Ride 5: release date on PS5 and Xbox, is it on PlayStation 4, pre-order details, price - when can I play it?

We're just days away from the release of Ride 5, the latest instalment in the motorcycle racing series from Italian game developer Milestone srl.

The previous game in the series infamously fooled YouTube viewers into thinking its gameplay was real, live-action helmet-cam footage as motorbike riders bobbed and weaved around the backroads of the Isle of Man.

Will the sequel continue to make players feel as though they are actually racing at breakneck speed? Confirmed to be a current-gen exclusive, we're sure to see some graphical updates, and so it's highly likely Ride 5 will be even more adrenaline-fuelled.

Here is everything you need to know about it.

What is Ride?

The Ride series is a series of motorcycle racing video games developed and published by Italian game developer Milestone srl, which aims to provide an immersive and realistic experience of motorcycle racing across different categories and eras.

The series features a wide range of motorcycles from various manufacturers, as well as detailed recreations of famous real-world tracks, and players can choose from different modes and challenges, such as career mode, time trials, multiplayer races, and more.

The games often emphasise customisation options for both the rider and the bike, allowing players to personalise their experience, and the games generally focus on delivering a realistic simulation of motorcycle physics and racing, catering to motorcycle enthusiasts and fans of racing simulations.

What's new in Ride 5?

A new addition to the series, for the first time in career mode, players will be introduced to an accompanying narrator who will serve as a guiding presence, ushering players through their journey in the world of virtual riding.

A leaderboard will monitor progress through the career's four primary racing bundles, each of which has a number of events that must be finished in order to unlock the following one, and the mode will also include 10 opponents, each of whom has a unique personality and history.

To be at the top of the leaderboard, players will have to defeat these rivals, and with the career structure also featuring a set of secondary challenges., that means there will be over 200 playable events included.

As mentioned at the top of this article, the previous game in the series infamously fooled YouTube viewers into thinking its gameplay was real, live-action helmet-cam footage, and with Ride 5 confirmed to be a current-gen exclusive, we're sure to see some further graphical updates making it look even more lifelike.

The developers say that the "technological improvements" of the current-gen consoles will be fully utilised to deliver "a new, stunning level of realism and lifelike experiences."

These include a Dynamic Weather System, which has been introduced for the first time in the franchise and will calculate real-time track and air temperatures to produce realistic weather changes during races, adding a strategic dimension to the experience.

And a new 3D volumetric cloud system also means that players will be able to see clouds changing shape and interacting with the lighting based on their density, creating "breathtaking views".

Does Ride 5 include split-screen multiplayer?

If you're looking forward to racing against friends in Ride 5, then you're in luck.

Not only will global leaderboards and cross-play lobbies allow you to race against real-world opponents online, but - after numerous requests from the Ride community - split-screen is available for the first time since 2016's Ride 2, meaning players can challenge their friends while sitting side by side on the couch.

When can I play Ride 5?

Ride 5 is set to be released on Thursday 24 August 2024. It will be available on current-gen consoles only (PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S) as well as PC.

Where is the best place to pre-order Ride 5?

Ride 5 can be pre-ordered from Game.co.uk, where both the Standard and 'Day One' editions of the game are available for £64.99.

Simply click on the relevant link below to be taken to the platform of your choice:

• PlayStation 5
• Xbox Series X/S

For PC players, the game can be purchased through Ride 5’s Steam page.