Why EA Sports WRC’s 2024 Expansion Wasn’t A Whole New Game

When Codemasters revealed that EA Sports WRC would be getting a 2024 season expansion, we were delighted but also a little perplexed.

Not that we’ll complain about an expansion pack as opposed to a hardly-changed annual title, but it’s a path that EA Sports famously doesn’t take. Just look at annual releases for the licensed F1 games, and more notably the likes of FIFA (Sorry, EA FC) and for those of you who prefer handegg, Madden.

It wouldn’t have been a shock to see a full-priced WRC 24 follow-on from 2023’s game then, but that isn’t the case.

Mathew Battison, the game’s Creative Director, told Car Throttle the switch from basing the game on Codemaster’s Ego engine to Unreal was a large factor. He said: “From the outset, we prioritised technology and visuals to authentically capture the essence of rally with its vast stages and breathtaking environments.

“By leveraging Unreal Engine for the first time and focusing on current-generation hardware, we achieved the immersive experience we envisioned. Building upon this foundation through expansions enables us to continuously update and enhance the game for our players and create a comprehensive rallying platform that evolves alongside the sport.”

It’s unclear at this stage if F1 could eventually get the same treatment, or if it’ll follow suit with a move to Unreal Engine. When asked, Battison added: “We have learned a lot over the past 12 months and are happy with what we have achieved for WRC, but I cannot comment on other games.”

Following the 2024 expansion’s release earlier this week, WRC is also set for at least two more DLC packs – namely ‘Le Maestros’ set to drop over the winter and ‘Hard Chargers’ early next year.

These will include as-yet unconfirmed new cars, although Battison added “As passionate rally enthusiasts ourselves, our development team at Codemasters is always eager to explore new and exciting aspects of the sport,” suggesting new categories to the game are a possibility. We’ll be pinning our hopes on the never-raced Group S cars making an appearance at some stage.

Will the 2024 expansion set a trend for WRC going forward, or can we expect to see a new game in 2025? Battison didn’t confirm either way, saying: “At this time our focus is on the 2024 expansion and the two DLC packs, which have a ton of content for players to enjoy and stay close to the sport they love.” Time will tell…