EA Sports WRC launched without VR support, but that is set to be added in late April of 2024. It could elevate the title to new heights - however, the question is: Will the performance be there?
Fans were disappointed when EA Sports WRC launched without VR support in late 2023. DiRT Rally 2.0, its predecessor, had it, so why not the new title? Well, a new engine meant a different approach for EA and Codemasters - and also a ton of challenges regarding the game's performance.
Having made the jump to Unreal Engine, EA Sports WRC was plagued by performance issues once it launched, and while multiple patches have made things better, the rally sim still is not running super smoothly. The latest update added performance improvements yet again, both globally and in specific locations.
This may have helped things slightly, but testing the game after the update using an RTX 4080 and a 21:9 screen at a 3440x1440 resolution, frame rates still were a bit concerning with VR in mind. With everything cranked up to ultra, EA Sports WRC ran at 70 to 85 fps for the most part - which is fine, as it is well above the 60 fps target, but still lower than you would expect for a powerful GPU on a single screen.
Practically, that goes hand in hand with the performance of the game, though. A key point is to get to a stable frame rate - usually, the target is 90 fps - at all times to guarantee a smooth experience. This, of course, means that turning down some graphics settings is not just an option, but absolutely necessary, even on the best GPU you can buy today.
Anyone who has tried to get Assetto Corsa Competizione to run smoothly in VR will probably know why I am a bit concerned now. Also an Unreal Engine title, it is great in VR once you got it running - but it is notorious for not being very resource-friendly, even when running on a screen. ACC does look superb with all settings cranked to the max, however, and EA Sports WRC - while not looking bad - does not reach that level of graphical fidelity.
Besides that, the EA track record for VR implementation in racing games is not exactly the best, either. Since Virtual Reality has first been introduced in F1 22, users complain about bugs in VR, although it has seemingly gotten a bit better in F1 23. Mind you, the F1 series runs on a different engine.
So, what to expect from the EA Sports WRC VR launch, then? Personally, I will take the "wait and see" approach. Not setting the bar high or low seems to be the best idea in this case. And the optimist in me says that Codies can get this right, which is probably why they did not have the feature at launch. After all, and that is a positive, VR was a hit in DR2.0 once it finally got implemented - so much so that sim rally fans still return to it now.
And it is important for me to emphasize: I do not want to say "VR in WRC is probably gonna be terrible" with this. I hope it is going to be great, and have my fingers crossed for a smooth, user-friendly implementation into EA Sports WRC. Because the thought of the trees in the Finnish woods whizzing by at 170+ kph, in 3D, and with me feeling like I am actually in the car is just too good. Late April cannot get here soon enough.
What are your thoughts on the EA Sports WRC VR implementation? Let us know on Twitter @OverTake_gg or in the comments below!
Fans were disappointed when EA Sports WRC launched without VR support in late 2023. DiRT Rally 2.0, its predecessor, had it, so why not the new title? Well, a new engine meant a different approach for EA and Codemasters - and also a ton of challenges regarding the game's performance.
Having made the jump to Unreal Engine, EA Sports WRC was plagued by performance issues once it launched, and while multiple patches have made things better, the rally sim still is not running super smoothly. The latest update added performance improvements yet again, both globally and in specific locations.
This may have helped things slightly, but testing the game after the update using an RTX 4080 and a 21:9 screen at a 3440x1440 resolution, frame rates still were a bit concerning with VR in mind. With everything cranked up to ultra, EA Sports WRC ran at 70 to 85 fps for the most part - which is fine, as it is well above the 60 fps target, but still lower than you would expect for a powerful GPU on a single screen.
VR in EA WRC: Exciting, but...
Hence, the thought of VR in EA Sports WRC has me excited on one hand, but uncertain about its implementation on the other. Having recently started to enjoy the benefits of VR, the prospect of being able to immerse myself in the car, freely looking around as I slide around the countless turns of a WRC rally, is great. In theory, this will add an entirely new level to the sim.Practically, that goes hand in hand with the performance of the game, though. A key point is to get to a stable frame rate - usually, the target is 90 fps - at all times to guarantee a smooth experience. This, of course, means that turning down some graphics settings is not just an option, but absolutely necessary, even on the best GPU you can buy today.
Anyone who has tried to get Assetto Corsa Competizione to run smoothly in VR will probably know why I am a bit concerned now. Also an Unreal Engine title, it is great in VR once you got it running - but it is notorious for not being very resource-friendly, even when running on a screen. ACC does look superb with all settings cranked to the max, however, and EA Sports WRC - while not looking bad - does not reach that level of graphical fidelity.
Besides that, the EA track record for VR implementation in racing games is not exactly the best, either. Since Virtual Reality has first been introduced in F1 22, users complain about bugs in VR, although it has seemingly gotten a bit better in F1 23. Mind you, the F1 series runs on a different engine.
So, what to expect from the EA Sports WRC VR launch, then? Personally, I will take the "wait and see" approach. Not setting the bar high or low seems to be the best idea in this case. And the optimist in me says that Codies can get this right, which is probably why they did not have the feature at launch. After all, and that is a positive, VR was a hit in DR2.0 once it finally got implemented - so much so that sim rally fans still return to it now.
And it is important for me to emphasize: I do not want to say "VR in WRC is probably gonna be terrible" with this. I hope it is going to be great, and have my fingers crossed for a smooth, user-friendly implementation into EA Sports WRC. Because the thought of the trees in the Finnish woods whizzing by at 170+ kph, in 3D, and with me feeling like I am actually in the car is just too good. Late April cannot get here soon enough.
What are your thoughts on the EA Sports WRC VR implementation? Let us know on Twitter @OverTake_gg or in the comments below!
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