EA Sports WRC

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EA Sports WRC
EA Sports WRC PC cover art.jpg
Cover art for the PC version, featuring the Ford Puma Rally1
Developer(s) Codemasters
Publisher(s) EA Sports
Series WRC
Engine Unreal Engine 4
Platform(s)
Release3 November 2023
Genre(s) Racing
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

EA Sports WRC, also known as EA WRC or simply WRC, is a racing video game developed by Codemasters and published by EA Sports. It holds the official licence (acquired by Codemasters in 2020) of the World Rally Championship and is powered by Unreal Engine 4. It is the first Codemasters rally game to have the official WRC licence since Colin McRae Rally 3 in 2002. The game was released for Windows, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on 3 November 2023. In 2024, 2 paid DLCs have been released for the game.

Contents

Gameplay

EA Sports WRC features 78 rally cars. [1] 10 Groups Rally cars are from the World Rally Championship, including three Rally1 vehicles such as the Puma of M-Sport, the i20 N of Hyundai and the GR Yaris of Toyota and seven other cars from the support categories — the World Rally Championship-2 and the Junior World Rally Championship, including Ford Fiesta Rally3 — as well as 68 classic rally cars. [2] The other rally cars include Citroën Xsara WRC, Mini John Cooper Works WRC, Ford Fiesta Rally4 and Colin McRae R4, which was previously featured in DiRT 3 . [3] Car Builder, which is similar to My Team of the F1 series, allows players to create and customise their own rally cars. [4] The game includes over 200 competition stages across 18 WRC rallies. [5] Multiplayer mode is available for up to 32 cross-platform players. [6] Virtual reality mode is planned to be implemented in the future. [7]

Development and release

The game was revealed on 5 September 2023. [8] It was initially built as a sequel to Dirt Rally 2.0 . [9] Codemasters, the developer of the F1 series, developed their first WRC video game after they regained licence in 2020. [10] The last game by Codemasters with WRC licence was Colin McRae Rally 3 released in 2002, featuring the 2002 season. [11] EA Sports involved and published the game after Codemasters was acquired by Electronic Arts in 2021. [12] The game is powered by Unreal Engine 4, replacing Ego, which Codemasters was long-term implemented in its previous rally title, the Colin McRae Rally and Dirt series. [13] The game was available for Windows, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on 3 November 2023. [14] It featured three covers, with Ford Puma Rally1 for PC, Hyundai i20 N Rally1 for Xbox and Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 for PS5. [15]

A major expansion entitled EA Sports WRC 24, also known as EA WRC 24 or simply WRC 24, was launched as downloadable contents on 8 October 2024. [16] The expansion featured the official 2024 season cars and the two additional locations of the Rally Latvia and Rally Poland. [17]

Reception

EA Sports WRC received "generally favorable reviews", according to review aggregator Metacritic. [22] Reviewers praised the handling model, the extensive stage length and the car builder. Criticism mainly stemmed from frame-rate issues, especially on the Windows version.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Rally Championship</span> Rallying championship series, highest level of rallying competition

The World Rally Championship is an international rallying series owned and governed by the FIA. Inaugurated in 1973, it is the second oldest of the FIA's world championships after Formula One. Each season lasts one calendar year, and separate championship titles are awarded to drivers, co-drivers and manufacturers. There are also two support championships, WRC2 and WRC3, which are contested on the same events and stages as the WRC, but with progressively lower maximum performance and running costs of the cars permitted. Junior WRC is also contested on five events of the World Rally Championship calendar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Codemasters</span> British video game developer

The Codemasters Software Company Limited is a British video game developer and former publisher based in Southam, England, which is a subsidiary of American corporation Electronic Arts and managed under the EA Sports division. Founded by brothers Richard and David Darling in October 1986, Codemasters is one of the oldest British game studios, and in 2005 was named the best independent video game developer by magazine Develop. It formerly also published third-party games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colin McRae</span> Scottish rally driver (1968–2007)

Colin Steele McRae,, was a British rally driver from Scotland. He was the 1991 and 1992 British Rally Champion, and in 1995 became the first British driver to win the World Rally Championship Drivers' title.

Dirt and Dirt Rally, is a rally racing video game series developed and published by Codemasters. Codemasters had acquired the exclusive license to the World Rally Championship series in June 2020, which will begin as a five-year deal in 2023.

<i>Colin McRae Rally 04</i> 2003 video game

Colin McRae Rally 04 is a 2003 racing video game developed and published by Codemasters for PlayStation 2, Xbox and Windows.

<i>Colin McRae: Dirt</i> 2007 racing video game by Codemasters

Colin McRae: Dirt known outside Europe as Dirt is a simcade racing video game developed and published by Codemasters for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It is the last of the series to be published before Colin McRae's death. It features new graphics, audio, physics engine, new vehicles and a new game engine called Neon which was co-developed between Codemasters and Sony Computer Entertainment. The game features a variety of off-road racing categories as well as World Rally Championship style events. The game was released for the PlayStation 3 in Europe on 14 September 2007, a day prior to Colin McRae's death. The sequel, Colin McRae: Dirt 2, was released in September 2009. A simplified version of the game was developed by Glu Mobile and released for Java ME devices in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicky Grist</span> British rally co-driver (born 1961)

Nicholas Mark Grist is a Welsh former rally co-driver, born in Ebbw Vale. His factory team career in the World Rally Championship lasted from 1993 to 2002. He won 21 rallies with more than one driver.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel</span>

The Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel was developed by Microsoft for the Xbox 360 and was introduced at E3 2006. Released in November 2006, the force feedback steering wheel controller includes the standard gamepad buttons along with floor-mounted accelerator and brake pedals. Although the wheel is capable of running truly wirelessly from a standard Xbox 360 battery pack, use of the force feedback and active resistance features requires an external AC adapter.

<i>Colin McRae: Dirt 2</i> 2009 video game

Colin McRae: Dirt 2 known outside Europe as Dirt 2 is a racing video game developed and published by Codemasters in 2009, first for the Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Wii and Xbox 360, and then later for PC platforms. It is the sequel to Colin McRae: Dirt. Dirt 2 is the first game in the series since McRae's death in 2007 and the last to feature his name in the title. It is also the first and only game in the series to be available on a Nintendo home console and the last game in the series to be released on handhelds.

WRC, short for World Rally Championship, is a rally racing video game series. The series is currently developed by Codemasters and published by EA Sports. To date, a total of seventeen main games have been released, with the latest game released on 3 November 2023.

<i>WRC 8</i> Official game of the 2019 World Rally Championship

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<i>Project CARS</i> Racing video game series by Slightly Mad Studios

Project CARS was a sim racing video game series developed by Slightly Mad Studios and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. The franchise was introduced in 2015 and received a sequel in 2017, followed by Project CARS 3 in 2020. Following the acquisition of Codemasters by Electronic Arts, development on the Project CARS series ended in November 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hyundai i20 N Rally1</span> Hyundai Rally1 rally car

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2C Compétition</span> French rally team

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Group Rally1</span> FIA rally car formula

Group Rally1 is a technical specification of rally car for use at the highest level of international rallying in the World Rally Championship (WRC) as determined by the FIA. Despite the use of the word 'Group' in the name, there are not multiple classes or subclasses of car and so 'Rally1' may be used alone with the same definition. Rally1 cars were used for the first time in the 2022 WRC season and replaced the outgoing World Rally Car used in the manufacturer's championship. Though they may run on any individual rally as permitted by the organiser, they are not to be used in any other championship.

<i>F1 22</i> 2022 video game

F1 22 is a racing video game developed by Codemasters and published by EA Sports. It is the fifteenth entry in the F1 series by Codemasters. The game holds an official licence of the 2022 Formula One and Formula 2 championships. The game was released for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on 1 July. It also made its debut on EA's Origin platform as their main platform, which is also playable in the EA Desktop app, as well as the Epic Games Store. In previous entries, Steam was the only platform available for PC players. The game was delisted in March 2024 following the announcement of the forthcoming F1 24.

<i>WRC Generations</i> 2022 video game

WRC Generations is a racing video game developed by Kylotonn and published by Nacon. It is the seventh entry in the World Rally Championship series by the French developer and holds the official license of the 2022 World Rally Championship. The game was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S on November 3, 2022 and Nintendo Switch on December 26, 2022.

References

  1. ↑ Wales, Matt (5 September 2023). "Codemasters' EA Sports WRC gets November release date and first trailer". Eurogamer . Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  2. ↑ Barry, Luke (5 September 2023). "EA Sports WRC – What you need to know". dirtfish.com. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  3. ↑ Bigg, Martin (9 September 2023). "EA Sports WRC: 5 New Cars Confirmed". racinggames.gg. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  4. ↑ Howson, George (6 September 2023). "EA Sports WRC 23 Car Builder: Everything you need to know". racinggames.gg. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  5. ↑ Croft, Liam (5 September 2023). "EA Sports WRC Takes Rallying 'Next-Gen' on PS5 This November". Push Square . Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  6. ↑ Yang, George (6 September 2023). "EA Sports WRC Is The Apparent Successor To The Dirt Racing Series". GameSpot . Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  7. ↑ Erl, Josef (7 September 2023). "EA Sports announces virtual reality mode for racing sim WRC". mixed-news.com. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  8. ↑ Silva, João (4 September 2023). "EA will reveal its very first official WRC game tomorrow". kitguru.net. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  9. ↑ Ismail, Adam (1 September 2023). "EA Sports WRC Rally Game Is Finally Coming as Sequel to Dirt Rally 2.0". thedrive.com. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  10. ↑ Purslow, Matt (1 June 2020). "Codemasters Regains WRC License After 18 Years". IGN . Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  11. ↑ Reilly, Luke (5 September 2023). "EA Sports WRC Announced, Arrives November". IGN . Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  12. ↑ Batchelor, James (13 January 2021). "Take-Two withdraws bid for Codemasters following EA offer of $1.2bn". GamesIndustry.biz . Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  13. ↑ Harrison-Lord, Thomas (5 September 2023). "EA SPORTS WRC is a radical new official game, launches November". Autosport . Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  14. ↑ Sirio, Paolo (4 September 2023). "EA Sports WRC is releasing in November 2023, features new engine and cross-play". videogames.si.com. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  15. ↑ Harrison-Lord, Thomas (4 September 2023). "This is EA SPORTS WRC's cover". traxion.gg. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  16. ↑ Harrison-Lord, Thomas (18 September 2024). "EA Sports WRC's 2024 DLC expansion: all you need to know". traxion.gg. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  17. ↑ Hirons, Ryan (27 September 2024). "Here's How Much EA Sport WRC's 24 Expansion Will Cost". carthrottle.com. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  18. ↑ Wise, Josh (7 November 2023). "EA Sports WRC review - a bracing and richly textured celebration of rally". Eurogamer .
  19. ↑ Wells, Cory (2 November 2023). "Review: EA SPORTS WRC". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  20. ↑ Ole Peek, Jan (30 October 2023). "EA Sports WRC review: An adrenaline-filled thrill ride". Shacknews . Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  21. ↑ Warren, Mark (8 November 2023). "EA Sports WRC review: Fast, flowing rally fun". VG247 .
  22. ↑ "EA Sports WRC PC". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved 5 November 2023.
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