Less than a month after Electronic Arts ended its licensing deal with Codemasters, the official WRC rally racing games will return in 2027 with a fresh reboot under a new publisher, Nacon. This new partnership promises to bring back the excitement of rally racing with a renewed approach, which might surprise some fans given the recent changes.
The FIA World Rally Championship chief marketing officer, Arne Dirks, expressed enthusiasm about the deal, noting that Nacon’s vision for the franchise stands out. He emphasized the company’s expertise in rally games and hinted at plans to expand the experience beyond traditional rally racing. It sounds like this could bring some new twists to the series, but what those might be remains to be seen.
Nacon described the upcoming games as a “complete reboot,” including official rallies, vehicles, teams, drivers, and sponsors. They also mentioned “expected content elements,” which may hint at new features or modes, though it’s unclear if this involves live service aspects. Alan Falc, Nacon’s CEO, highlighted the iconic nature of the license and their goal to craft a driving experience that meets rally fans’ expectations.
Interestingly, Nacon isn’t new to the WRC scene. Before Codemasters took over the license in 2020, Nacon (formerly Bigben Interactive) published official WRC titles developed by Kylotonn, a French studio they acquired in 2018. That history adds some context to this reboot, but it also leads to mixed feelings among fans.
Some players recall that Kylotonn’s last WRC game, WRC Generations, had mixed reviews on Steam, and their recent Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown also received a similar reception. However, earlier WRC titles like WRC 7 and WRC 10 were generally well received. So, the question is: will Kylotonn be the developer this time around? No official word yet, and that uncertainty has fans divided. Some miss Codemasters’ polish, while others think Kylotonn deserves a chance to improve the series further.
Reddit users have chimed in with some thoughtful opinions. One noted that while Kylotonn’s games lacked the full AAA polish of Codemasters, they were steadily improving. Another pointed out that it’s good to have rally racing games continuing, especially since Electronic Arts stepped away from the genre. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, but the opportunity to see the WRC series evolve again is certainly something to watch.
Nacon’s new deal covers exclusive rights to produce official WRC games for PC and consoles across six seasons, starting in 2027. That means we’ve got a few years to wait, but the promise of a rebooted series under a familiar yet new banner is definitely something to keep on the radar.
What do you think about this switch? Are you hopeful for what Nacon and possibly Kylotonn might bring back to WRC, or are you skeptical after recent releases? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
