World Rally Championship games and all Codemaster rally titles accept defeat in latest Electronic Arts cuts

Just yesterday, we reported that Titanfall 3 was reportedly cancelled amid another round of layoffs at Electronic Arts (EA). In summary, many of these have centred on Respawn Entertainment, which EA has owned since 2017. As it turns out, another of EA's recent acquisitions is on the chopping block.

This time, EA has confirmed that neither it nor Codemasters will be releasing a new World Rally Championship game. For context, EA purchased Codemasters in 2021 for $1.2 billion, which it promptly rolled into Criterion Games in May 2022. Following that merger, EA then dismissed an unspecified amount of Codemasters employees.

In the midst of those series of organisational changes, EA Sports WRC (curr. $39.99 on Amazon) arrived in November 2023 to decent reviews before being expanded with EA WRC 24 a year later. Unfortunately, EA's announcement coincides with it pausing the development of all future rally titles too. As a result, we should expect to see either party returning to the Colin McRae Rally or DiRT series anytime soon. The full statement that EA has published is as follows:

Dear Rally Community,

Every great journey eventually finds its finish line, and today, we announce that we've reached the end of the road working on WRC.

After releasing EA SPORTS WRC in 2023, the 2024 season, including the recently released Hard Chargers Content pack, will be our last expansion.

For now, we are pausing development plans on future rally titles. Rest assured, EA SPORTS WRC will continue to be available for existing and new players. We hope it remains a source of joy, excitement, and the thrill of rally racing. We've poured our hearts into making it for fans, and we know you'll keep the passion alive. 

Our WRC partnership was a culmination of sorts for our Codemasters journey with off-road racing, spanning decades through titles like Colin McRae Rally, and DiRT. We've provided a home for every rally enthusiast, striving tirelessly to push the boundaries and deliver the exhilarating thrill of driving on the ragged edge. We've brought together incredibly talented racing developers, worked with some of the sport's icons, and had the opportunity to share our love of rallying. 

Thank you to all the fans who have and continue to be part of our rally journey. 

The Codemasters WRC Team