Codemasters has officially announced that there will be no more expansions for 2023's EA Sports WRC, marking the end of their development journey with the game. In a more disheartening turn, the studio has also confirmed that it is "pausing development plans on future rally titles." This news was shared through an announcement on EA.com.

Reflecting on their journey, Codemasters stated, “Our WRC partnership was a culmination of sorts for our Codemasters journey with off-road racing, spanning decades through titles like Colin McRae Rally, and Dirt. We’ve provided a home for every rally enthusiast, striving tirelessly to push the boundaries and deliver the exhilarating thrill of driving on the ragged edge. We’ve brought together incredibly talented racing developers, worked with some of the sport’s icons, and had the opportunity to share our love of rallying.”

The World Rally Championship has responded to this news on social media, hinting that the “WRC gaming franchise is going in an ambitious new direction with more news coming in the near future.”

This decision by EA to halt Codemasters' rally game development will be a tough blow for motorsports enthusiasts, especially following EA’s acquisition of the storied British racing studio in 2020. The announcement comes amidst reports of over 300 layoffs at EA, including roughly 100 at Respawn Entertainment.

Codemasters has been a leader in rally video games for nearly three decades, starting with the iconic 1998 release, Colin McRae Rally. This pioneering rally simulation launched a series of successful and highly respected racing games. After the tragic passing of Colin McRae in 2007, the series evolved, dropping McRae's name and continuing as Dirt. The 2009 release, Dirt 2 (known as Colin McRae: Dirt 2 in Europe and other PAL regions), marked a significant transition for the series, which was later reinvented as a hardcore simulation with 2015's Dirt Rally.

The 2023 release, EA Sports WRC, was the first Codemasters rally game to feature an official WRC license since 2002's Colin McRae Rally 3. According to IGN's review, EA Sports WRC built upon the class-leading feel of 2019's Dirt Rally 2.0, integrating it into an officially licensed World Rally Championship experience. However, the game struggled with technical issues, described as a "great racing game trying to fight its way out of an unfinished one." Subsequent updates aimed to address these problems, particularly the screen tearing issues.