Shortly after EA Sports and Codemasters’ announcement that the latter was ending development on future rally racing sims, the future of the WRC license has become clearer. With EA Sports WRC being Codemasters’ first and last release under the deal with WRC that just prematurely ended, the license is now reverting to Nacon, the publisher has announced.
Nacon and developer KT Racing developed over half a dozen WRC titles before the license was obtained by Codemasters, and Nacon now says it has acquired exclusive rights once again, running from 2027 to 2032. The publisher says its next WRC title will be a “complete reboot” of the franchise and will be “based on an entirely fresh vision.”
“We are thrilled to renew our collaboration with WRC Promoter. This iconic license provides an exceptional playground to build a highly refined driving experience that lives up to the expectations of rally fans,” said Alain Falc, CEO of Nacon. “Between 2015 and 2023, we had the opportunity to work closely with the championship’s official teams and many drivers, allowing us to gain solid and unique expertise in translating rallying into a video game experience. This new venture marks a major milestone: a fully reimagined project driven by a passionate and specialized team, with a clear ambition to elevate rally games to new heights.”
“After a comprehensive evaluation, we are delighted to have reached an agreement with Nacon,” expressed FIA World Rally Championship’s Chief Marketing Officer Arne Dirks. “Their vision for the franchise stands out, and their expertise in delivering great rally games is unquestioned. We look forward to breaking new ground together in this collaboration, to truly turn the WRC games into epic adventures and offer gaming experiences beyond rally as we know it today.”
When we can expect a formal announcement of the game or our first look at gameplay remains to be seen, but it seems like we can assume 2027 is the year that Nacon is targeting for the first title’s release.
