Opinion: DiRT Rally 3.0 Will Come, Just Not Named DiRT Rally

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DiRT Rally 3.0 is the next expected title in the realistic rally simulation niche by Codemasters. Or should I say was? How likely is the next title part of the DiRT franchise? Or will DiRT be the next franchise to bite the dust at EA's hands?

Let me start with: there will definitely be a successor to DiRT Rally 2.0. The only question is how it will be named.

Now why that sentiment? Codemasters' DiRT Rally team surely has been working tirelessly on the successor to the franchise. After all, the previous titles have been commercial successes, so why would they pull the plug?

However, since EA and Codemasters managed to secure the WRC license, previously held by Nacon and KT Racing, there is a possibility the next title will just be called something like "WRC". This decision would make sense from a business point of view. Marketing a racing title with the official name of the IRL series is way simpler and opens the game up to a larger audience.

So whatever the team behind the previous DiRT Rally games already did, what will that be used for?

Probably a title called either a combination of the "DiRT Rally" and "WRC" names or just "WRC". So let's brainstorm a bit:
  • DiRT Rally: The Official WRC Game
  • DiRT WRC
  • WRC 2023 (oh no)
One thing I hope we can all agree on is that EA and Codemasters will not be running 2 realistic rally simulation series next to each other. Another thing we hopefully can all agree on is that EA shouldn't throw another yearly series at us.

Unfortunately, just while writing this, I remembered we are talking about EA, whose sports department is heavily invested in the yearly formula and Codemasters, who already have the F1 series.

On the one hand, I am dreading what is coming up for the rally game niche. On the other hand, there is still Richard Burns Rally. Probably still my favourite rally sim to this day.

So, look into your crystal ball and tell us: What do you think, or hope, will happen to Codemasters and the WRC license? Let us know in the comments down below!
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About author
Julian Strasser
Julian Strasser
Motorsports and Maker-stuff enthusiast. Part time jack-of-all-trades. Owner of tracc.eu, a sim racing-related service provider and its racing community.

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Comments

H
TheBugattiFan said:
I thought Dirt Rally 2.0's dirt physics were the best out there? If anything I hope they continue to improve on the tarmac physics as they were the weak point in both Dirt Rally 1 and 2.0.
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If you have it, try rallycross on project cars 2, it's awesome. Same for snow physics. SMS were also exploring terrain deformation for their livetrack tech, that already supports things like sand+water -> mud, mud+sun -> sand with their system taking water flow into account and supporting multiple layers of terrain.
At some point just before codemasters acquisition, Ian Bell said on twitter they were going to make a rally game on madness, I still hope they'll do.
 
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Aki Korhonen
EA LOL! EA has never made or released a single good game! EA sucks consumers' money and produces the same garbage year after year.
 
R
I think the Dirt name is gone for now. And EA's comment on ditching PCARS was telling, in that they mentioned having a focus on annual, licenced titles.

I don't think there's any escaping that the new owners and the licence terms will make it feel less like a 'Dirt Rally' game, if such a thing can exist after two iterations.

And to me it's a pity there won't be a Dirt Rally 3. The DR games have been held back in some areas, but massively benefitted in others from not being as railroaded into a release cycle or having to spend 90% of their focus on the 3 WRC cars and specified locations. For example, the RGT cars on the USA and Poland stages are some of my favourite rally experiences of recent years.

Another thing I've enjoyed about the two DR titles is the simplicity of the menus and layout - there's the right amount of 'game' without needing too much licencing fuss or 'pazazz'. The stripped back feel has been great.


hotak said:
I really hope they'll make use of the madness engine's dirt physics, and not the EGO engine's one.

WRC Generations is really a great game, I don't feel like playing another dirt: rally with horrible stages and the same old phyisics and FFB, I didn't even play DR2 for more than 5 hours, while I already got 10+ in WRC:G.
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Did you and I play the same stages? I have a hundred hours in DR2 and the stages to me are exceptional. They're not the classic issue that rally games have where they try to cram every feature of a rally into a single stage, they look and feel 'real' to me. The only issue is they're quality over quantity and there's not enough of them!

Compare that to things like the Belgian stages in the WRC games that don't look anything like the Ypres rally in the slightest, apart from having some features and landmarks that appear in the backgrounds of photos.

There are some very nice stages in the recent WRC games though, granted. But they feel a lot more 'designed' to me.
 
Kurupt CDN
DiRT Rally 3.0 is the next expected title in the realistic rally simulation niche by Codemasters.

?
Personally, I don't care what they call it, as long as they focus on the realistic simulation part.

I realistic rally sim needs loose surface physics, dynamic track surface, tire wear, weather and good chassis/suspension feedback.

I've driven alot of different vehicles on the back roads of Alberta mountains.....and all I can say is that neither Dirt rally or Dirt rally 2 felt very realistic in the ffb and physics department.
I won't even get into the tarmac feel of those games.
 
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DRDNA333
hotak said:
If you have it, try rallycross on project cars 2, it's awesome. Same for snow physics. SMS were also exploring terrain deformation for their livetrack tech, that already supports things like sand+water -> mud, mud+sun -> sand with their system taking water flow into account and supporting multiple layers of terrain.
At some point just before codemasters acquisition, Ian Bell said on twitter they were going to make a rally game on madness, I still hope they'll do.
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I agree out of all the sims i have tested PC2 had the most realistic rallycross which also lead me to believe madness would be great at rally too. Only sim i have not tested rallycross in is iracing.
 
O
I'm okay with whatever they do because its all dead to me. :laugh:

That 1 billion buyout is truly one of the dumbest acquisitions I've ever seen in my life. It was bad already with CM putting out milquetoast duds for years, but now with EA riding them extra hard to make some of that money back? Forget it.
 
Ole Andreasen
The Flying Hun said:
Life can be so simple when you have no pressing needs or wishes. They want something from me, I don't want anything from them. That's good for me. Whatever they do, they'd better do it right, or I'll remain a shy boy and never answer their beckoning calls. Neither complexity nor drama in this situation. All is well. Comes time - comes code, then I will see.
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This is, hands down, in my opinion, the nicest reply to any thread in RD for years. Simple, honest and free from talking down to anyone. I salute that. It made my day a little happier.
 
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MuriloDX
I hope the KT Racing Studios doesn't give up to make rally games after they lost the WRC License.

They have more potential to explore than the Codemasters currently in hands of EA. Unfortunately, the Codemasters as we know doesn't exist anymore indeed.

Despite of the DiRT Franchise was cancelled, I hope that the KT sees it an opportunity to pursue the spirituality and sense of DiRT and bring the community and legacy further.
 
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B
doofus said:
My prediction: it will be called WRC '23, and will be a full price release, and for that full price you get the bare chassis of one car. Wheels, bodywork, engine etc will all be DLC. You want some opponents? Ok, you can buy the opponent pack DLC for £20. Whats that, you want some tracks to race on too? Ok, £10 each DLC please.
I'm joking of course, but it is EA after all so who knows!
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You may not be far off . They already said you will be able to custom build your own rally car.
They got the licence untill 2027 so it will be an yearly game.
 
MrLonguinha
Dirt/World WRC Rally. Hopefully in addition to all official content. That includes everything we had in Dirt Rally + Dirt Rally 2.0 plus some important cars that made history in the World Rally (possibility of including more than one skin).
Citroen Kit Car 1999 -Citroen Xsara WRC
Datsun Violet 160J + Violte GT
Mazda 323 4WD
Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 - Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 3 - Lancer Evo 4
Peugeot 307 WRC - Peugeot 504
Renault 5 Maxi Turbo
Saab 96/99
Seat Cordoba
Skoda Octavia - Skoda Fabia
Talbot Sunbean Lotus
Toyota Corolla 1973 - Toyota Corolla WRC - Toyota Celica GT-4 (ST165)
Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD (ST185) - Toyota Celica GT-Four (ST205)

Safari Rally, Corsica Rally, San Remo Rally, Germany Rally, Turkey Rally, Brazil Rally, Indonesia Rally.
 
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