We’re in the final stretch before the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, a uniquely exciting sporting event. For that reason, we decided to take a look at the 3 best winter sports video games available. We considered all of the popular winter sports, like ice skating, skiing, snowboarding, and ice hockey, to make this list. Whatever your preferred gaming console, these games are a great option.

Steep

As far as the best winter sports video games go, it doesn’t get better than Steep. This 2016 game by Ubisoft gives you the chance to ski, snowboard, sled, speed ride, BASE jump, and fly with a wingsuit. Although it was primarily set only in the Alps, the studio later added mountains set in Alaska, Japan, and Korea.

Steep is an open-world game that combines realism and excitement. The movements, the snow texture, and even the crashes are incredibly well-done. That being said, you can do extreme tricks that not even Red Bull athletes would attempt. With the 2018 addition, the developers included the Winter Olympics in this winter sports game. Steep has single-player and multiplayer options, making it a perfect fit for everyone.

SSX Series

The SSX series is widely recognized as the best snowboarding game series in history. It is to snowboarding what the Tony Hawk series is to skateboarding. First debuting in 2000 on PlayStation 2, the SSX series went on to have eight instalments. The last one debuted in 2012, on PlayStation 3, and like all of its iterations, received acclaim from critics and gamers. Though it was primarily a PlayStation original game, the developers eventually opted to include PC, Xbox, and Wii players.

The SSX series enables you to choose from multiple snowboarders with different strengths and weaknesses. The SSX Tricky game introduced the Uber Tricks and rivalry concepts, while SSX 3 introduced the open world concept. The graphics may be outdated from our current POV, but we find the SSX series as entertaining as ever.

NHL 26

NHL 26 is the latest addition to the NHL game series by EA Sports. This ice hockey simulator game relies on ICE-Q 2.0 technology to create a realistic gaming experience for you. This new tech incorporates NHL EDGE tracking data to inform player attributes, ranging from acceleration to wrist shot power.

The movement animations, especially when you change directions sharply, leave something to be desired. Even so, the gameplay is fantastic. With a 4K 60 fps resolution, a realistic path to the NHL in the Be A Pro mode, and lifelike sounds, NHL 26 offers quite a lot. Although critics were divided, earning it a 73 Metascore, we still found it one of the best winter sports video games.

Exciting Upcoming Winter Sports Video Games

The best winter sports video games we already reviewed are all fantastic in their own right. But there is always room for new concepts and more excitement. That is why we chose to take a peek into the future and check out the upcoming winter sports video games. These are our top 3 options:

• ICE on the EDGE
• Super Blood Hockey: Rogue Manager
• Grand Mountain Adventure 2 (Available on Mobile, soon to be released on Steam)