Codemasters has announced that it will not release any further expansions for the 2023 title, EA Sports WRC, marking the end of their journey with the game. The studio has also decided to "pause development plans on future rally titles," as stated in 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. "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 noted. They emphasized their dedication to rally enthusiasts, their collaboration with racing icons, and their passion for rallying.
The World Rally Championship has responded to the news on social media, hinting at an "ambitious new direction" for the WRC gaming franchise, with more details to be shared soon.
This development is a significant blow to motorsports fans, especially following EA's acquisition of Codemasters in 2020. The news comes amidst reports of over 300 layoffs at EA, including around 100 at Respawn Entertainment.
Codemasters has been a leader in rally gaming for nearly three decades, starting with the iconic 1998 release, Colin McRae Rally. This series evolved into Dirt following Colin McRae's death in 2007. The 2009 release, Dirt 2 (known as Colin McRae: Dirt 2 in Europe and other PAL regions), marked a pivotal moment for the franchise, which later shifted to 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, the game built on the successful foundation of 2019's Dirt Rally 2.0, offering an authentic World Rally Championship experience. However, it was plagued by technical issues such as screen tearing, which subsequent updates aimed to address.
