The end of the Codemasters Rally era: the legendary studio stops development of future racing simulators

It is a sad time for fans of virtual rallies. Codemasters, the studio that brought the Colin McRae Rally and DiRT series to the world, has announced that it will stop developing future games. This decision puts an end to the more than twenty-year history of creating high-end racing simulators, which began in 1998 with the release of the first Colin McRae Rally.

Here's What We Know

Codemasters has officially announced the end of its cooperation with the World Rally Championship (WRC) and, as a result, the "suspension" of plans to develop future rally projects. As a reminder, Electronic Arts, which acquired the British studio in 2021, thus calls into question the future of one of the most famous racing franchises.

"Every great journey finds its finish line sooner or later, and today we are announcing that we have reached the end of the road for WRC," Codemasters said in a statement. "Following the release of EA SPORTS WRC in 2023, the 2024 season, including the recently released Hard Chargers content pack, will be our last expansion. We are currently suspending plans to develop future rally games. Rest assured, EA SPORTS WRC will continue to be available for existing and new players."

"We hope that it will continue to be a source of joy, excitement and thrill of rally racing. We have poured our heart and soul into creating it for our fans, and we know you will keep this passion alive. Our partnership with the WRC is a culmination of our long-standing journey at Codemasters in creating off-road racing experiences that span decades through games like Colin McRae Rally and DiRT."

"We've created a home for every rally enthusiast, tirelessly striving to push the boundaries and deliver the adrenaline-pumping thrill of driving to the limit. We have brought together incredibly talented racing game developers, worked with some of the icons of the sport and had the opportunity to share our love of rallying. We are grateful to all the fans who have been and continue to be a part of our rally journey."

It is worth noting that earlier this week, there were reports of layoffs at Electronic Arts of up to 400 employees, although it is not yet known whether these layoffs affected Codemasters. In any case, the news about the termination of the development of rally games from the legendary studio will certainly upset many fans of the genre.

Source: Electronic Arts