With MotoGP 26 having finally come out game director Matteo Pezzotti was been kind enough to answer some of our burning questions, with subjects ranging from the game’s brand new physics model, to how Rider Ratings will affect the typical gameplay experience, and even the differences between the Arcade and Pro experiences that have been further refined in the latest entry of the racing franchise.
One of the headline additions in MotoGP 26 is the new physics model. In practical terms, how much will that change the feel of riding from corner entry to exit for returning players?
In previous MotoGP titles, the player had the control on the bike, and the rider’s body would move consequently. With MotoG 26, it’s exactly the opposite: the input acts directly on the rider, who then moves the bike accordingly. I believe this makes the riding model more accessible, because every feedback coming from the bike is more direct and easier to read. Overall, it will be easier to complete a clean lap, but more importantly, it will be easier to understand where mistakes were made and how to improve.
Milestone is highlighting Rider Based Handling and more meaningful body movement and weight shifting. Was the goal more realism, more readability for players, or both?
The main goal was realism, but a more realistic game is not necessarily more difficult. As I mentioned, the new riding system has made the bike’s behaviour more readable, so I believe even less experienced players will feel more comfortable. It’s no coincidence that we decided to introduce this control system into the arcade experience as well.
Rider Ratings are a big addition this year. Beyond influencing AI behaviour, do those ratings materially affect the handling or feel of a rider when players choose them directly?
No, that’s something we deliberately avoided in order not to place filters between the player and his bike. On the other hand, we had fun shaping the skills that reflect the riders’ aggressiveness, reliability, race pace, and qualifying abilities. Overall, I think we’ll see a much more varied and realistic behavior on track.
"We had fun shaping the skills that reflect the riders’ aggressiveness, reliability, race pace, and qualifying abilities."
How often are Rider Ratings likely to be updated during the real 2026 season, and how quickly do you want the game to reflect real-world momentum swings?
I think that in the first few months we’ll update the skills roughly every two weeks, more or less at the end of each Grand Prix. At the start of the championship, the on-track values aren’t fully clear yet, but after a few months I expect the situation to stabilize, and these frequent updates won’t be necessary anymore. On the other hand, we have a secret weapon: we can assign favorite tracks to the riders, allowing them to perform better on certain circuits. Another way to make the gameplay experience even more realistic.
The revised Arcade and Pro experiences sound like a major pillar this year. How far apart are those two modes in terms of assists, physics depth, and the overall skill ceiling?
I’d say they are two completely different experiences. Pro mode is designed for our most dedicated fans, those who want the most realistic experience possible and are willing to play through all the sessions of a race weekend to find the right feeling with both the bike and the track. The Arcade experience is the exact opposite: it aims to offer fun even to those who have little time to invest in the evening and want to feel competitive right away. You’ll be dealing with a more stable bike, more powerful brakes, and more forgiving collisions with opponents.
The new paddock flow, press conferences, and Rider’s Market suggest a bigger push toward career immersion. How important was it for MotoGP 26 to feel like more than just race weekends?
Our goal was to fully recreate the true MotoGP experience. The new environments, interviews, and meetings with team managers are all things MotoGP fans are used to seeing on TV every weekend, and we wanted to make them the protagonists of the world they follow with so much passion. The design of environments, characters, and camera angles was done with the aim of reproducing as faithfully as possible what you can actually see on television.
"Pro mode is designed for our most dedicated fans, those who want the most realistic experience possible and are willing to play through all the sessions of a race weekend to find the right feeling with both the bike and the track."
Race Off content like Production Bikes and Canterbury Park seems designed to broaden variety. How do those additions fit into the overall identity of the game?
Production bikes were chosen because, in real life, riders use them between races to train, since they can’t use MotoGP bikes outside official events. As for Canterbury Park, when we started the design phase we came up with a small backstory: a group of motorcycle enthusiasts buying an abandoned warehouse and transforming the surrounding area into a sort of playground for two-wheel addicts. In short, we try not to leave anything to chance, even when it comes to secondary game modes.
Multiplayer and community are increasingly important in racing games. Beyond standard online racing, are there plans for deeper social tools like leagues, clubs, or privately hosted competitive communities?
At the moment I can’t reveal that kind of details, but I can tell you that we’ve worked hard to improve the online experience and to expand the number of players in online lobbies to 22. It’s something the community has been asking for a long time, so they can recreate full MotoGP grid competitions.
Since cross-play is confirmed on the main platforms but not on Switch or Switch 2, what were the biggest technical or design reasons behind that split?
It wasn’t a technical limitation, but a design choice. Essentially, Switch doesn’t provide analog triggers on its controllers, so we had to create slightly different physics that could handle less precise modulation of braking and acceleration. Given these differences, we decided it wouldn’t be good to have those players compete against players on other platforms, as we wanted to ensure the most balanced and fair online competition possible.
"Switch doesn’t provide analog triggers on its controllers, so we had to create slightly different physics that could handle less precise modulation of braking and acceleration."
The latest deep dive notes platform-specific grid differences on Nintendo hardware. How close is the Switch 2 version to the PS5 and Xbox Series versions in terms of simulation depth, features, and presentation?
In terms of features, Switch 2 is fully aligned with the other platforms, except for the online aspects we already discussed. Races run at a stable 30 fps and include all official riders on track, even in the lower categories where there can be up to 28 competitors. Compared to other consoles, we had to make some optimizations to the vegetation, but I have to say the overall visual impact especially in handheld mode is very good.
Alongside live Rider Ratings, what does your post-launch roadmap look like? Should players expect regular gameplay tuning, fresh events, or other seasonal updates?
We’ve already planned events and activities that will bring players a bit closer to the world of MotoGP. Our most dedicated fans can probably already imagine what we’re talking about, but for now I can’t reveal anything yet.
For players who may have skipped a year or two, what would you say is the single biggest reason MotoGP 26 will feel noticeably different the moment they pick up the controller?
I believe MotoGP 26 is the culmination of everything good we’ve done over the years, and it offers the most complete career mode we’ve ever created. Training, interviews, contracts, environments, and realistic cutscenes all come together into a single experience, where every element contributes to the journey of becoming a world champion.
