Codemasters has officially announced that no further expansions will be developed for 2023's EA Sports WRC, signaling that the team has "reached the end of the road" with the game. In addition to this, the studio has confirmed a pause on future rally game development. This news was published on EA.com by the UK-based racing studio.
In their statement, Codemasters reflected on their journey with off-road racing, which has spanned decades and included titles like Colin McRae Rally and Dirt. The studio expressed pride in providing a platform for rally enthusiasts, pushing the boundaries of the genre, and working with racing icons to share their passion for rallying.
The World Rally Championship has acknowledged this news on social media, hinting that the WRC gaming franchise is set to embark on a new and ambitious path, with more details to be announced soon.
The decision by EA to halt Codemasters' rally game projects will be tough for motorsport enthusiasts to accept, especially following EA's acquisition of the renowned British studio in 2020. This announcement coincides with reports of over 300 layoffs at EA, including around 100 at Respawn Entertainment.
For nearly three decades, Codemasters has been a leader in rally video games, starting with the iconic Colin McRae Rally in 1998. This game launched a series of successful and critically acclaimed racing titles. After Colin McRae's passing in 2007, the series rebranded as Dirt, with 2009's Dirt 2 (known as Colin McRae: Dirt 2 in Europe and other PAL regions) marking a significant shift. The series evolved further into a hardcore simulation with 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 retained the high-quality feel of 2019's Dirt Rally 2.0 while integrating it into an officially licensed World Rally Championship experience. However, the game struggled with technical issues, such as screen tearing, which were addressed in subsequent updates. The review described it as a "great racing game trying to fight its way out of an unfinished one."
