Codemasters has officially announced that they will not be releasing any further expansions for 2023's EA Sports WRC, signaling that their journey with the game has reached its conclusion. Additionally, the studio has confirmed a pause on the development of future rally titles. This news was shared through an announcement on EA.com.
The statement from Codemasters reflects on their long history with off-road racing, which began with titles like Colin McRae Rally and evolved through the Dirt series. They expressed pride in having catered to rally enthusiasts, pushing the limits of what's possible in rally gaming, and collaborating with legends of the sport.
The World Rally Championship has responded to this news on social media, hinting that the WRC gaming franchise is set to take an "ambitious new direction," with more details to be shared soon.The decision by EA to halt Codemasters' rally game projects is a tough blow for motorsport fans, especially following EA's acquisition of the renowned UK studio in 2020. This announcement comes amidst reports of significant layoffs at EA, including around 100 at Respawn Entertainment.
For nearly three decades, Codemasters has been a leader in rally gaming, starting with the groundbreaking Colin McRae Rally in 1998. After Colin McRae's tragic death in 2007, the series was rebranded as Dirt. The 2009 release of Dirt 2 (known as Colin McRae: Dirt 2 in Europe and other PAL regions) marked a significant shift, leading to the hardcore simulation approach seen in 2015's Dirt Rally.
EA Sports WRC of 2023 was the first Codemasters rally game to feature an official WRC license since Colin McRae Rally 3 in 2002. According to IGN's review, EA Sports WRC built upon the acclaimed mechanics of Dirt Rally 2.0 from 2019, offering an authentic WRC experience. However, it was marred by technical issues such as screen tearing, which subsequent updates aimed to address.
