Codemasters Halts Future Rally Game Development

Codemasters has officially announced that no new expansions will be released for 2023’s EA Sports WRC, marking the end of their journey with the game. The studio has also stated that they are "pausing development plans on future rally titles." This news was shared via 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 creating a home for rally enthusiasts, pushing boundaries, and delivering thrilling driving experiences. The team highlighted their collaboration with talented developers and icons of the sport, emphasizing their passion for rallying.

The World Rally Championship has responded to this announcement on social media, hinting that the WRC gaming franchise is set to take an "ambitious new direction" with further details to be revealed soon.

For motorsports fans, EA's decision to halt Codemasters' rally games is disappointing, especially following EA's acquisition of the renowned British studio in 2020. This news comes amidst reports of significant layoffs at EA, including around 100 at Respawn Entertainment.

Codemasters has been a leading name in rally video games since 1998’s Colin McRae Rally, which launched a series of successful and highly respected racing games. After the passing of Colin McRae in 2007, the series was renamed to Dirt, with Dirt 2 in 2009 marking a pivotal moment in its evolution. The series saw further transformation with the release of the hardcore simulation Dirt Rally in 2015.

The 2023 release, EA Sports WRC, was the first Codemasters rally game to feature an official WRC license since 2002’s Colin McRae Rally 3. According to IGN’s review, EA Sports WRC attempted to blend the acclaimed handling of 2019’s Dirt Rally 2.0 with an officially licensed World Rally Championship experience. However, it was criticized for its technical issues, described as a "great racing game trying to fight its way out of an unfinished one." Efforts were made post-launch to address these issues, particularly screen tearing.