the same. The continuous passage of bikes will dig deep, persistent ruts each lap. This will force players to constantly adapt to the track as it can be something completely different after just a few races. A lot of the details will provide a better riding experience for players that have wanted something more realistic.

MXGP 26 Trailer Highlights

• Iconic Tracks: Including Bariloche in Argentina (volcanic soil), Riola Sardo in Sardinia (sand), Pietramurata in Italy (compact dirt), and Loket in the Czech Republic (hard-pack dirt).
• Elite Riders: Across both MXGP and MX2 categories, players will find stars of the sport such as Romain Febvre, Maxime Renaux, Kay de Wolf, and Calvin Vlaanderen.
• Full Customization: A comprehensive editor allows players to design their rider and customize official machines from championship manufacturers(Kawasaki, Husqvarna, Yamaha, KTM, Honda…) with gear from leading brands (Fox Racing, Alpinestars, Scott, Airoh, etc.).

Ways to Play MXGP 26 in October

MXGP 26 will launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC in October 2026, however no official date has been announced. The official 2026 season will be present in MXGP 26 with iconic tracks including Bariloche in Argentina that uses volcanic soil, Riola Sardo in Sardinia which uses sand, Pietramurata in Italy that uses compact dirt, and Loket in the Czech Republic that uses hard-pack dirt. Both MXGP and MX2 riders will be a part of the game including Romain Febvre, Maxime Renaux, Kay de Wolf and Calvin Vlaanderen. With the technologies in the game, different terrains should mean different riding characteristics to further separate each track and each experience. Riding on volcanic soil is something American Supercross is unable to do.

MXGP 26 will include full customization with a comprehensive editor for players to design their rider and machines from official championship manufacturers. Kawasaki, Husqvarna, Yamaha, KTM and Honda will be present in the game with gear from leading brands such as Fox Racing, Alpinestars, Scott, Airoh and more. Players can jump into online races of up to ten players, or engage in a Grand Prix, full Championship, or Time Attack as ways to play the game. Lastly, The Compound will provide the training grounds for players to go around and do whatever they would like.