Codemasters Halts Future Rally Game Development

Codemasters has announced that it will not release any further expansions for EA Sports WRC in 2023, marking the end of the road for the game. Additionally, the studio has decided to pause development on future rally titles.

The announcement was made via EA.com, where Codemasters reflected on their journey with off-road racing. “Our WRC partnership was a culmination of sorts for our Codemasters journey with off-road racing, spanning decades through titles like Colin McRae Rally, and Dirt,” the studio stated. “We’ve provided a home for every rally enthusiast, striving tirelessly to push the boundaries and deliver the exhilarating thrill of driving on the ragged edge. We’ve brought together incredibly talented racing developers, worked with some of the sport’s icons, and had the opportunity to share our love of rallying.”

The World Rally Championship has acknowledged the news on social media, hinting at an ambitious new direction for the WRC gaming franchise with more details to follow soon.

This decision by EA to halt Codemasters' rally game development will be disappointing for motorsports fans, especially following EA's acquisition of the UK-based studio in 2020. The announcement coincides with reports of over 300 layoffs at EA, including approximately 100 at Respawn Entertainment.

Codemasters has been a pioneer in rally video games since 1998's Colin McRae Rally. The series evolved significantly over the years, transitioning from Colin McRae Rally to Dirt after McRae's passing in 2007. Notable titles include 2009's Dirt 2, which was known as Colin McRae: Dirt 2 in Europe, and the hardcore simulation 2015's Dirt Rally.

EA Sports WRC, released in 2023, 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 successfully captured the essence of 2019's Dirt Rally 2.0 within an officially licensed World Rally Championship framework. However, it struggled with technical issues like screen tearing, which subsequent updates aimed to address.