The FIA has announced a new agreement with Nacon to develop a series of WRC rally games, set to be released in 2027. This collaboration comes less than a month after the conclusion of the FIA’s licensing contract with Codemasters, the well-known racing studio acquired by Electronic Arts. According to Arne Dirks, marketing director of the FIA World Rally Championship, Nacon was selected after a thorough evaluation for its vision and experience in creating rally games.
A much-anticipated return for racing enthusiasts
The new titles will represent a “complete reboot” of the series, which includes official rallies, vehicles, teams, drivers, and sponsors. Nacon has emphasized its intention to transform the WRC gaming experience into “epic adventures,” although specific details about possible live service features have not been revealed, which has raised some doubts among fans.
The public’s reaction to the news has been varied. While some gamers lament the loss of Codemasters, known for their high production quality in video game development, others are open to the return of Kylotonn, the French developer that created WRC games for Nacon for nearly a decade before Codemasters acquired the license in 2020. Despite Kylotonn’s last game, WRC Generations, receiving mixed reviews on Steam, earlier titles like WRC 7 and WRC 10 were well received by the community.
Nacon has exclusive rights to develop WRC games on PC and consoles for a period of six seasons, starting in 2027. However, the company has not confirmed whether Kylotonn will be responsible for the development of these new titles. The uncertainty of the gaming community is reflected in various forums where both hope in Kylotonn’s potential and disappointment over the absence of Codemasters are expressed.
