Codemasters halts rally sim development and WRC partnership, layoffs confirmed

In an unexpected shift for a studio long synonymous with the genre, Codemasters is officially stepping away from rally racing simulators. While Formula One has become their primary focus under EA, rally sims have been an integral part of Codemasters' identity for decades, from the days of Colin McRae Rally to the Dirt series.

In an official blog post, the studio revealed they are ceasing development support for EA Sports WRC and ending their WRC cooperation after just one game. Not only that, but Codemasters stated they do not intend to create any further rally racing simulations for the time being.

As some may have anticipated following this significant shift, the studio has confirmed that layoffs sadly accompany this transition. Speaking to VGC, Codemasters confirmed they are “eliminating roles” as they complete their rally development pipeline. The exact number of affected positions wasn't specified, though the studio noted that efforts are being made to reassign some employees to other EA Sports projects and teams.

These layoffs at Codemasters are not isolated incidents within EA. They come shortly after EA announced broader job cuts affecting around 300 positions across the company, which reportedly included Respawn Entertainment cutting about 100 staff and cancelling a Titanfall extraction shooter project. Unfortunately, this also marks the second time Codemasters has recently had to reduce its workforce, having also laid off staff in December 2023.

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KitGuru says: Did you play any of Codemasters' rally games? Which one was your favourite?

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