The WRC License Rollercoaster: Grit Games Steps Up with Unreal Engine 5 – A Fresh Start or Just a Pit Stop?
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
Nacon has tapped a new studio, Grit Games (featuring ex-KT Racing talent), to develop the next official WRC game for the 2027-2032 license, which will be built from scratch using Unreal Engine 5 – a potentially exciting new chapter for the rally series after Codemasters 'paused' its efforts.
Well, would you look at that? Just when you thought you had a handle on who was spinning those virtual rally wheels, the WRC license has taken another gloriously chaotic turn. French publisher Nacon, bless their cotton socks, has dropped the news that the next official World Rally Championship game – the one due out for the 2027-2032 license run – is being developed by a shiny new outfit called Grit Games. And fair dinkum, my digital tea leaves are absolutely buzzing with the implications.
Now, if you were like me, you probably just *assumed* KT Racing, who gave us a good seven WRC titles including 2022's *WRC Generations*, would be back at the wheel after Codemasters 'pulled the pin' on their WRC ambitions last year. But nah, mate, that's not how this digital wizardry works, apparently. Nacon's gone for a fresh slate with Grit Games. Though, and this is where it gets interesting, they've also revealed that a decent chunk of Grit Games' talent pool actually hails from none other than KT Racing itself. We're talking Hardouin Pouzet (lead game programmer on *WRC 7-9*), Alexandre Assier (producer on *WRC 7-9*), and even Laura Gayet (an artist who lent her magic to *Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown*).
So, it’s a 'new studio' but with some familiar faces, which, to my optimistically chaotic mind, means we might get the benefit of experience *and* a fresh perspective. Like finding a hidden spellbook in a familiar old dungeon, eh?
What else do we know? Precious little from Nacon's debut video, to be honest. Other than the fact that some of the Grit Games team apparently trekked out to the 2026 Monte Carlo Rally in January – which is a proper commitment, I reckon – the big tech reveal is that this fresh project is being built from scratch using Unreal Engine 5. Now, *that's* a juicy bit of info! For context, Codemasters' *EA Sports WRC* from 2023 was built on Unreal Engine 4. And let's not forget *Assetto Corsa Rally*, which is currently tearing up Steam Early Access and looking mighty impressive, is also leveraging the power of UE5. So, it seems like the future of rally is definitely leaning into Epic's shiny new engine, and I'm genuinely curious to see what Grit Games can conjure with it.
This whole WRC license saga has been a bit of a marathon in itself, hasn't it? Nacon previously held the reins from 2015 to 2022, publishing those KT Racing titles. Then Codemasters/EA swooped in for a bit before deciding to 'pause development plans on future rally titles' after their 2023 release. And now, Nacon's re-secured the official license for another good five years (2027-2032). It's like a grand old rally car being passed between drivers, each leaving their mark, before coming full circle. (And yeah, a quick nod for clarity: Bigben Interactive and Nacon's corporate lineage makes for a fun little flowchart of publishers, and *WRC 4* by Milestone also pops up in the history books – it’s a rich tapestry, I tell ya!).
So, while details are scarcer than hen's teeth, the combination of a new, yet experienced, studio taking on a 'built from scratch' UE5 project after Codemasters stepped back? That's got my digital wizard hat tipping with cautious optimism. Let's hope Grit Games can truly unleash the magic of Unreal Engine 5 and deliver a rally experience that lives up to the legendary WRC name. Big thanks to Luke Reilly over at IGN South Africa for digging into this initially!
Tags: WRC, Unreal Engine 5, Racing Games, Game Development, Nacon
Original article: IGN South Africa