Codemasters has officially announced that they will not be releasing any more expansions for the 2023 title, EA Sports WRC, signaling that they have "reached the end of the road" with the game. Furthermore, the studio has confirmed a pause on the development of future rally titles. This announcement was made through EA.com.
The studio's statement reflected on their journey with off-road racing, highlighting their long history with titles such as Colin McRae Rally and Dirt. They expressed pride in providing a home for rally enthusiasts, pushing the limits to deliver the excitement of high-stakes driving, collaborating with racing legends, and sharing their passion for rallying.
The World Rally Championship has also commented on the news via social media, hinting that the WRC gaming franchise is set to take an "ambitious new direction" with further details to be announced soon.
For motorsports fans, EA's decision to halt Codemasters' rally game development is disappointing, especially following EA's acquisition of the renowned UK racing studio in 2020. This news follows reports of over 300 layoffs at EA, including approximately 100 at Respawn Entertainment.
Codemasters has been a leader in rally video games for nearly 30 years, beginning with the iconic Colin McRae Rally in 1998. This pioneering game launched a series of successful and critically acclaimed racing titles. After the passing of Colin McRae in 2007, the series dropped his name and evolved into Dirt. Dirt 2, released in 2009 (known as Colin McRae: Dirt 2 in Europe and other PAL regions), marked a significant shift for the franchise, which was later reimagined as a hardcore simulation with the release of Dirt Rally in 2015.
EA Sports WRC, released in 2023, was the first Codemasters rally game to feature an official WRC license since Colin McRae Rally 3 in 2002. IGN's review praised the game for capturing the essence of 2019's Dirt Rally 2.0 within an officially licensed World Rally Championship framework. However, the game was criticized for technical issues, described as a "great racing game trying to fight its way out of an unfinished one." Subsequent updates aimed to address problems like screen tearing.
