WRC 2023, the next iteration of the niche, yet beloved, rally racing game series is apparently “ready to launch,” and it’s to be announced “very soon,” according to reliable tech leaker billbil_kun. This individual has accurately leaked numerous game industry offerings in the past, such as Xbox controllers, PlayStation Plus games, and the name of Tango Gameworks’ recently released Hi-Fi RUSH.
EA has yet to provide any sort of tangible information regarding the next WRC game, so, if this report comes true, it would be quite the bombshell announcement, as fans would quickly go from having no information to having a fast-approaching release date. This new billbil_kun report also matches a report from last week, as per Game Rant, that an unnamed EA game was allegedly submitted to the Xbox Store in the Racing & Flying category.
Everything is lining up for an upcoming WRC 2023 announcement, and this title will be quite meaningful for the future of the franchise. Since 2015, the WRC video game series was developed by French studio Kylotonn, until developer Codemasters acquired the license in 2020. Codemasters was then acquired by EA in 2021 after EA outbid Take-Two for approximately $200 million. As per GamesIndustry.biz, the WRC license will expire in 2027.
This will be the first WRC game Codemasters has made, and there will undoubtedly be some differences from the Kylotonn-developed titles that WRC fans have grown accustomed to. It will be an indicator of what the series will look like for the next few years, and its success will determine whether EA retains the license, or relinquishes it, come 2027.
The Codemasters devs can’t be underestimated of course, as they have a lot of experience in the racing game genre. They’ve handled the yearly Formula 1 racing series since F1 2009, and they’ve developed numerous other racing games throughout the years as well, such as games in the Dirt and Grid series.
EA has over time been quite successful with its expansion into the sports video game industry. It obviously owns the juggernaut Madden and Fifa (soon to be EA Sports FC) series, but it also develops games for UFC, PGA Tour, NHL, and the previously mentioned F1. WRC will soon be another addition to their catalog, as will EA College Football, which is set to release sometime in 2024.
