WRC Gets a New Home After EA Exit—Nacon Promises Full Reboot of the Rally Series

The World Rally Championship (WRC) franchise is back on track—and it’s heading to Nacon. Yes, that Nacon. The one behind RoboCop: Rogue City, a game that made walking in slow motion look awesome again. But now, the publisher is trading Detroit for dirt roads, signing a six-year deal to officially bring WRC games to life from 2027 through 2032. So, what happened? Why is EA suddenly out of the driver’s seat? And should we be excited (or concerned) that the rally wheel’s back in Nacon’s hands? Buckle up—we’re about to take this corner at 140 km/h.

EA’s Rally Ride Ends in a Skid

Back in 2021, Electronic Arts scooped up Codemasters, the UK studio famous for DiRT, GRID, and just generally making driving feel cooler than it is in real life. With that, EA inherited the WRC license and eventually dropped EA Sports WRC in 2023—a game that had slick handling but a few bumpy bugs, like a rally car that looks good but occasionally loses a tire mid-stage.

Then, just a month ago, EA hit the brakes—hard. The publisher announced it was “pausing development” on future rally games, laying off staff, and officially parting ways with the World Rally Championship. That left fans scratching their heads (and gripping their gearsticks), wondering: is this the end of WRC games? Short answer? Nope. Long answer: Enter Nacon.

Nacon Takes the Wheel—Again

If the name Nacon sounds familiar, it’s because they’ve been here before. Under their former name, Bigben Interactive, they held the WRC license from 2013 to 2022, releasing nine titles that ranged from “solid” to “eh, that was a nice try.”

Now, Nacon is back in the driver’s seat, having inked a deal with the WRC to develop and publish all official rally games (plus eSports competitions) for six full seasons starting in 2027. That’s a big commitment—like buying a whole rally team and promising not to crash it into a tree.

According to the official statement, this new partnership is aimed at rebooting the entire WRC game series, building from scratch to meet expectations of both hardcore rally fans and curious newcomers who just want to see what happens when you drift around a snowy cliff at 120 mph.

A “Complete Reboot” with Real Rallies and Real Dirt

What makes this deal exciting isn’t just the length—it’s the vision. Nacon says they’re creating an all-new series, featuring:

• Real rallies
• Authentic teams, drivers, and cars
• Official sponsors
• An immersive experience that mirrors the real-world championship

So yes, we’re talking about a full rally sim reboot—less “arcade spinout” and more “mud-in-your-face realism.” That could mean dynamic weather, road wear, damage modelling, and maybe even co-driver panic mode. Okay, that last one’s wishful thinking, but you never know.

WRC’s CMO Says: Let’s Make This Epic

Arne Dirks, Chief Marketing Officer for the WRC, had this to say about the move:

“Nacon’s vision for the franchise stands out, and their expertise in delivering great rally games is unquestioned. We look forward to breaking new ground… to truly turn the WRC games into epic adventures.”

Big words—but Nacon’s got six years to back them up. And let’s not forget, they already built WRC Generations, which fans praised for being one of their best efforts to date. So maybe this reboot has more traction than we think.

Another juicy part of the deal? Nacon will handle the official WRC eSports competitions, too. That means more online tournaments, pro-level time trials, and probably some Twitch streams of players rage-quitting over missed pacenotes. This integrated approach—games plus eSports—could help Nacon steer WRC into a new era of relevance. Think of it like turning a rally car into a streaming star.

What About EA Sports WRC?

For those wondering, EA Sports WRC wasn’t exactly a flop. It sold reasonably well and even got a thumbs-up from Eurogamer, who praised its handling but noted a few technical stumbles. But clearly, EA didn’t see enough return on investment to keep the franchise going. And in this economy, if you’re not FIFA or The Sims, you’re on thin ice. So EA’s loss is Nacon’s gain. And as of now, WRC fans can officially start looking forward to 2027, when the mud flies again.