Codemasters, renowned for its expertise in racing games over nearly three decades, is experiencing a period of layoffs. This decision was announced following the official end of its partnership with the World Rally Championship (WRC) and the suspension of future rally game development. As a result, confirmed layoffs have been reported to our colleagues at VGC, as the British studio states it intends to “reduce certain positions,” while reassigning as many collaborators as possible to other divisions within EA Sports; Codemasters has been owned by Electronic Arts since 2021. It is clear that Codemasters is moving forward from a significant part of its history. Founded in the 1980s, the studio became an undisputed reference in racing games, particularly in rally, with titles like Colin McRae Rally (1998) and the DiRT and WRC series. Today, this long journey concludes quietly, with a statement simply noting an “end of the road.”
This decision aligns with a broader reorganization at Electronic Arts, as the American publisher recently announced large-scale job cuts potentially affecting up to 400 employees. The acquisition of Codemasters for $1.2 billion in 2021 saw EA promising to create a “global leader in automotive entertainment,” capable of offering “new racing experiences each year.” This acquisition granted EA access to the F1, WRC, GRID, DiRT, and Project CARS licenses, complementing existing franchises like Need for Speed and Burnout. The vision appeared ambitious, almost too good to be true.
Two years later, the situation is markedly different. In 2022, the DiRT 5 team had already been integrated into Criterion Games to support the production of Need for Speed. Following the recent release of F1 23, certain sources indicate that the latest Formula One and World Rally Championship titles have underperformed commercially, contributing to internal pressures within the company. The impending layoffs, the exact number of which is yet to be determined, signify not only a departure from past practices but also a significant strategic shift. If EA plans to redirect Codemasters toward other projects more aligned with the corporation’s anticipated performance metrics, it marks a substantial chapter in video game history coming to a close.
