WRC Games Find New Publisher After Development Ends at EA

Summary

Nacon has stepped in to take over the license for the WRC game franchise.
Electronic Arts recently parted ways with the racing game series.
A new WRC title will reportedly be released in 2027.

The WRC video game franchise has found a new home just weeks after Electronic Arts officially ended its involvement with the popular racing series. French publisher Nacon has stepped in to take over the license, securing the rights to develop and publish official WRC games for years to come.

The WRC game series, based on the FIA World Rally Championship, debuted in 2001 and has gone through multiple iterations under various developers. Most recently, EA Sports WRC launched in 2023, developed by Codemasters, a subsidiary of Electronic Arts. However, despite five post-launch seasons of content and two paid DLCs, EA confirmed it would no longer continue development of WRC, effectively pulling the plug on its tenure with the franchise.

TriSplit of a car from Forza Horizon 5, a car driving down a sand dune from Dakar Desert Rally and a car drifting around a corner from Art Of Rally

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By Sam Carrick

Less than a month after the announcement that EA would drop the WRC, the popular racing rally franchise has found a new publisher. Nacon, which previously published WRC games from 2013 to 2022, has now entered into a new agreement with WRC Promoter to publish official titles from 2027 through 2032. The publisher is already known for its involvement in motorsport titles, including Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown and MXGP 24 The Official Game, making it a familiar name in the racing genre. Nacon will be responsible for both the development and publishing of future WRC games, and will also own all rights to exploit the WRC franchise in esports, leaving fans hoping for more rally competitions in the future.

New WRC Game Scheduled For 2027

The announcement marks a significant shift for the WRC games, as Nacon plans a complete reboot of the franchise. The first title under the new agreement is currently slated for release in 2027, with development expected to begin soon. With a complete reboot on the way, Nacon stated its intention to provide a fresh take on rally racing gameplay, appealing both to longtime rally fans and new players. However, no concrete details have been confirmed yet, and fans will have to wait a little longer to know what’s next for WRC in the years to come.

While the next official WRC title is still a few years away, fans of the genre have other options to explore in the meantime. In 2025, several racing games from the GameCube era are making a comeback with fresh titles, like Kirby Air Riders, Mario Kart World, and Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds. For those looking for more realistic games, the WRC franchise is a safe bet, just like Forza Horizon or Need for Speed.