EA Sports WRC is finally here. Taking over the reins from KT Racing, Codemasters has secured the WRC game license between 2023 and 2027, with EA Sports WRC being their first official WRC title.
EA Sports WRC is out now on PC, PS5, and Xbox. We've got everything you need to know about EA Sports WRC (WRC 23) right here.
Latest news - Update 1.8 brings VR to the rally
The latest update to EA Sports WRC has arrived, bringing with it one of the most heavily requested features to the game. Update 1.8 finally adds VR to the game, throwing players deep into the immersion of rallying.
There is a small catch, however. VR is only available to PC players, with Codemasters confirming there are no plans for VR support on console. This once again prevents PSVR2 players from experiencing the full rally immersion.
Along with adding VR, Update 1.8 also brings a wide range of bug fixes and game improvements to EA Sports WRC. This includes preventing crashes, increasing crowd audio at stage starts, and upgrading stages to reduce framerate issues.
EA Sports WRC review
Rally fans rejoice: following the early access launch, EA Sports WRC is out now for all players.
Find out if it's the game rally fans have been waiting for in our full EA Sports WRC review.
EA Sports WRC guides
If you're struggling to get to grips with EA Sports WRC, our wide range of guides will help you conquer each stage.
If you're finding your co-driver hard to work with, take a look at our how to change your co-driver settings guide.
Don't know your miles from your kilometres? Change your units with our how to change metric/imperial units guide.
Finding the rally too easy or difficult? We show you how to change the difficulty in EA Sports WRC here.
Want to dominate on both controller and wheel? We've got guides for both the best controller and the best wheel settings.
Do you want to change your controller settings? This guide will show you how.
We also have a full list of compatible wheels for EA Sports WRC if you're not sure if yours will work.
If you use a Moza wheel, we have a guide for how to fix the EA Sports WRC Moza issue.
EA Sports WRC interview with Codemasters
We caught up with Codemasters' senior creative director Ross Gowing to get the lowdown on how EA Sports WRC is reinventing the rally game. We cover a wide range of topics from the game's origins to the inspiration behind the innovative car builder.
Codemasters also confirmed to us that EA Sports WRC will have a special tribute to Craig Breen after the rally driver was killed in a crash during a test session for the 2023 Croatia Rally. Check out our EA Sports WRC interview here.
EA Sports WRC
Kylotonn has developed every World Rally Championship game since WRC 5 in 2015, culminating with 2022's WRC Generations. Now, Codemasters is helming the official WRC series for the foreseeable future between 2023 and 2027, beginning with EA Sports WRC.
Codies are very experienced developers, having developed the official Formula 1 game since 2009 and other rally titles such as Dirt 5 and DiRT Rally. It's fair to say, then, that WRC is in safe hands going forward.
Trailer
EA Sports WRC was announced in a reveal trailer on 5 September. You can watch the reveal trailer below showcasing EA Sports WRC's new graphics engine and Rally1 hybrid cars in action.
An Unreal Engine under the bonnet
EA Sports WRC will be Codemasters' first game to utilise Unreal Engine. This is a welcome surprise as every Codemasters game since F1 2010 has used the studio's in-house EGO engine, including the DiRT Rally games. Ditching the old EGO engine and switching to Unreal should bring a generational leap in visual fidelity.
With EA Sports WRC powered by a new engine, it could be a matter of time until Codemasters' F1 series switches to Unreal Engine.
Stage list: 18 locations and over 200 stages
Upgrading to Unreal Engine has enabled Codemasters to produce longer and more detailed stages for EA Sports WRC.
EA Sports WRC will feature 18 official WRC locations and over 600km (370 miles) of challenging terrain on asphalt, gravel, and snow, with over 200 stages at launch - more than WRC Generations' 165 special stages. You can find the EA Sports WRC stage list here.
Twelve of the thirteen official WRC 2023 stages will be in EA Sports WRC at launch, with Central Rally Europe coming in a free post-release update. This is a new stage introduced in the 2023 WRC calendar that starts in Prague and takes drivers on a challenging route through the Czech Republic, Austria and Lower Bavaria.
Chile and Mexico also return to the calendar this year, while Rally New Zealand, Catalunya and Belgium leave the roster for 2023.
For the first time in a Codemasters rally game, stages can be tackled in Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter seasons. Tackling the same stage in summer or winter will offer radically different challenges and experiences.
Car list
EA Sports WRC boasts ten official WRC, WRC2, and Junior WRC cars from Ford, Toyota, and Hyundai. These include the new 4WD Rally1 hybrids introduced in last year's season that are some of the fastest cars in the sport’s history. These cars incorporate a hybrid system you'll need to manage. Braking charges the battery. Once charged, you'll get a speed boost when applying the throttle.
Kalle Rovanpera's Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid stars on the PS5 cover. The Hyundai i20 Rally1 Hybrid and Ford Puma Rally1 Hybrid will appear on the Xbox and PC covers respectively.
Some of the driver highlights include Toyota's Kalle Rovanpera, the current world champion. There's also eight-time champion Sebastian Ogier, also for Toyota and Ott Tanak, who drives for Ford.
Recent WRC games have also included historical content. EA Sports WRC is no exception, with 68 iconic rally cars spanning 60 years of the sport.
Returning classic cars include the Citroen C3 Rally, Ford Fiesta Rally, and Colin McRae’s iconic 1998 Subaru Impreza S4 Rally.
You can view the full EA Sports WRC car list here.
Career mode
EA Sports WRC's core career mode sees you create a team much like F1 23's My Team mode to take on the gruelling World Rally Championship. Unlike past WRC games, you can work your way up from the bottom in Junior WRC or start straight at the top in the Rally1 class.
You'll then work with a Chief Engineer and Benefactor, who will supply funding and give you objectives. Drive well, and you'll earn a bigger budget for hiring teammates, recruiting engineers, and buying new cars.
Build your own rally car
One of the most popular EA Sports WRC rumours was the ability to build your own rally car. These rumours were true.
Just as rumours confirmed, EA Sports WRC's new Builder mode lets you build your own modern-era car from scratch. This begins with selecting the chassis, body shells, and mechanical components before customising the interior and exterior. A livery editor also lets you personalise your car's appearance.
A previous leak detailed that you need to stick to your budget and rely on used components to stay financially secure. Everything can be customised, right down to the mudflaps.
You'll even be able to test your ride before letting it hit the stage. This ensures it looks as good drifting around a corner as it does in the garage. EA Sports WRC's radical Build mode sounds similar to the F1 My Team creation system but far more in-depth.
Platforms
We now know that EA Sports WRC will launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via EA App, Epic Store, and Steam. Unfortunately, this means WRC fans who haven't upgraded to the current platforms will miss out with EA Sports WRC skipping PS4 and Xbox One.
EA Sports WRC will be Codemasters' first current-gen-only title as F1 23 also launched on PS4 and Xbox One. This will be a welcome relief for fans as it means last-gen platforms won't compromise EA Sports.
The PC version will support VR in a post-launch update, immersing players into the world of rally driving. PSVR 2 support is yet to be confirmed, but none of Codemasters' racing titles have supported Sony's headset so far.
Crossplay multiplayer
Online, EA Sports WRC will have crossplay multiplayer across all platforms for up to 32 players competing for the best stage time. EA's Racenet companion app will also let players organise custom tournaments with the option to set rallies and times of day.
Similar to F1 23's F1 Replay mode, a 'Moments' mode will bring daily challenges with scenarios inspired by the 2023 WRC season and historic events from the sport's 60-year history.
Rally Pass
EA Sports WRC will launch with a Rally Pass. Like Battle Pass systems in other games, this lets you unlock customisation items for drivers and cars across seven seasons by earning XP.
These include racing suits, gloves, and helmets for drivers, along with decals for the livery editor. Liveries can also be unlocked for the Ford Puma Rally1 Hybrid, Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid, and Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid.
There will be five seasons, with each lasting seven – eight weeks:
- Season 1 - 7 Weeks - Starting at Launch
- Season 2 - 8 Weeks - Starting December 2023
- Season 3 - 8 Weeks - Coming in 2024
- Season 4 - 8 Weeks - Coming in 2024
- Season 5 - 8 Weeks - Coming in 2024
Thankfully, there won't be any in-game currency or XP boosting microtransactions. The Rally Pass also won't lock exclusive cars or stages.
Trophies and achievements
EA has revealed the 26 achievements worth 1,000 gamerscore and 27 trophies (yes, there is a Platinum trophy) dedicated players can collect in EA Sports WRC.
You can view the EA Sports WRC trophy and achievement list here.
