It’s a great time to be a rally game fan. WRC Generations is out now for players who pre-ordered the Fully Loaded Edition (unless you’re trying to play it on Xbox) before tomorrow’s general launch. Last month also saw the release of Dakar Desert Rally, the first official Dakar Rally game in four years.
While it captured the gruelling nature of Dakar and the Sport mode gives us MotorStorm vibes, a few teething troubles let it down from overly aggressive AI to lacklustre wheel support.
Dakar Desert Rally update 1.4 out now on all platforms
Thankfully these issues are addressed in the latest Dakar Desert Rally patch. After rolling out on PC a few weeks ago, update 1.4 is now available to download on PlayStation and Xbox platforms.
As the Dakar Desert Rally Update 1.4 patch notes reveal, the new update brings a number of fixes including changes to the AI behaviour and handling improvements for bikes and quads that make them more stable and easier to counter-steer.
Auto save issues are also fixed and force feedback support for compatible wheels is also mercifully improved.
In addition, the update adds a “Free Custom Play” option, meaning players can finally set up custom events outside of the career mode. Missing features like this and the Road Book editor made the game feel unfinished at launch.
Strangely, however, the Saudi Arabia Extended Map DLC isn’t included in the console update, despite being available on PC.
You can find a full list of changes, fixes, and improvements in the Dakar Desert Rally update 1.4 patch notes below.
Dakar Desert Rally Update 1.4 patch notes
New Features
- Added "Free Custom Play", also known as "Quickplay", in the Free Mode menu
- Implemented "Note Passed" message in the HUD for better navigation
General
- Fixed auto-save issues
- Improved AI to help bots overtake players and their driving behavior
- Improvements with Bike handling to have better counter steering
- Improvements with Quad handling for more stability and counter steering
- Fixed the incorrect country flag display in player profiles
Wheel Support
- Thrustmaster T248 (PS5)
- Thrustmaster T-GT (PS4 / PS5)
- Thrustmaster T-GT2 (PS4 / PS5)
- Thrustmaster TMX (Xbox One / Xbox Series S / Xbox Series X)
- Thrustmaster TS-XW (Xbox One / Xbox Series X)
- Thrustmaster T80 (PS4 / PS5)
- Thrustmaster T150 (PS4 / PS5)
- Thrustmaster T300 (PS4 / PS5)
- Thrustmaster T300RS (PS4 / PS5)
- Thrustmaster F458 (Xbox One / Xbox Series X)
- Logitech G29 (PS4 / PS5)
- Logitech G920 (Xbox Series X)
- Logitech G923 (PS5)
- Fanatec CSL Elite (PS4 / PS5)
- Fanatec CSL Elite (WRC) (Xbox One / Xbox Series X)
- Support for both Steering Wheel H-Pattern and Steering Wheel Hand Brakes with supported brands
- Force Feedback Support was added to all supported wheels
Multiplayer
- Fixed issues with vehicle lights not being on or off
- Fixed trying to spectate your team when the car was already destroyed
- Fixed that the spectator camera is placed under the textures and doesn't switch between users after finishing the race
- Fixed penalties not being added to clients when far from the host
- Fixed vehicle velocity not being updated when the client vehicle is far from the host
- Fixed the helicopter behind the client when starting
- Fixed when spectator joins race and music was not playing
- Fixed “Racing Music Playlist” not starting when a spectator joins a race