It’s been a long time since Codemasters last decided to play in the dirt. It’s been three years since the last game in the rally racing franchise, Dirt: Showdown, was released. Though many fans ignore the arcade-style spinoff and choose to remember the last game in the main series, four since Dirt 3, which was released in 2011.
So it was a bit of a shock when Codemasters announced the PC-exclusive release of Dirt Rally yesterday. And it was even more of a shock when the developer revealed that it’s available to buy now (for $34.99) through Steam’s Early Access program.
The developer is currently looking for feedback from fans to shape the future of the franchise, but Dirt Rally has launched with the following features already available:
- 17 Cars in 6 New and Classic Classes – Including BMW M3 Evo, Audi Quattro S1, Lancia Delta HF Integrale, and Subaru Impreza.
- Diverse Locales – 36 challenging stages set across Hafren, Wales; Monte Carlo, Monaco; and Argolis, Greece.
- Team Management – Hire up to four engineering staff to work on your car between stages.
- Rally Async – Daily, weekly, and month-long challenges against fellow players from around the world without the need to be online at the same time.
- Rally Seasons – Compete in a succession of events with the aim of gaining promotion to the next rung on the driving ladder.
- Custom Rally Events – Take any car on any track and configure and compete in single or multi-stage events against the AI’s times.
- Upgrades – Unlock the full potential of your car with meaningful improvements to its handling and performance.
- Tuning – Tweak your car set-up based on car, track and weather conditions to best suit your racing style.
- Physics-Based Assists – Dirt Rally allows players to experience cars in their purest form. It also offers a selection of real world assists similar to those seen in race and road vehicles as traction control and ABS.
- Damage and Repairs – Wear and tear is faithfully recreated with a comprehensive and realistic damage model. Damage can be repaired by hiring Engineers to work in the team’s Service Area between stages but with a finite amount of time available.
Codemasters will bring “regular free updates” to Dirt Rally throughout the Early Access period, which is expected to last into 2016. It’s unknown when, or even if, Dirt Rally will make an appearance on consoles.
