EA Sports has silently changed theDiRTTwitter and Instagram handles from @DiRTGame to @EASportsRally which could indicate a rebranding of the Codemasters rally racing game.
With no announcement or fanfare publisher, EA Sports and developer Codemasters changed the social media handles of theDiRTrally series on March 22nd, 2022. This change could indicate a rebranding of the franchise and a change of direction for the rally racerDiRT, and its simulation-based spin-offDiRT 2.0. This would be the second rebranding in the franchise’s history with the previous iterations namedColin McRae Rallyafter the late legend himself.
RELATED:Dirt Developer Codemasters Working on Most Ambitious Triple-A Game Yet
If this is the case and a rebranding is indeed inbound, it will come as little surprise to fans of the series that have followed the recent developments at Codemasters. Back in February 2022,EA Sports acquired Codemastersin a $1.2 billion deal that saw the racing devs become part of the EA Sports stable. The deal brought with it the control of Codemasters' stellar lineup of racing titles includingDirt, Grid, F1,andProject Cars.
With the resources provided by its new parent company, Codemasters is said to be working on an as-yet-unannounced AAA game. Speculation is rife as to what this title could be, with rumors suggesting EA may be considering handing over the reigns of a proposedreboot ofNeed For Speedto Codemasters. Another route EA may consider is handing over the IP for theBurnoutfranchise to Codemasters, but handing over the development ofBurnoutorNeed For Speedwould conflict with EA’s statement when they made the acquisition, saying that the studio would remain an independent group for the foreseeable future.
However, a rebranding ofDiRTsuggests this unannounced game could in fact be a new rally game instead of a title based on an existing EA racing franchise. This could come in the form of a new fully licensed WRC game asCodemasters acquired the WRC licenseback in 2020. Similar to the currentF1series it is possible that EA could release the new title annually under the EA Sports umbrella with the previously plannedDiRT Rally 3reportedly scrapped in late 2021.
After EA acquired Codemasters and coupled with the dramatic finale of thereal world F1 championshipF1 2021’s sales nearly doubled in EA’s Q3 2022 earnings call for the period ending June 15, 2025. If we are to receive a newEA Sports Rallygame then it is understandable that EA and Codemasters would wish to mimic theF1model as closely as possible within the confines of the sport.
