Codemasters has announced that there will be no further expansions for EA Sports WRC 2023, and the development team has "reached the end of the road" for the title. This news is coupled with the company’s decision to "pause development plans on future rally games."
The veteran UK racing studio shared the announcement on EA.com.
“Our WRC partnership marked a significant milestone in Codemasters' long history with off-road racing, a journey that includes iconic titles such as Colin McRae Rally and Dirt,” the studio stated. “We have aimed to be the central community for rally fans, constantly striving to push the envelope and capture the intense thrill of driving at the limit. We've brought together exceptionally skilled racing developers, collaborated with legends of the sport, and shared our passion for rallying.”
The World Rally Championship has responded to the news on social media, offering a broadly worded comment that the “WRC gaming franchise is heading in a bold new direction, with more announcements expected soon.”
For motorsports enthusiasts, EA’s decision to halt Codemasters' rally game development will be a hard blow, especially following EA’s acquisition of the renowned British racing studio in 2020.
The announcement comes amid reports of over 300 layoffs at EA, including around 100 at Respawn Entertainment.
Codemasters has been a leader in rally video games for nearly 30 years, beginning with the legendary Colin McRae Rally in 1998. This groundbreaking rally simulation launched a series of acclaimed racing titles. After Colin McRae’s passing in 2007, the series was rebranded as Dirt. 2009’s Dirt 2 (titled Colin McRae: Dirt 2 in Europe and other PAL regions) represented a turning point for the franchise, which later evolved into a hardcore simulation with 2015’s Dirt Rally.
EA Sports WRC 2023 was the first Codemasters rally game to feature an official WRC license since Colin McRae Rally 3 in 2002. IGN’s review highlighted how EA Sports WRC integrated the class-leading driving experience of Dirt Rally 2.0 into an officially licensed World Rally Championship setting. The review described its technical flaws as holding back a "great racing game trapped inside an unpolished one." Later updates were released to address screen tearing problems.
