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A racing story, amplified.
The latest DIRT 5 video is now live, featuring interviews with voice-over cast Troy Baker, Nolan North and Donut Media, as well as Dialogue Producer Olly Johnson, revealing how the game’s unique and engaging narrative was pieced together.
With our latest video comes the launch date of October 9 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC via Steam. More pre-orders are also now live for DIRT 5; head to dirtgame.com/dirt5 and pick the platform of your choice for all the latest links and details.
Following October 9, DIRT 5 will also be launching on Xbox Series X and PlayStations, using the power of next-gen consoles to create an off-road racing game that’s truly groundbreaking – in more ways than one. Check out Xbox’s recent interview with Technical Director David Springate, for more information on the technical breakthroughs coming in DIRT 5’s next-gen launch.
We’re massively excited to confirm October 9 as the beginning of DIRT 5’s launch, alongside some new in-game screenshots and a special video, featuring some of the stars of DIRT 5’s amplified world of racing. With Career mode being our focus throughout June, we wanted to deliver you some insight on how the series’ most ambitious story ever is weaved into DIRT 5’s Career, through the voice acting work of industry stars Troy Baker and Nolan North, along with James Pumphrey and Nolan Sykes from the off-the-wall car culture channel Donut Media.
Baker takes on the role of Alex ‘AJ’ Janicek, an icon of the DIRT World Series and fan favourite who becomes the player’s mentor. North, meanwhile, portrays Bruno Durand, the cold and calculated racer who’s hell-bent on dominating another racing series, by any means necessary. All the while, the Donut team host an in-game podcast that drives the story forward, with breaking news, major interviews and big-time pot-stirring on their audio show.
We caught up with all four of the crew, as well as our Dialogue Producer Olly Johnson, to get all details on the DIRT 5 recording sessions and how their work brings the Career mode to life. From the extensive background material created for the main characters, to the unique approach to recording and storytelling, to the instant chemistry of everyone involved, this video sheds light on how the dynamic and entertaining narrative of DIRT 5 that you’ll experience was put together.
This star-studded story sits in the franchise’s biggest Career mode to date, with 130 events, five chapters, nine event types, real-world sponsors, optional objectives, choice-driven progression and so much more. But don’t worry – we’ve got a full deep dive on Career that breaks it all down for you.
We’ve got plenty more features to reveal for DIRT 5 on our journey to launch, beginning from October 9 on Xbox One, PS4 and PC, followed shortly by Xbox Series X and PS5, then Google Stadia in early 2021. Chat with with team and fellow fans by joining the game’s official Discord channel.
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Hey everyone,
As always, we hope you are all staying well and healthy, and hope our games are continuing to bring you entertainment and escapism during this time. For anyone playing Codies games right now, always feel free to drop us a message on our social channels, the Forums or official Discord channels. Show us what you’re up to and chat with the Codemasters team on all things DIRT, GRID and F1.
Each of our live titles have been busy the last fortnight with big news drops, important updates and major events – and they were joined by the reveal of a new Slightly Mad Studios game! So, plenty to get through as always…
DIRT 5
Well… we did tell you that DIRT 5’s focus for June would be on Career mode!
Less than halfway through June and we’ve dropped a huge amount of details on how our amplified off-road racer’s main single-player mode will be laid out. We kicked off June with the reveal of the DIRT Podcast by Donut Media – DIRT 5’s in-game audio show, hosted by Donut’s James Pumphrey and Nolan Sykes. This podcast drives the Career mode’s story forward with news drops, big interviews and pot-stirring galore. We’re taking some episodes of the show and posting them on an official SoundCloud page, to give you a taster of what to expect. Look out for a new episode tomorrow, with a special guest…
Following that, we dropped the knowledge, with a full deep dive into Career mode’s story, progression, events and more. Check out the blog post for full details, but here are your headlines: Over 130 events across nine event types; a star-studded story with Troy Baker’s character (Alex ‘AJ’ Janicek) mentoring you and Nolan North’s character (Bruno Durand) going against you; choice-driven progression with multiple paths to the top; race for 20 real-world sponsors including Fatlace, Michelin and Monster Energy, each with unique liveries; team up with four-player split-screen integration… and breathe. Phew! DIRT 5’s Career is the most ambitious ever seen from the series. That’s what we’re getting at.
On top of that, Technical Director David Springate joined Xbox’s Major Nelson to chat all things DIRT 5 on Xbox Series X, breaking down all the ways the game harnesses next-gen console power. Check out the video below, or the Xbox Wire post:
We’ve still got more to reveal this month, but for now, make sure to bookmark dirtgame.com/dirt5 for all news on pre-orders and more. Pre-orders on Steam are live, as well as selected retailers for Xbox One and PS4. We’ll keep you posted as more pre-orders are available, including for Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. Now… I need a lie down.
– Chris
GRID
GRID has had some tweaks under the hood since our last update. Namely, fixing an irritating bug that stuck you in last place after completing hot lap qualifying. Make sure you update your game (and change your oil regularly) to ensure GRID is working at peak performance.
Right now, Nintendo Switch players in select territories can get a discount on GRID Autosport. You’ll have to be quick though, the offer ends very soon! Head to the Nintendo eShop before the 14th of June to get the Nintendo Switch’s most authentic racing experience for 30% off.
Don’t forget to head to our socials every Friday afternoon where we’ll be sharing the #FreeplayFriday challenge. Last week was in Paris with the Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth – think you can beat it?
F1
Welcome to a brand new Racing Line – and as usual there’s an awful LOT to talk about this time around! Without any further ado, let’s get going, shall we?
Michael Schumacher. Without question, the most successful F1® driver of all time, arguably the G.O.A.T. Last week, we released a trailer, narrated by F1®’s very own digital reporter Will Buxton, (or Heiko Wasser if you’re German-speaking) that looked at the four iconic cars that feature in the Deluxe Schumacher Edition of F1® 2020 – and forgive us if we get a bit misty-eyed.
And if you missed the news we released a few weeks ago, Will Buxton is going to be a part of F1® 2020… we’ll be showing you more on that soon!
Ahead of last weekend’s Virtual Grand Prix, we released a hot lap around the streets of Baku in F1® 2020, and you can check this out here.
Talking about Virtual Grand Prix – did you watch it this last weekend? If you didn’t, now is the perfect time to catch up. You missed an epic race from Jarno Opmeer in the F1® Esports Pro Exhibition race, as he made his debut for the Alfa Romeo Racing F1® Esports team! That action carried on to the Virtual Grand Prix too, as George Russell took an impressive third win in a row.
Catch up with the F1® Esports Exhibition race highlights here, and the Virtual Grand Prix highlights here.
The last Virtual Grand Prix on F1® 2019 will be taking place this weekend on the virtual Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. There’s one epic lineup for this race, so make sure you tune in live on F1®’s YouTube, Twitch and Facebook from 5 BST for the F1® Esports Pro Exhibition, and 6pm BST for the Virtual Grand Prix on Sunday June 14th!
See you there, then?
– Jenny
DIRT RALLY 2.0
Hello everyone – here’s what’s going on in the world of Rally.
World RX Esports Series – Yas Marina – After two successful World RX Esports Invitationals, a series of four events is now underway, taking us up to the end of July with more big-name rallycross action.
Our recent event was held at the Yas Marina Circuit, with 20 pro drivers and 10 sim racers taking part in separate categories. Charles Leclerc was the star attraction, the Ferrari F1 driver getting a traditional rallycross welcome, with bumps and scrapes everywhere. He even rolled his car at one point, before getting the hang of things and winning his 4th Qualifying Heat. Sadly for Charles it wasn’t enough to take him into the Semi-Finals, but for those that did make it some hectic races awaited. If you haven’t seen the action yet, we’ve got a full playlist over on YouTube, and if you’re not worried about spoilers the race report is here. The next round is at Hell (Norway) on June 21.
The Solberg World Cup – Final Round – Over 16,000 players have been rallying for the past few months and it all comes down to this, the Solberg World Cup’s final Event is upon us and we’re off to Wales.
Many players, myself included, have been enjoying the Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 these past few months, so it only seems fitting that Volkswagen are lending their support behind the final round. They’re bringing some pretty sweet prizes, including the actual Manufacturers’ trophy from the 2014 Wales Rally, and a real-life steering wheel from their Polo GTI R5, converted for sim racing. The grand prize is still all to play for however, as the top drivers are very close in the standings. We’ll find out after this Sunday which of them will get to drive a real rally car with Oliver Solberg. If you fancy your chances or just want to play in the game’s largest Club, The Solberg World Cup ends on Sunday.
Car of the Week – Last week’s featured car was the Porsche 911 SC RS, a beautiful machine from the 1980s with an iconic body. You can check it out here. I had a lot of fun throwing this car around Te Awanga Sprint Forward in New Zealand (the Stage you see in the video), the corners flow nicely and once you put the power down the car really sings. I put in more seat time after the video was recorded as I enjoyed the car so much; if you fancy taking on my best time I did a 3:28. That’s good enough for 39th in the world right now, but is certainly beatable if you put the hours in.
This week’s car is the most dominant rallycross machine of all time, the Volkswagen Polo R Supercar. It won 11 of the 12 races in 2018’s FIA World Rallycross Championship, and Johan Kristoffersson is bringing it back as a private entry in 2020. It’ll be interesting to see how he fares against the Hansens and their menacing Peugeots.
That’ll do it from me, see you out on the road.
– PJ
F1® MOBILE RACING
A quick update on our free-to-play official F1 title, as we continue create new experiences and optimise the game following the roll-out of our huge update! The 2020 Season Update, adding the new team line-ups, driver helmets, cars and circuits. In plenty of time for the revised return of real-world F1, we’ve loved seeing new and existing fans get acquainted with the game, including diving into new GP Events and mastering our new handling and gameplay.
As you dive into the 2020 update, we’ve laid down a little challenge for you all. With Circuit Zandvoort now added, we recorded a hot lap around the Dutch track of 1:10.04. Think you can beat that? Zandvoort is included in the special 70th Anniversary GP Event, which runs until June 20!
– Chris
ANY OTHER BUSINESS?
– Ready to go on Your Ultimate Driver Journey? Project CARS 3, from the team at Slightly Mad Studios, has been revealed and launches this summer! Own and personalise a huge variety of road and race cars, customise your own racer, and hone your craft from rookie to world-beater across a stunning array of road and race circuits. Keep an eye out for news, gameplay and features on Project CARS 3 in the coming weeks.
– Over the last week we’ve been putting the spotlight on some of the incredible team at Codemasters, who’ve helped the company effectively transition to remote working and continue creating new experiences for our players. Check out the Codies social feeds for quotes from multiple teams and studios, who’ve all pulled together to adapt to the new working routine. To everyone who has played their part: thank you!
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During DIRT 5’s reveal in May, we gave you a taste of what to expect in Career mode and promised a star-studded story within a huge mode with player-driven progression. Now, it’s time to tell all.
Let’s take a drive through the Career mode of DIRT 5, stopping to check out a few new in-game screenshots along the way…
OWN THE SPOTLIGHT
In an off-road racing world full of superstars, DIRT 5’s Career tasks with you standing out above the rest, and making sure nobody ever forgets your name.
The player is dropped into a world-renowned off-road racing series that delivers constant extreme action, continent to continent, in all manner of amplified events. As you begin to get your feet wet and make a buzz in the racing scene, you catch the eye of Alex Janiček – better known as AJ, voiced by the legendary Troy Baker. An undisputed superstar and fan favourite in the world of DIRT, AJ quickly takes you under his wing, showing you what it takes to rise to the top of the sport he has dominated for years.
You’re not the only new racer making a splash, though. Enter Bruno Durand – the ultra-competitive, cold, calculated veteran, voiced by none other than Nolan North. A champion in other off-road disciplines, Bruno’s talent and star power mean a clash with AJ is inevitable, but the fallout from an epic race between these two icons lays the foundation for you to create your own legacy in the sport.
The entire story, your journey, and much more are covered in depth by the DIRT Podcast by Donut Media, hosted by James Pumphrey and Nolan Sykes from the Donut crew. Their energy and excitement match the vibe of DIRT’s racing world, and between events they react to all the key moments of your story, with special guests including AJ and Bruno, W Series champion Jamie Chadwick, and gaming and car culture personality SLAPTrain.
All of this comes together for a deep, narrative-driven mode that sees you rise from obscurity to infamy in an amplified racing world. Well, only if you’ve got what it takes…
CHOOSE YOUR PATH
So that’s the story – but how will you experience it?
The Career is split into five chapters to cover the key moments in the narrative. Each chapter offers multiple paths for the player to take, meaning you can choose which events you want to participate in through the chapter. If you want, you can still race in everything there is to offer, which is over 130 events across nine different race types, featuring every location in DIRT 5.
Complete races to open new events in the chapter; the higher you place, the more Stamps you will earn. A certain amount of Stamps are needed to unlock the Main Event of each chapter, so the better you perform, the quicker you can progress. Main Events are the conclusion of each chapter and a tougher test for the player. Finish third or above to move onto the next chapter.
But that’s not all. Complete certain objectives throughout Career events to unlock secret Throwdowns, where you go one-on-one with a fierce challenger in epic events.
REPRESENT THE WORLD’S BIGGEST BRANDS
To travel the world, race incredible vehicles and be part of this vibe, you’ll need sponsors. As a highly-touted rookie, the world is watching – and there are some major names that would like to speak with you…
20 real-world brands are available to sponsor you in Career mode, including the likes of Monster Energy, Sparco, Michelin, Fatlace and, yours truly, Codemasters. Each sponsor will have unique rewards when you sign with them, including an exclusive livery of that brand, stickers to use in the livery editor, and a currency signing bonus. Each sponsor will have objectives, both long and short-term, that they want you to hit in your Career. Do that and you’ll increase your Reputation Rank, which leads to an ultimate reward once you hit the top rank.
Players can switch to a new sponsor whenever they want in Career, though the earlier you leave a sponsor, the less rewards you may receive, especially if you don’t meet your sponsor’s minimum race contract. So, will you stay loyal to one brand, or see what multiple sponsors have to offer along your journey in Career? The choice is yours.
SHARE THE JOURNEY
Wanna take some of your friends along for the ride? DIRT 5’s split-screen mode for up to four players is included in Career mode!
For any of the Career events that feature multiple cars on track, each additional player takes the spot of an AI driver. They’re not just there to cheer you on, either; the highest finishing position of any player is the one that’s counted in Career, meaning you could earn more Stamps, more sponsor bonuses and more currency by teaming up. Whilst those rewards earned only count for the host player, each additional player will receive XP and currency rewards for their own accounts, which they’ll have whenever they next play DIRT 5 as the host player.
Finally, the split-screen integration is a drop-in deal – so your pals can jump in or out of your Career journey whenever you want, without it halting your progression. Nice.
So: a deep narrative, starring the world’s greatest voice acting talents and real-world car culture names; over 130 events and nine race types, with choice-driven progression and extra-special events; a detailed sponsorship feature with real brands and unique rewards to earn; and split-screen to share the fun with up to three friends. That just about wraps up DIRT 5’s Career – the biggest, boldest Career the franchise has ever seen. Got what it takes to ensure nobody ever forgets your name?
DIRT 5 launches from October for Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC via Steam, and for Google Stadia in early 2021. Follow @dirtgame on Twitter and Instagram for news and general DIRT debauchery, use #DIRT5 to give us your thoughts, and talk to the team in the official DIRT 5 Discord server.
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All the way to DIRT 5’s launch from October, there will be a lot of detail that we’ll be bringing you. So, at the end of each month, we’ll bring you a round-up of all the big news and features on Codemasters’ first next-gen game, and the latest chapter in a legendary off-road racing franchise. Welcome to the first DIRT 5 Rear View, as we recap May and cover everything you need to know. Sitting comfortably?
LET LOOSE
First announced during Microsoft’s Inside Xbox show on May 7, DIRT 5 launches from October for PC, both next-gen and current-gen consoles for Xbox and PlayStation, as well as Google Stadia in early 2021.
DIRT 5’s announce trailer is below, showcasing the first clutch of DIRT 5’s car roster on three of the game’s brand new environments (New York, China, Norway), soundtracked by ‘Time To Dance’ (Sebastian Remix) by The Shoes.
We’ve already revealed some major features for DIRT 5, including four-player split-screen, a star-studded story-based Career mode, photo mode and the deepest livery editor ever seen in the DIRT franchise. There’s much more to be revealed though – each month we’ll be focusing on a key feature of DIRT 5, so mark your calendars, people.
Oh, and if you want to make sure you’re first to hear about all the big news, chat with fellow fans, and talk with the DIRT 5 team, head to the game’s official Discord channel, which has been lively all month long.
PRE-ORDER DETAILS
We’ll be keeping you posted at all times on pre-orders for DIRT 5. Right now, pre-orders are live on Steam, including a 10% discount on the Amplified Edition for players of previous DIRT games! Elsewhere, DIRT 5 is available for pre-order on Xbox One and PS4 from selected retailers. With the game launching across six different platforms from October, we’ll keep you posted on all news. Dirtgame.com/dirt5/preorder is your one-stop shop for all pre-orders as they go live.
DONUT MEDIA
MO POWAH BABEH! It’s been awesome to see the excitement from fans around Donut Media’s involvement in DIRT 5. Many of you spotted the Ford Mustang in the announce trailer, complete with a unique Donut Media livery, sporting plenty of references from their channel such as ‘Buff Horses’ and 502 – the area code that Donut’s James Pumphrey grew up in. Make sure to check out Donut Media’s channel, and keep an eye out for more details on the deeper role they play in DIRT 5.
ONLY THE BEST
We are delighted to have Troy Baker and Nolan North on board for DIRT 5 – two icons in the world of voice acting and gaming, who are lending their talents to a Codemasters title for the very first time. In June we will be revealing much more about how Troy and Nolan fit into DIRT 5. Speaking with them recently, we know they’re excited for everyone to see not just the parts they play, but the unique style and approach that went into delivering their performances. Much more on that to come throughout June.
And no, we haven’t brought them in to just make engine noises.
EXTRA, EXTRA!
Looking for more DIRT 5 goodness? Stop the presses – we got out the ink and quill this month and delivered some more details on DIRT 5 with a few friends. Head to Xbox Wire, PlayStation.blog and Red Bull Gaming for some highly-suggested reading that breaks down the announce trailer, gives some development team insight, and offers a glimpse at what’s to come between now and October.
On top of that, Development Director Robert Karp also sat down with the Inside Xbox team this month to give some more DIRT 5 details. Already confirmed for DIRT 5 on Xbox Series X is a 120fps setting, as well as Smart Delivery: if you purchase DIRT 5 on Xbox One, you’ll receive the game on Xbox Series X, for free, if and when you switch up to the new console.
DISHING THE DIRT
This past week we kicked off the first stage of our ‘Dishing the DIRT’ project, with well over 10 minutes of insight from the DIRT development team on the present and future of the franchise. With DIRT 5 and DiRT Rally 2.0 developed by separate studios, the teams go into detail on how this approach ensures different, dedicated experiences for all fans of off-road racing.
Whether you love the authenticity and challenge of the Rally series, or you’re a long-time fan of the bright, bold, amplified approach of the numbered DIRT games, we’re creating games that quench that thirst of yours! Head to our Dishing the DIRT playlist to find out more.
WHAT’S NEXT?
That wraps up our first month on the journey to DIRT 5’s launch, so pack your bags and buckle up for June, where Career mode will be our focus! We’ll be talking star-studded storylines featuring Troy Baker and Nolan North, how the Donut Media team and other big automotive names are involved, progression paths, amount of events, and other big features in Career that have been big community requests. Get ready – you won’t want to miss any of this.
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Hey everyone,
As always, we want to kick off by sending our best wishes to everyone during these times, and we hope everyone is staying healthy and happy. Our thanks and support go out once again to the entire Codemasters community, with so many of you turning to gaming and sharing your experiences with us. From screengrabs to video clips, stories to YouTube series, we love to see how you are enjoying our games!
Whilst you play, we’re continuing to design and create – and there’s plenty of news to catch up on over the last two weeks. Here’s your fortnightly dose of announcements, insight and content from Codemasters. As usual, it’s a hefty running order…
F1
Hey there!
It’s time for another Racing Line, and have we been busy since then! Last week, we released a hot lap of Monaco in F1® 2020, ahead of the Virtual Grand Prix this weekend. We jumped on- board Pierre Gasly’s AlphaTauri for a lap of the Circuit de Monaco in F1® 2020 – checking out some of F1® best known landmarks along the way!
If you missed it, you can watch it right here:
…and this leads us very nicely on to this weekend’s Virtual Grand Prix!
F1® drivers, including Valtteri Bottas, Alex Albon and Antonio Giovanazzi, Despacito singer Luis Fonso and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang joined the grid for this weekend’s Virtual Grand Prix around the Circuit de Monaco in F1® 2019.
It was Haas’s Pietro Fittipaldi who took pole position in a very wet qualifying in the principality, and after a chaotic start (“no heroics into Sainte Devote, please!”), it was George Russell who took a very commanding win.
Elsewhere, in the F1® Esports Exhibition race, it was a tense few laps as (spoiler!) Racing Point’s Lucas Blakely took his debut esports win! You can catch the Virtual Grand Prix in full here.
Before we go, we also released some very pretty (if we say so ourselves) F1® 2020 screenshots. You can find all of them in our Facebook gallery right here, though we’ve picked some of our favourites below!
See you next time!
– Jenny
DIRT 5
Let’s take stock then, shall we? We’ve *just* about calmed down from the reveal of DIRT 5 at the beginning of May. If you think you’ve missed anything, our announcement blog post covers all the info we’ve revealed so far.
We’re already set to keep you posted on pre-order details as they go live; if you’re looking to play on PC and you’ve previously played a DiRT game on Steam, there’s a 10% discount waiting for you if you pre-order the Amplified Edition. Sweet!
That’s just the tip of the iceberg, too – we’ve laid out our monthly feature focuses between now and DIRT 5’s launch from October. With June just around the corner, we’ll be diving deep into the game’s star-studded Career mode, breaking down all aspects of the story, progression, features, and the roles played by Troy Baker, Nolan North and others. You won’t want to miss this.
In the meantime, make sure to check out our new ‘Dishing the DIRT’ video series, which went live this week with well over 10 minutes of development team insight into the present and future of DIRT franchise, how DIRT 5 and the Rally series differ, and how our two dedicated studios are pushing the limits with dedicated off-road experiences. Get it watched!
If you want to be first to all the big DIRT 5 news, interact with fellow fans, and chat with me and other members of the team, the official DIRT 5 Discord is where you want to be.
– Chris
GRID
We’ve been really enjoying what content creators have been uploading over the last couple weeks. Racing Ahead creators BlackPanthaa and GTR Technical have both gone down two very different routes for videos on GRID.
BlackPanthaa wanted to revisit GRID for the first time since launch, as he wrestled with the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport around Suzuka Circuit, San Francisco, and others. Head to his YouTube to check out the full video.
GTR Technical on the other hand found out that on GRID for PC, you can pretty much get any USB device working with the game in one way or another. Naturally, his first thought was to get a flight stick working. Take a look at his video to see how he got on. There’s some information over on our Forums to show how you can configure devices of all shapes and sizes to work with GRID. If anyone can complete a couple laps using a DDR mat, we’d love to see it.
Next week should see the release of a scheduled patch across all platforms, fixing some issues including the hot lap qualifying bug. Keep an eye on the official GRID Forums for all the details.
DIRT RALLY 2.0
Hi everyone, here’s your usual Rally update:
World RX Esports Invitational Series – After the success of the first two Invitationals, World RX have set up four more to take part over the coming months. This weekend we’re off to Yas Marina, June sees us visit Norway and Sweden, and in July we’re off to South Africa. Following all that real-world racing should hopefully kick off again! Head to the World RX pages for driver announcements and livestreams this Sunday, they always deliver great action.
The Solberg World Cup – We’re in the home stretch with Oliver Solberg’s big DiRT Rally 2.0 Club Championship, as over 16,000 competitors tackle Finland and Wales. Last time out it was the tree-lined roads of New England, USA, which are as deadly as they are beautiful. I’ve been doing well in the World Cup so far, but here was where I had my first big failing, a DNF on the first Stage. It was a shock to say the least, but looking back at my run I realised I was driving too impatiently after the puncture, and it snowballed from there.
I wasn’t alone however, rally legend Petter Solberg also crashed out, and from what the top players have been telling me, this was the toughest rally so far as everyone’s pushing for that top spot. Here’s what Oliver had to say about it all, read the report here:
“Those are some of my favourite roads. They flow so nicely and you can really have a lot of fun in them. It was nice to be leading for a while, but I knew some of the other guys would come past – they are so fast! I’ve got to be honest, I was a little bit disappointed not to make the top 10 on this one. In the practice things went really well and I actually own some of the records for some of these stages, but I had some small issues in the rally. Now I have to focus more to Finland. If we thought the New England Rally was fast then the next round’s going to get even quicker.
Car of the Week – A new video series kicked off last week, where we look at some of the standout cars from DiRT Rally 2.0. Every week we’ll put a car in the spotlight, share some interesting facts, and show the machine in action. It’s been fun to put these together, and to get behind the wheel of some cars I don’t typically use on a regular basis. The Audi Sport quattro S1 E2 is an absolute monster, and the Porsche 911 RGT Rally Spec has an addictive noise.
Before I sign off, here’s a fun challenge if you’re brave enough. Head to Paskuuri, Finland, in the Audi Sport quattro S1 E2, and try to go from the start to the “Yellow House Jump” without ever lifting off the throttle. There’s about 17 jumps between those two points, in what is the single scariest stretch of road in the entire game. How scary is it? After my run I’m still having flashbacks!
That’ll do it for me today, catch you all again soon,– PJ
F1® MOBILE RACING
Ready to play? The much-anticipated 2020 Season Update for F1® Mobile Racing is now live on iOS and Android! The new update adds the official cars, drivers and race helmets, along with the addition of Circuit Zandvoort! Hanoi Circuit is also on the way, as part of a separate free update very soon. New GP Events and a revamped handling system, based on community feedback, is also included in the new update.
That takes F1® Mobile Racing into its third real-season, with the free-to-play handheld title stronger than ever, filled with fresh events, new challenges, updated gameplay and handling systems, and so much more. It’s been an awesome journey with over 18 million global downloads, and the pace just keeps getting quicker! Make sure to read up on everything included in the 2020 Season Update, available now, by checking out our blog post.
– Chris
ANY OTHER BUSINESS?
– We’ve just revealed the first gameplay footage from the upcoming Fast & Furious Crossroads, as well as an updated release date of August 7th, 2020. Head to the Codies News site for a link to the trailer and more information about the star-studded game, developed by Slightly Mad Studios.
– Thank you to everyone who spoke with us and shared their stories during Mental Health Awareness Week. Through Codemasters channels we asked our community to spread positive vibes through their experiences with our games. Make sure to check out our posts around this for both some amazing stories, and some important links and advice for anyone wanting to discuss their mental health with official organisations confidentially. Again: thank you.
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How time flies, eh? We are now moving towards the third real-world F1 season to be featured in F1® Mobile Racing! It’s been a brilliant journey, and one where we’ve always worked hard to stay in line with real world F1. That continues with Update 12, as F1® Mobile Racing out now on iOS and Android – introduces the next chapter of the world’s most famous motorsport, releasing May 26th!
First up: the 2020 cars! As we saw with the 2019 season update last year, all official F1 cars in the current game will be replaced by their 2020 counterparts – so each teams 2020 regulation contender will take the place of its 2019 official car.
Already own any of the official 2019 season cars? You’ll receive the regulation 2020 version of any team car you own, as a free replacement, as soon as Update 12 is released! No purchase or action is required for those who already own official team cars, and your new regulation cars will be waiting for you in your Garage.
Don’t own an official car? Want to get behind the wheel of one this season? Head to the in-game store or the Garage once Update 12 drops, where regulation cars will be available for purchase using Credits!
A big thank you to everyone who participated in Update 11’s Pre-Season Test GP Event, where players got a taste of the updated handling and R&D models for the game. All changes made to car physics are designed to add yet more realism to the feel of F1® Mobile Racing, and further reward the fastest and most consistent drivers in the game. During the test, we took on player feedback both from our social channels and a survey sent to the Pre-Season Test participants, to help us refine the physics ahead of its full deployment in this update.
The new car physics will apply in all modes across the game, so get ready to master the new system and make full use of the updated R&D options to race your way to the top .
Next, let’s talk about future events in F1® Mobile Racing! The level of interest, participation and drama that we saw in the 2019 Season Championship was truly stunning, and we loved seeing all players battle it out on global leaderboards all season long for huge rewards. 2020 is gearing up to be all that, and then some. This is all set to arrive in a later update alongside the start of the real world 2020 FIA Formula One World Championship
.
Until then, we have some great events lined up. We have F1’s 70th anniversary celebrations, in the form of the 70th Anniversary Championship. This one-time-only GP Event takes players to five of the most iconic circuits and nations of the sport’s history, including Silverstone, Monaco and the newly-added Zandvoort! We’ve combined them for a special championship which reflects the first ever F1® championship that occurred in 1950, with new and unique rewards available to all!
Alongside these unique championships, we have changed the way you can access all future events and championships. From now on, GP Events will be available from the date that they are unlocked, until the final day of the championship they are within. Every event will cost a one-time fee to enter; you then have unlimited access until the championship is closed. That means unlimited retries!
Additionally, you will no longer have to wait to claim your hard-earned rewards. With the updated milestone rewards system, once you score enough points to unlock a reward, you receive it straight away. Once the championship ends, the final rewards are handed out. So, keep your eye on the learderboards and use those unlimited retries to get the best rewards possible!
Update 12 takes F1® Mobile Racing into a new generation, with huge gameplay changes and major new events. It’s time to stake your claim as the fastest once again, coming May 26th!
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Hey everyone,
As always, we hope everyone is healthy and happy during these times, and using video games to stay entertained and occupied. The Codemasters team is very much settled into a new working routine, and going full speed ahead as ever with our ongoing projects to help gamers enjoy and escape.
Of course, if you’ve been following our channels for the last fortnight, we don’t need to tell you that! It’s been another crazy couple of weeks for Codies, with new gameplay drops, new updates, and the small matter of a brand-freaking-new game announcement. Let’s get straight into your latest dose of Codemasters news…
DIRT 5
So, who’s ready to Let Loose?
It’s here! First revealed during the global Inside Xbox showcase, welcome to DIRT 5, launching from October this year for Steam, Xbox and PlayStation consoles, along with Google Stadia in early 2021.
The announce trailer gives you just a glimpse of what’s to come in our boldest, bravest ever title in the DiRT franchise: Ice racing with converted GTs on New York’s East River; Ariel and Jimco machines tearing up the hills of China; classic and modern rally cars fighting through a Norwegian seaside town – all with a layer of style and confidence that nods to the days of DiRT 2 and DiRT 3. Then there’s the Career Mode featuring Troy Baker and Nolan North, four-player split-screen, deep livery editor and Photo Mode… and that’s just scratching the surface. Keep an eye out for stuff you’ve never seen from this franchise before.
DIRT 5 also marks Codemasters’ first title to arrive on next-gen consoles, coming to both Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, tapping into the power of new consoles with even greater graphical fidelity, faster loading and plenty more. Already confirmed on the Xbox side of things is Smart Delivery, meaning if you purchase DIRT 5 for Xbox One, you’ll automatically receive a version of DIRT 5 for Xbox Series X, if and when you make the switch-up, free of charge.
We’re just getting started, and are busy working on ways to bring you insight and content on everything else we have to come. We’ve laid out a tour path for you, so know what our focus will be on each month until launch. The official DIRT 5 website will keep you up to speed with pre-orders – which are now live on Steam, including a 10% discount on the Amplified Edition for players of any previous DiRT game!
I could go on for days about everything revealed so far, but checking out our pieces on the Xbox Wire, PlayStation.blog and Red Bull Games covers DIRT 5 from all angles. Whilst you give those a read, I want to give a shout-out to every single person working on DIRT 5, from our Cheshire and Southam teams, who are putting in a tremendous shift to make this game something special in the current climate. Now, the real fun begins…
– Chris
F1
Hey all,
Things have been busy in the world of F1® 2020 recently! Earlier this week, we released a beautiful trailer for F1® 2020, featuring the epic theme composed by Brian Tyler. I absolutely love it, and you can check it out right here:
As well as showing off our fantastic trailer, we also confirmed that we have a full season, half-season, or three-race F2
experience that you can choose from before you start off on your F1 journey. Not only that, but we’ve also confirmed the full classic car list, which you can go and check out right here.Phew. That’s not all though! Yesterday, media and content creators started to release some early preview gameplay for F1® 2020, and you can check out some of the early previews in our handy playlist right here:
We’re not quite finished yet
– we’ve been loving the Virtual Grand Prix and Challenge action, and this weekend is no exception… make sure you keep an eye on our channels for news!Stay safe!
– Jenny
DiRT RALLY 2.0
Hello everyone – here’s what’s been happening in the rally world recently:
World RX Esports Invitational (Montalegre Edition) – After a successful event at Catalunya, the World RX grid headed to the virtual mountaintops of Montalegre for the second Esports Invitational. In addition to several of the drivers, esports players and special guests from Catalunya, the Montalegre Edition had stand-outs such as former F1 driver Mika Salo, Formula E driver Antonio Felix da Costa, and the New Zealand speed demon known as Shane van Gisbergen.
If you missed any of the action, we’ve got the YouTube playlist right here, and if you already know the result but want to read more, we’ve got a round-up right here. The real-world season calendar is set to kick off in August, though we may see some more Invitational action before then, so keep an eye out.
Solberg World Cup – The biggest Club in DiRT Rally 2.0 history is still kicking along, as nearly 15,000 competitors headed to Sweden and Greece in recent weeks, and have just set off around the USA. DirtFish’s rally instructors Sam Albert and Jack Harrison have been putting their real-life skills to good use, and have an insightful blog on their experiences so far, which you can read here.
I’ve had a go myself and am pleased with being in the top 250 overall so far; that’s better than expected but still a fair bit off the pace of the esports professionals. Greece was a tough one for me as I swapped my trusty Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 for the Mitsubishi Space Star R5, expecting the more nimble car to help with the tighter sections. It was a gamble that didn’t really pay off (due to my lack of talent behind the wheel, the car is fine) so I’ll be back in the more familiar Polo for the remaining rounds.
Speaking of…
Version 1.14 of DiRT Rally 2.0 released last week and brought the usual round-up of tweaks and changes. If you missed the patch notes, they’re here.
The main highlight for many players will be the unlocking of Petter and Oliver Solberg’s liveries from last year’s Wales Rally, for the Volkswagen Polo GTI R5. These were previously exclusive challenge rewards but enough time has passed to open them up to everyone. The Festive Liveries from December are also available, as well as difficulty tweaks to the Colin McRae Scenarios, based on how well players have been completing (or not completing) them so far.
One neat thing to point out is that the Ford Escort RS Cosworth has an entirely new, glorious engine audio, based on fresh recordings of a real car. The reason it got an update a year after launch? The car’s in DIRT 5 (you may have seen it in a few screenshots) and the work gone into building that version has benefitted the DiRT Rally 2.0 car as well. Big ups to the audio team for that one – the car sounds great.
That’s all I’ve got for today, keep on rallying out there and I’ll catch you all again soon.
– PJ
GRID
We’re pleased to announce that GRID Season 3 is now available on Stadia! Released at the end of last week, those with GRID Ultimate Edition playing on Google’s streaming service will now have access to six new cars, Suzuka Circuit, and a bunch of new customisation options.
For those that missed out on exactly what GRID’s Season 3 featured, head over to the ‘deep-dive’ blog post where we picked apart everything included in the content drop.
Along with the release of Season 3 on Stadia, we also made a bunch of bug fixes and tweaks to benefit everyone playing GRID – whether you’re an Ultimate Edition player or otherwise. Fixes included updating the Koenigsegg Agera RS audio as well as addressing performance issues on PC. Here’s the post over on the Codies Forums that details exactly what we’ve tweaked.
That’s all we have to share for now. We’ll leave you with a snippet of some awesome downhill action from Racing Ahead member, ISAD (I Suck At Driving), on Mizu Mountain. Fans of eurobeat will thoroughly appreciate the full video.
– James
F1® MOBILE RACING
Hey! A quick check in from the Mobile side of things, now that we’ve caught our breath after a dramatic couple of days of real-world F1 news…
We’re making final preparations to the next game update, which gives everyone their first chance to experience the F1 2020 season, with new cars, driver line-up, helmets and circuits. We also have a host of new events and core gameplay changes to take our free-to-play handheld title up yet another gear and make it ready for the new season of action.
Make sure to check out our blog post from April about F1® Mobile Racing’s 2020 update, not just for all the details, but also screenshots of the 2020 season cars in the game for the very first time!
– Chris
ANY OTHER BUSINESS?
– Codemasters is pleased to still be hiring and taking on new staff in the current climate. We’ve recently welcomed some new faces to the team and are on the lookout for the brightest and best to join the crew! Over 40 vacancies are listed on our Careers page, with positions including Graphics Programmer, Quality Assurance Technician, Programming Talent and Vehicle Artist.
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DIRT 5. It’s time to Let Loose.
As revealed during Microsoft’s Inside Xbox show, Codemasters is delighted to announce DIRT 5, launching from October 2020 on Xbox Series X, PlayStation® 5, Windows PC (via Steam) and the current generation of Xbox and PlayStation consoles. A Google Stadia version will be released in early 2021.
Whilst respecting the heritage and retaining the DNA of the franchise, DIRT 5 writes a new chapter in the legacy of DIRT – bolder and braver than ever before. Check out the official announce trailer, soundtracked by the superb ‘Time to Dance (Sebastian Remix)’ by The Shoes:
DIRT 5 is more than relentless rallying, more than suspension-shaking jumps, more than hairpins and handbrakes. Join an energised world of off-road racing, and be part of a vibe that delivers big on epic action, pure expression, and unbridled style.
Now, time for some juicy info…
Bursting with modes, ways to play, and concepts never before seen in the series, DIRT 5 is an overload of amplified entertainment.
Dive into the ambitious Career mode, which lets you choose your path to glory as you progress through an immersive journey. The narrative features a voice cast led by the legendary Troy Baker and Nolan North, partnered by the car culture heroes at Donut Media and more famous names from the automotive world. Make your unique mark and overcome all obstacles to ensure nobody ever forgets your name.
Play together in Career and offline modes with split-screen for up to four players, making DIRT 5 the ultimate playground for you to throw down, trade paint and get really sideways with your friends, either online or on the couch.
Looking for a fresh way to be playful on four wheels? Take the fun to a global scene, with traditional race events and innovative modes that’ll have you hooning for miles and grinning from ear to ear. But that’s far from all it when it comes to ways to play DIRT 5. Look out for the reveal of a new mode later this year – something you have never seen before from the DIRT franchise.
Travel the world to conquer over 70 routes from locations spanning the entire globe, that turn real landmarks into racetracks – from the frozen East River in New York, to the marble mines of Italy, to the Favelas of Brazil. Defy dynamic weather conditions, intimidating terrain and unpredictable elements in eight different race types, covering gravel, snow, mud, ice and more surfaces in between.
Your ride of choice? Choose from a ferocious car roster that includes machines purpose-built for off-road dominance – and a few you’ll be less used to seeing off the beaten track. Our first trailer gives you a first glimpse at what you’ll take the wheel of, from extreme machines like the Ariel Nomad, to racing icons like the Lancia Stratos and modern off-road masters like the Citroen C3 R5.
Oh, and each car will be visually customisable through DIRT 5’s nuanced livery editor, with more editing options than any previous DIRT game. Once you’re done designing, snap your greatest moments with a dedicated Photo Mode, capturing ever jump, scrape and slide.
It’s all set in that amplified off-road world, dripping in style and giving license for you to express yourself, on and off the track. With a backdrop of infectious atmosphere and an unforgettable soundtrack, everything you do in DIRT 5 adds to the vibe. So, what will you bring to the table?
Launching on the new generation of consoles, as well as current-gen, DIRT 5 makes use of the groundbreaking technology coming to console gaming. With Xbox Series X, experience heightened graphical fidelity in a hyperreal world, optimised performance no matter the mode, and unparalleled load-times for constant action.
With Xbox Smart Delivery, if you purchase the Xbox One version of DIRT 5, you’ll receive the best version of it to your Xbox One, as usual. Then, if you decide to jump into the next generation with Xbox Series X, you will automatically receive the Xbox Series X optimized version of at no additional cost.
Be the focus. Be recognised. Be the one to take iconic environments, dangerous terrain and incredible vehicles, and turn them into highlight-reel moments. That’s what DIRT 5 is all about. Time to make it what you’re all about, too.
Join the conversation and engage with the DIRT 5 team right now through the game’s official Discord server. Of course, follow the DiRT channels on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, where we’ll be showing you so much more of the game in the coming weeks and months – from feature deep dives, to art concepts, to peeling back the curtain on DIRT 5’s creation.
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Hey everyone,
First things first, we once again hope everyone is well, staying safe and healthy, and making good use of gaming for entertainment and escapism. The Codies team is now very much in its stride in a new working process, adapting to ensure we keep moving forward with projects and delivering the goods to you, the players!
Hot off the heels of a major game announcement and more a fortnight ago, we have more big news and events to keep you posted on for the next two weeks. The Racing Line is here to give you the low-down on everything we have lined up for you – beginning with more star-studded online racing with Codies titles…
DIRT RALLY 2.0
Hello everyone – here’s a brief roundup of what’s been happening in the rally world recently:
World RX Esports Invitational – Last time out we mentioned that top-tier World RX drivers, DiRT Rally 2.0 qualifiers and special guests would be taking part in a rallycross extravaganza – and they certainly didn’t disappoint. On April 19 the field of 20 stars lined up on the virtual grid at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, with World RX’s Andrew Coley and Neil Cole providing the commentary and banter from home.
Some of my personal highlights include Kevin Hansen and Andreas Bakkerud waging an all-out war on the track, Andrew Coley’s Wikipedia description of Jimmy Broadbent and Mattias Adielsson’s last-gasp lunge in the Semi Final. You can watch the videos from this event over on our YouTube, and the next Invitational is only a few days away as we head to Montalegre and the virtually sunny skies of Portugal.
Solberg World Cup – On the rally side, the Solberg World Cup has moved on from Monte Carlo and is now setting its sights on Sweden. Monte Carlo is always a good way to start a Championship and it proved to be a tricky one for many players this time round.
I had a go myself and was able to finish around 700th place, though out of 12,000 players, I’m happy with that result. I’ll have a go at Sweden this weekend. Lukas Mateja (who you’ll remember from the World RX Esports Invitational) topped the board, and both Petter and Oliver Solberg themselves put in impressive performances top in the Top 50.
For all the details head to the event’s official site, and check out our blog post for more.
Other Events – With the world being what it is right now and Clubs being a useful DiRT Rally 2.0 feature, we’re seeing many parts of the rally world take to the game and run their own events. Here’s a few that made waves recently…
The Skoda Motorsport eChallenge saw a few thousand players take on Skoda’s professional rally drivers in the Fabia R5 at Argentina. Motorsports UK announced the Esports British Rally Championship, open to UK members of the organisation. That kicks off at Wales (in-game) on May 4. Phil Hall and the Royal Air Force Central Fund got together to take on DiRT Rally 2.0’s 26 longest stages back-to-back, as part of the UK’s 2.6 Challenge initiative to support various charities.
That’ll do it for another week of rally. See you all again soon.
– PJ
F1
Hey there,
Last time round on the Racing Line, we had only just announced F1® 2020 (and if you haven’t checked that out yet, go and do that here). Today, we’ve given you a very first look! This weekend was supposed to be Circuit Zandvoort’s first since 1985, and whilst the real-life racing action has been postponed, we’re treating you with the virtual equivalent! Ride with us as we unleash Max Verstappen’s Red Bull on Circuit Zandvoort:
With the F1 season on hold, we can’t wait to race with you on Circuit Zandvoort virtually, before the real-life cars do.
That’s not all we revealed today, though. Alongside our hot lap we’ve also lifted the lid on F1® 2020’s cover art. We absolutely love it this year – here’s a taster of this year’s cover art, with the Michael Schumacher Deluxe Edition, but you check them all out right here!
Last weekend saw both ROKiT Williams Racing drivers race each other, some guest stars and fans in the F1 Esports #ChallengeWilliams event – if you missed it, you can catch up here. The Virtual Grand Prix will be returning this weekend too, as Charles Leclerc looks to maintain his winning run against fellow F1 drivers, sporting stars, and debutants including Codies’ good friend Petter Solberg, racing for Renault!
Hope you’re all keeping safe and well,
– Jenny
GRID
Over the last few weeks, we’ve obviously been working from home on everything Codemasters-related. During this time, we’ve found listening to music is one of the best ways to stay focused – in particular for me, lo-fi/chill music.
If you’re not familiar with the genre, think coffee shop music but with some unique instrumental and sometimes electronic beats thrown in. After being inspired by the popular Chilled Cow radio we decided to make a playlist of our own. After getting in touch with a couple artists who offer their music as royalty-free, we created a 50-minute video set to a lap of Paris in the Ford GT Heritage Edition. Take a look over on our official YouTube Channel and, while you’re at it, let us know what’s been the soundtrack to your lockdown.
Our friends over at Intel Gaming are giving away some amazing prizes in collaboration with GRID – head over to their giveaway page for all the details on how you can win a Predator gaming laptop, a Logitech G29 steering wheel, and more. You don’t want to miss out.
Finally, in the coming weeks, we’ll be releasing a patch for GRID that aims to address a few minor bugs that have come up since Season 3’s release, including the Agera RS car audio and some performance issues on PC. After that, we’ll be releasing Season 3 to Stadia so even more players can enjoy what’s on offer. Stay tuned for dates on each of these. In case you missed it, here’s all you need to know about GRID Season 3.
Wishing everyone all the best, hope you’re staying safe and well!
– James
F1® Mobile Racing
You’ve heard the news, right? Well, just in case you haven’t…
The next update for F1® Mobile Racing adds 2020 Season content, adding the new driver line-up, cars and helmets, launching in May. That means F1® Mobile Racing will be the first place you’ll be able to experience this year’s F1 season!
The update also means new circuits – whilst Zandvoort will be included with the new update, Hanoi Circuit will also arrive in a separate update shortly after, as part of a special in-game event. We loved this week’s first look at Zandvoort in F1 2020, and are so excited for everyone to have the chance to race the same circuit in our free-to-play official handheld F1 game.
As well as the season refresh, we excited to roll out some fundamental changes that are driven by player feedback over the last couple of months. Recently, we gave you a glimpse of one major change regarding assists. Look out for more news soon on what’s coming in this huge update, and get ready to be part of the 2020 season action.
– Chris
Any Other Business?
– We are immensely proud to collaborate with fellow industry publishers, UKIE, Keymailer and more on the #GamesForCarers initiative. Codemasters has donated codes to this initiative, in which NHS workers can choose one of over 85,000 games to download and play, for free. It’s a small gesture and the least we can do for NHS staff, putting in heroic work during this time. Anyone with a NHS email address can head to giveaways.keymailer.co/nhs and claim your free game. Enjoy, and thank you!
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We’re very happy to announce the arrival of the F1® 2020 season to F1® Mobile Racing, an official mobile game of the FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
! With its next update, scheduled for early May, players will get access to the current line-up of teams, cars, drivers, helmets and circuits, including the brand-new Circuit Zandvoort. Hanoi Circuit will follow in a separate update at the end of May as part of a street circuit in-game event. Free to download and play, F1® Mobile Racing allows you to create your F1® car complete with colour scheme, livery and performance upgrades or use the official cars of the 2020 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
. Take to the grid and race against official F1® teams and other racers in time-limited Grand Prix Events for big rewards and combine scores over each event to rank on global leader boards. You can also take on other competitors online in one-on-one Duels to move up the global Leagues and complete countless Challenges.This isn’t everything though! This year 2020 marks a celebration with Formula 1® looking back at 70 years of the FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
, and F1® Mobile Racing will host an in-game 70th Anniversary Championship. Starting in May, you’ll be able to participate in a one-off GP Event at five of the iconic circuits from the 1950 Championship, competing to earn special 70th Anniversary in-game prizes.Since we launched F1® Mobile Racing in October 2018, we’ve launched in 155 countries and had over 18 million downloads. “We know our players will be excited by the first major 2020 update of the year and there is still a lot more to come,” said Vincent Meulle, Executive Producer at Codemasters. “We are excited to launch Circuit Zandvoort, and later in the month Hanoi Circuit, but we don’t stop there and have big surprises and features coming later in the season.
Our players want the most authentic experience possible on their mobile devices and with the new 2020 season update F1® Mobile Racing continues to deliver the action and excitement they crave.”
Stay up to date with all F1® Mobile Racing news by following the Codies Blog, as well as the game’s Facebook group, Twitter and Instagram channels.
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It’s time to send it as drivers, players and special guests take on the World RX Esports Invitational on April 19.
Where to Watch
The World RX Esports Invitational (Catalunya Edition) is hosted by our friends at Motorsport Network in collaboration with IMG, the official promoter of the FIA World Rallycross Championship.
On Sunday at 13.00 UTC you’ll be able to watch the action through the links below:
- YouTube – FIA World Rallycross Championship
- Facebook – FIA World Rallycross Championship
- Facebook – Codemasters
- Facebook – DiRT
Many of the drivers will be streaming their view of the action as well, so keep an eye out for each on their personal social channels and tune in.
Your Commentary Crew
Image courtesy of IMG
It’s going to be a “MEGA” weekend as the World RX Esports invitational brings together the dream team for commentary.
Andrew Coley is the lead commentator on the real-world FIA World Rallycross Championship races and also narrates various segments of DiRT Rally 2.0, like the Colin McRae Scenario introduction videos.
Alongside him is Neil Cole, who you’ll find wandering the paddock on World RX weekends talking to drivers. He also appears in DiRT Rally 2.0, as your spotter in rallycross events. If you’ve ever been reminded to take your Joker Lap, he’s the one telling you to do so.
Who is Driving?
The grid for the World RX Esports Invitational is quite simply… STACKED.
20 competitors will line up across 4 grids in the Qualifying Heats, including World RX champions, a Le Mans winner, rally drivers and a well-known “punterino merchant”.
- World RX Driver – Timmy Hansen (2019 World RX Champion)
- World RX Driver – Johan Kristoffersson (2017, 2018 World RX Champion)
- World RX Driver – Kevin Hansen
- World RX Driver – Andreas Bakkerud
- World RX Driver – Oli Bennett
- World RX Driver – Timo Scheider (2008, 2009 DTM Champion)
- RX Driver – Marius Bermingrud
- RX Driver – Oliver Eriksson
- RX Driver – Henrik Krogstad
- RX Driver – Cabot Bigham
- RX Driver – Kevin Abbring
- GT Driver – Nicki Thiim (2014 Le Mans Winner, 2016 WEC Champion)
- Rally Driver – Jon Armstrong (DiRT Rally 2.0 Rally Consultant)
- Rally Driver – Mattias Adielsson
- Rally Driver – Cohete Suarez
- DiRT Rally 2.0 Steam Qualifier – Killian Dall’olmo (World Series Rallycross Champion)
- DiRT Rally 2.0 Steam Qualifier – Quentin Dall’olmo
- DiRT Rally 2.0 Steam Qualifier – Lukáš Matěja
- YouTube Content Creator – Jimmy Broadbent
- YouTube Content Creator – Alex Day (Failrace)
Get the thoughts of various competitors here:
- World RX – Kristoffersson Relishing Esports Debut
- World RX – Bennett Eager for Esports Challenge
- World RX – Young Guns Train Sights on World RX and Esports Stars
- World RX – Mateja Aiming to Make his Mark
- World RX – DiRT Champ Dall’olmo qualifies for World RX Esports Series
- World RX – Abbring Hoping Sim Practice Pays Off
- World RX – Spain’s Suarez makes the Switch for Home Invitational
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Hey everyone – welcome to the latest edition of the Racing Line! We’ve stopped picking up chocolate eggs at a sensationally low post-Easter price to bring you the next fortnightly update on all things Codemasters.
We hope everyone is still keeping safe, well and happy in the current climate. We’re thrilled to see many of you using Codemasters games as a tool to stay entertained and occupied at home. As grateful as we are for you playing with us, we’re equally grateful to the entire Codies team, continuing to push forward and give you more of what you want. Speaking of which…
A new content drop, more esports action, and the small matter of a brand new game reveal are the headline acts for the latest Racing Line. Buckle up – this one’s a doozy.
F1
Hey there,
A lot has happened since our last Racing Line! In case you missed yesterday’s news – we announced F1 2020 to the world! We’ve been so excited about this behind the scenes, and you can read why in our news story right here!
We’ve introduced a brand-new mode to F1 2020: ‘My Team’, where you’ll be able to create your own team and take your place alongside the 2020 line-up. F1 2020 also has two-player split-screen, more customisable options (especially for those of you who have previously found F1 games difficult to play), and shorter career lengths, if you want them.
We haven’t finished there: you’ll be able to drive as the legendary Michael Schumacher himself in four of his most iconic cars in the Michael Schumacher Deluxe Edition. We know you’re itching to know what those cars are! They are: 1991 Jordan 191, 1994 Benetton B194, 995 Benetton B195, and the 2000 Ferrari F1-2000 (yes, that Jordan – just look at it!):
Read all about it here and catch the announcement trailer below:
This weekend, we’ll once again see F1 drivers battle against each other in a Virtual GP, this time around the Shanghai International Circuit. Charles Leclerc will be looking for victory once again, as he takes on fellow drivers George Russell, Antonio Giovinazzi, Lando Norris, Alex Albon, and Nicholas Latifi. You will NOT want to miss it! The fun will start on F1.com, F1’s YouTube, Twitch and Facebook from 18:00 BST (17:00 UTC) on Sunday, April 19! See you there.
– Jenny
GRID
Not much has been going on this week in the world of GRID. It’s not like we dropped six brand new cars, a new circuit, or new achievements. Hah, we got you – turns out that’s exactly what we did!
GRID Season 3 released this week across Xbox One, PS4, and PC via Steam. Players are already getting stuck into the 33 new Career events, many of which are on the new Suzuka Circuit. The six new cars are racking up the miles too. Have you got a favourite out of the Koenigsegg Jesko, Koenigsegg Agera, Ferrari FXX-K Evo, Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport, Honda NSX-GT, and the Nissan GT-R Racing Car (GT500 Spec)?
If you want to read all about Season 3 and what has made it so special for the fans and the GRID team, then take a look at our ‘deep-dive’ blog post. The GRID team go into the reasons behind the choices made with Season 3 and how you can make the most out of your time with GRID.
We aren’t done with GRID just yet, so make sure you stay involved in the discussion over on the GRID Forums or on our official Discord.
– James
DIRT RALLY 2.0
Hello DiRT fans – here’s a quick overview of what’s been going down these past few weeks:
The Solberg World Cup is underway. A few weeks ago professional rally driver Oliver Solberg created a Club to rally around Argentina, and the response was immense with over 4,000 people joining. Following the success of that, his team got busy and have come up with something even bigger: The Solberg World Cup.
The Solberg World Cup is a six-event Clubs championship with some big prizes on the line. How big? Well, ever fancied being a real rally driver for a day? We thought so. Head on over here for all the info and get rallying. If you’re reading this blog post the week it goes live, you still have time to finish the Monte Carlo Event before Sweden takes over.
Next up, this Sunday our friends at the FIA World Rallycross Championship and Motorsport Network are getting together to hose a rallycross extravaganza, as the World RX Esports Invitational kicks off. Billed as a replacement event to the now-postponed World RX of Catalunya, the Invitational brings together famous rallycross stars, top qualifiers and special guests for a day of action.
To top it all off, we’ve got World RX broadcast faces Andrew Coley and Neil Cole on commentary, so (in Andrew’s words) it’s going to be MEGA. The show gets underway at 14.00 UK time (13.00 UTC) on Sunday afternoon, and you can see the whole thing on the World RX YouTube channel.
In April we saw a whole bunch of people pick up DiRT Rally 2.0 for the first time, both through the Game of the Year Edition release and other activities. If you’re one of these, here are a few handy links to get you started:
• YouTube – DiRT Rally School
• YouTube – Controller Settings Guide
• Forums – New Player GuideThat’s it from me – catch you all soon.
– PJ
F1® MOBILE RACING
We’ve been keeping as close an eye on the recent F1 2020 game reveal and are just as excited as you! As long-time players of F1® Mobile Racing will know, this week’s announcement means there’s more very exciting news on the way regarding our free-to-play official F1 game.
As for the present, the Spring Warmup event has wrapped up with the action as competitive as ever. We’ve kept up the pace with a new limited-time event opening earlier this week: the America Tour!
The four-race event see us head west and tackle the fierce F1 circuits situated in North America and South America. Kick things off at COTA and finish up in Interlagos in our latest GP Event that offers big rewards to the top drivers. Good luck!
– Chris
ANY OTHER BUSINESS?
- New to Codemasters games? Seen our titles in recent live events and want to try for yourself? Take our latest console game for a test drive, with free trials available for GRID, F1 2019 and DiRT Rally 2.0.
- We’re continuing the #CodiesColouringBook with some more screenshots for everyone to colour in! With the first images published in the previous Racing Line, we’ve taken shots from Codemasters games and removed all colour, giving any fidgety folks at home something to do in their spare time. Print off the images below, share your designs, and keep watching our social channels and the Racing Line for more.
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Looking to take your DiRT Rally skills to the next level, and get a real-life rally lesson from Oliver Solberg? Then you’ll want to compete in the Solberg World Cup.
Before we go any further, make sure you read the official announcement on the Solberg World Cup, a DiRT Rally 2.0 Club Championship run by professional rally driver Oliver Solberg.
Race across 6 Challenging Rally Locations
The Solberg World Cup will see players take on 6 rally Events hand-picked by Oliver Solberg, based on real-life rally events he has competed in so far.
Like all great rally championships you’ll start in Monte Carlo and Sweden, before touring the world across Greece, the United States, Finland and finally Wales. You’ll be driving in R5 cars.
The entire competition is run using the DiRT Rally 2.0 clubs system, which allows players to create their own cross-platform rally events to compete with friends across the world. You can sign up here and the Events will appear in-game when they’re available.
To access the Events in-game, head to the Freeplay tab on the main menu and select RaceNet Clubs.
Win a trip to the DirtFish Rally School
The Solberg World Cup will award prizes to the top players, with the grand prize being an all-expensed paid trip to the DirtFish Rally School in Seattle, Washington (USA) where you’ll get to spend the day with Oliver himself as he teaches you how to drive a real rally car.
The top 3 drivers in each Event will also receive goodies from Oliver Solberg, and there are various “Solberg Surprizes” to be awarded to random participants.
DirtFish have been long-time friends of the DiRT series and if you want to virtually visit them, you can head to the Freeplay tab DiRT Rally 2.0, and then to Freeroam. A number of cars in the game also have DirtFish’s familiar black and orange liveries, so go check them out.
Automatic entry for The Solberg RACE participants
A few weeks ago Oliver Solberg hosted The Solberg RACE, a one-off Club Event around Argentina. The response to that was immense with over 4,000 real and virtual drivers taking part, making it one of the largest Clubs across all of DiRT Rally 2.0.
The success of this event is what motivated Oliver to go even further with the Solberg World Cup, and the great thing is that everybody who competed in The Solberg RACE is already entered, as the same DiRT Rally 2.0 Club is being used.
If you were one of these 4,000 players, the Solberg World Cup will appear in the RaceNet Clubs section of DiRT Rally 2.0 automatically, and if you weren’t, you can join here.
Get all Locations with DiRT Rally 2.0 Game of the Year Edition
The Solberg World Cup features locations such as Monte Carlo, Sweden, Greece, Finland and Wales, all of which were released as downloadable content for DiRT Rally 2.0 in 2019.
If you’ve never played DiRT Rally 2.0 before, the best way to get everything in a single purchase is with the DiRT Rally 2.0 Game of the Year Edition.
This will give you access to over 80 of the world’s finest rally and rallycross cars, and 26 locations. You’ll also be able to re-live the career of the legendary Colin McRae.
The Game of the Year Edition is available on disc for Xbox One and PlayStation 4, and digitally across Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and on PC via Steam, Oculus and the Microsoft Store.
If you already own DiRT Rally 2.0 but have not yet tried out the additional content, the best way to get it all in one purchase is with the DiRT Rally 2.0 Year One Pass.
Again, this will give you all 4 Seasons of content, and the Colin McRae: FLAT OUT Pack as a bonus.
This is available digitally on all platforms (note: all Oculus players already have this content unlocked with the game).
Get ready to Rally
Now that you have all the essential information, it’s time to rally!
If you need to brush up on your skills beforehand, check out the DiRT Rally School on YouTube, which teaches you various driving techniques.
As a side-note, in version 1.14 of DiRT Rally 2.0 (due some time in May) well be unlocking Oliver Solberg’s 2019 Wales Rally livery for all players, so that you can deck out your Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 in style.
Petter Solberg’s livery from the same event will also be unlocked at this time, both liveries were timed-exclusive rewards up until now.
One final piece of housekeeping before you set off, here are the essential links for the Solberg World Cup:
- The Solberg World Cup – Official Site
- The Solberg World Cup – Official Announcement
- The Solberg World Cup – Terms and Conditions
- The Solberg World Cup – Enter Here
Good luck out there.
-PJ
Note:
The Solberg World Cup is an event independently run by Oliver Solberg and DirtFish, using DiRT Rally 2.0.
Codemasters accepts no liability arising from the running of the Solberg World Cup, or the delivery of any prizes won by participants in the competition.
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You’ve been patiently waiting but it’s finally here. GRID Season 3 arrives on Xbox One, PS4, and PC via Steam on April 15th and is coming soon to Stadia.
Following on from the Hot Hatchbacks of Season 1 and the Track Day Supercars of Season 2, we’re kicking into overdrive with six dream drives and of course, a new circuit too. Ultimate Edition players will get access to Season 3, as soon as it’s available and those with the base game will have some extra additions for free.
The Cars
As mentioned in the Season 3 overview video, there’s only one word to describe the cars featured in GRID Season 3 – fast. Here’s your line-up:
We know you’re going to love tearing up the track in these incredible machines. For Ultimate Edition and Season 3 owners, each of these cars will be available in all game modes. For all GRID players, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport will be available as a loan car in Multiplayer modes.
On top of these stunning Hypercars, we have a pair of incredible bonus cars – available to everyone no matter which version of GRID you’re playing on.
These two Super GT icons are a blast to drive and sound just as good as they look. Both of these cars will be available to purchase and race for all GRID players in Freeplay and Multiplayer modes.
The Track
Now, the track. Loved by drivers and fans alike with its snaking corners and old-school aesthetic, you’ll be flying to Japan to get to grips with the Suzuka Circuit.
A traditional track by all accounts, Suzuka Circuit will challenge your skill under pressure with its intricate corners and long and sweeping curves, many of which can be taken flat-out, if you dare.
Here’s Matthew Battison, Lead Level Designer, on what makes Suzuka Circuit so special:
“This is the first time that the Suzuka Circuit has featured in the GRID Series, what took us so long?! Over the years, Suzuka Circuit has been heralded as one of the most demanding and rewarding circuits in the world.
Drivers rate this track highly, we do too, so we know GRID players will as well. Suzuka Circuit features almost every type of corner from the famous Esses at the start of the lap to Spoon Curve and the infamous 130R corner at the end of the lap – don’t forget it’s also a figure of eight configuration. It’s not just the full Grand Prix circuit that you can expect to play, we have also included the East and West Courses for you to enjoy too.”
No matter which of the six route variations you choose to race on, each of the nine weather and time of day conditions will be at the disposal of all GRID players.
Customisation Additions
As with Seasons 1 and 2, we’ve also added a bunch of new customisation items to GRID for those with GRID Ultimate Edition.
● 14 new liveries
● Six new livery patterns
● Five new player cards
● Five new player bannersFive of the liveries are unlocked by default but you’ll have to work to unlock through the Career to unlock the rest of the customisation additions – we didn’t want to make things too easy.
Credit Boosts for Freeplay and Multiplayer
Along with the cars, Career events, and customisation items that are added with Season 3, we’ve been hard at work to make some tweaks and changes to everyone’s GRID experience. Building on the recent Community Update that aimed to address GRID player feedback, we’ve continued to make adjustments, with the community at the heart of these decisions.
Here’s Game Designer, Kelly Boyle, on the changes that we’ve made to Credit payouts with Season 3:
“For Season 3, we’ve tackled an issue that the community has brought up with regards to currency awards in Freeplay and Multiplayer – we were told they were too low. Our awesome Dev QA team jumped on the case to verify these findings and collect some sample data to work with. With this information, Alex (one of our coders) and I, dove into the matrix to find the problem.
After a bit of back-and-forth, we came up with a much better solution than originally in place which we hope you’ll all appreciate! Credit rewards for Freeplay and Multiplayer (including Private Lobbies, Public Lobbies, and Quickmatch) have been substantially increased. As a part of this process, we’ve also rebalanced currency payouts for these modes too. What this means is that whilst getting that 1st place actually gets you something worthwhile, for those occasions where you don’t quite make it you’ll still be rewarded appropriately.”
To give you a feel for how different these changes are, the reward values are anywhere between four to more than ten times their previous amount. In Freeplay and Multiplayer, depending on the intensity of the assists you use you’ll see differences in the credits you’re awarded. As you gradually turn down stability control, traction control, and anti-lock baking assists you’ll earn higher and higher rewards. Plus, the more impressive the car, the more impressive the Credit reward – you won’t earn the same for winning a race in a Mini Miglia Challenge as you would in an Acura DPi. We hope these changes make those battles between AI in Freeplay and friends and strangers in Multiplayer that bit more interesting.
New Achievements
Finally, many GRID Ultimate Edition players have been asking for new achievements/trophies to go along with each of the seasons that have been released. Up until this point, we haven’t been able to add any new achievements – that ends now.
Here’s Game Designer, Bradley Whelan, with some info around these additions:
“In Season 3, nine brand new achievements for GRID Ultimate Edition owners have been added to the game. These achievements are based on beating pre-set lap times with certain track and car combinations.
These achievements range in difficulty from easy to challenging – this way, they are accessible to our broad range of players so that everyone has something feasibly beatable from the offset. Don’t feel as if the challenging achievements are going to be too hard to beat if you’re a new player as the times have been designed so that with time, practice, and development they are achievable, therefore even more satisfying when you snag them.”
We spoke to True Achievements who were able to exclusively reveal exactly what you’ll need to do to add these achievements/trophies to your collection.
We really hope you enjoy the changes and additions that come with GRID Season 3. We’re not done with GRID yet, so please feel free to join in with the conversation on the official GRID Forums and on our Discord.
If for some reason you’re yet to play GRID, you can give it a go by downloading the free trial on Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
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Hey everyone. First things first, we hope you all are staying safe and well at home. Instinctively, you look for silver linings during difficult times, and there’s no doubt that gaming is a pretty darn shiny example of one right now.
From lap records to legendary speed-runs, we’ve seen you really dive into Codies games during this time, and it’s been awesome to watch. We’re also in awe of everybody representing Codemasters from home right now, adjusting and using initiative to keep pushing forward and help deliver those gaming experiences we enjoy. So, whether you’re playing our games, or contributing to them in any way: Thank you.
The result of all that awesomeness is an absolutely stacked Racing Line – our fortnightly round-up of all the Codemasters headlines. There’s a whole heap of news, big event recaps, and glimpses into what we’re working on right now. Plus, stick around to the end for something special, that might just keep the youngsters occupied whilst staying at home! Let’s go:
GRID
Since the last Racing Line, we’ve discovered just how good of an ear the GRID fans have. Last week, we posted numerous clips posing just one question: Can you name the car and track from just the sound alone? Sure, there was a video to go along with each roaring engine but the heavy blur would have taken out a lot of the guesswork.
Without fail, at least one person managed to guess both the car and the track on each of the seven clips we posted in the week. Bravo folks, bravo.
In fact, we liked the ‘Sound of the GRID’ challenge so much that we decided to take it one step further…
Coming in April, GRID Season 3. Here’s your first teaser:
We ain’t foolin’.
GRID Season 3, arriving this month.#LikeNoOtherpic.twitter.com/S9xQFLQp3n
— GRID (@gridgame) April 1, 2020
Make sure you keep an eye on GRID’s social pages (that’s our official Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram) for more clues about what’s to be featured in Season 3 – they will be posted throughout this and next week. You won’t be disappointed.
(Picture above is from PIXELSLIDER on our Forums)
– James
DIRT RALLY 2.0
Hello DiRT fans,
After months of anticipation and a ton of work by the dev teams, we’re finally here. The Colin McRae: FLAT OUT Pack is available now for DiRT Rally 2.0. You’ve likely seen us taking about it here, there and everywhere since January, but a quick refresher: Two iconic SUBARU cars, an all-new rally location, and 40 challenging scenarios in what is the ultimate tribute to the legend himself. The response from you all has been fantastic, it’s great to see everyone enjoying this last big send-off to the ultimate rally game.
With FLAT OUT (and the Game of the Year Edition, which contains all of the game’s content in one single package) out in the wild, what’s next for DiRT Rally 2.0? The first thing to point out is that content-wise, the game is essentially complete, so if you get the Game of the Year Edition you’re all set. Our development team is now focusing on the future of rally, but that doesn’t mean we’re done with DiRT Rally 2.0 just yet, as we’ve got various activities planned to keep you busy throughout 2020.
Speaking of, last week in partnership with Motorsport Games and IMG, we announced the World RX Esports Invitational: a special event replacing the real-world event at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Real-life World RX drivers including 2-time champion Johan Kristoffersson and fan-favourite Oliver Bennett will face off against top qualifiers from last Saturday’s in-game Event, and other special guests on April 19. Keep an eye out for more driver announcements real soon, as new drivers get revealed each day.
With everything that’s going on right now, many rally and rallycross drivers and teams are turning to sim racing to get their motorsport fix, and in the past few weeks we’ve seen several groups organising events using DiRT Rally 2.0’s Clubs feature. Two that stood out for us were The Solberg RACE (organised by long-time DiRT friends Petter and Oliver Solberg) and the Virtual Azores Rally, and we’re likely to see more surface as the weeks progress. If you’ve ever wanted to take on real-world drivers, now’s the best time to do so, so keep an eye out and join any you see.
Finally, tonight’s the big night for the games industry as the Gaming BAFTA winners get announced. This is essentially the gaming equivalent of the Oscars and it’s been an honour to have DiRT Rally 2.0 on the shortlist for British game (for games developed by UK-based studios). We’re all excited to celebrate the great talent in the industry and would like to congratulate all games, people and studios on their nominations this evening. Good luck all. If you want to watch the ceremony, here are all the links you need.
That’s it for now – take care and I’ll see you all on the road.
– PJ
F1 2019
Hey there!
The start of the F1 season may have been postponed for now, but the action is still happening, albeit virtually. The first Virtual GP took place just over two weeks ago, and we absolutely loved it! Miss any of it? You can check it out here!
Watch Bahrain Virtual Grand Prix 2020 from Formula1 on www.twitch.tv
We also announced the winner of the Bahrain Grand Prix photo mode competition – we were after your great overtakes, and you absolutely delivered. Check out the winners right here:
That isn’t the only racing action that’s been happening in the past two weeks! Last weekend, Lando took on a variety of different challenges on F1 2019, some of which he had more success than others. Want to know more? Watch Challenge Lando on Lando’s Twitch stream here:
Watch F1 #CHALLENGELANDO from landonorris on www.twitch.tv
And what of this weekend? We’re going racing once again, with the second F1 Virtual Grand Prix confirmed earlier today! Five drivers from this season’s grid are already confirmed to be taking part, including Norris and Ferrari star Charles Leclerc. They’ll be joined by famous names across the sports and entertainment world, including England’s Cricket World Cup hero Ben Stokes – who looks up for the challenge already. Using the Albert Park, Melbourne circuit in F2 2019, join us for all the action this Sunday at 8pm BST, on F1’s official broadcast channels, as well as Sky Sports F1 and Main Event.
See you next time!
– Jenny
F1® MOBILE RACING
To keep up the momentum following the testing period, a brand new GP Event has just gone live: the Spring Warmup! This two-event series only runs for ten days, so you’ll need to be quick off the draw to lay down quick times on the challenging Silverstone and Catalunya. The Spring Warmup runs alongside the Elite Championship, which has been live since mid-March with five rounds to participate in. With entry open to Elite League players only, we’ve seen some incredibly competitive action.
Behind the scenes, we’ve been carefully assessing the feedback we received online and through our dedicated survey, following the Pre-Season Testing event that previewed new physics and R&D systems. All your comments and suggestions have been assessed and are driving the final tweaks to the systems, ahead of their full launch in a later update. Alongside that, there’s plenty more news right around the corner, concerning the next big step for F1® Mobile Racing. So, jump into those live events and get ready for what’s next!
– Chris
ANY OTHER BUSINESS?
- You caught our big news yesterday, right? Codemasters was delighted to reveal our new video game: DiRT Rollers! The world’s fastest-descending sport gets its own official video game, meaning you can conquer the world of marble racing, one aimless hurriedly-built circuit at a time.
…Okay, DiRT Rollers, may’ve been our little April Fool’s piece, but we certainly enjoyed the reaction to it. Let us know how many easter eggs you spotted in the blog post and ‘screenshots’…
- Make sure you check out the most recent episode of the Aardvark Swift podcast, where the AS team talk to gaming developers and professionals on the inner workings of this weird and wonderful industry. In the latest podcast, Meg Daintith and Simon Barlow from the Codies team offer their insight on recruitment, officially licensed franchises, and plenty more.
- Finally, a little extra something for everyone trying to keep themselves or the younger ones in their home occupied. We’ve taken screenshots from some of our live titles and removed all the colours, so you can print them off, raid the stationery cupboard for supplies, and get colouring! The first three images are at the bottom of this post, and keep an eye on our channels over the coming days and weeks for new images to print off and colour in. Oh, and show off your designs by posting them up and using #CodiesColouringBook – we can’t wait to see how accurate (or not…) your designs are!
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Current Formula 1 drivers Charles Leclerc, Alex Albon, George Russell, Lando Norris and Nicholas Latifi have all confirmed their participation for the second instalment of the F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix this weekend.
The F1 quintet will be joined by former driver Johnny Herbert, who finished 13th in the inaugural race in Bahrain, as well as a host of other stars including England’s Cricket World Cup Winner, BBC Sports Personality of the Year and Red Bull Athlete Ben Stokes, with more names set to be announced in the coming days.
This weekend’s virtual Grand Prix is the second race in the new F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix series, which gives fans the chance to watch Formula 1 races virtually, despite the ongoing COVID-19 situation.
This weekend’s Grand Prix will take place on the Albert Park track, traditionally used for the Australian Grand Prix, on the weekend originally scheduled for Hanoi’s inaugural Street Circuit race in Vietnam. The Vietnam circuit is currently not available on the 2019 official F1 video game so drivers will show off their skills on the Albert Park circuit. Drivers will join the race remotely, with a host broadcast live from the Gfinity Esports Arena from 8:00pm (BST) on Sunday April 5.
The broadcast which will be available on the official Formula 1 YouTube, Twitch and Facebook channels, is expected to run for 1 hour 30 minutes, with a qualifying period where grid positions will be determined based on the drivers’ fastest lap time, followed by a 28-lap race. The Virtual Grand Prix will also be broadcast live with international broadcast partners including in the UK on Sky Sports F1 and Sky Sports Main Event.
Due to the wide variety of gaming skill levels amongst the drivers, game settings will be configured in such a way to encourage competitive and entertaining racing. This includes running equal car performance with fixed setups, reduced vehicle damage, and optional anti-lock brakes and traction control for those less familiar with the game.
After the virtual Vietnam Grand Prix is over, a special F1 Esports Pro Exhibition race featuring esports gamers will follow from 9:30pm (BST). The broadcast will be available on the official Formula 1 YouTube, Twitch and Facebook channels as well as selected TV broadcasters and is expected to run for 1 hour.
Julian Tan, Head of Digital Business Initiatives and Esports said: “Following the massive success of the F1 Esports Virtual Bahrain Grand Prix, we are thrilled to be able to come back online again this weekend to provide fans with some racing action. A star-studded grid is shaping up with our F1 stars – past, present and future – as well as huge names in sports and entertainment. We look forward to providing some light relief through esports as we all navigate through these difficult times together, where our fans can engage with our sport in a different but familiar way.”
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At Codemasters, we’re always on the lookout for the next big thing when it comes to racing games. Over three decades of gaming, we’ve brought you realistic and thrilling experiences from almost all classes of racing. Almost. Turns out, that next big thing comes in the form of something rather… small.
People: welcome to the world of DiRT Rollers – the official video game of marble racing.
Rolling onto all fathomable platforms later this year, DiRT Rollers is the most true-to-life and immersive representation of the fastest-rolling sport in the world today. Phwoar.
Inspired by the dramatic marble racing events broadcasted by Jelle’s Marble Runs and whatever the hell this is, DIRT Rolly brings the drama and spectacle of small glass balls rolling aimlessly across an uneven surface to your fingertips. Here’s a first glimpse of the stunning action you’ll be in control of – until you let go of them, then the rest is sort of up to gravity:
Live vicariously through these inanimate objects, and retrace the barely-recognisable path laid down by some of the true heroes of marble racing. Who could forget the iconic efforts of Raspberry Racers as they rolled to glory in the 2019 Marble League? Or the pure will to win of Red Number 3, as it overcame a runner-up finish in the 2017 Marble Rally to take gold the next year?
Find your footing as a leader and coach your team of marbles, hiring and firing the best glassy balls in the business. A deep R&D system allows you to develop your marbles’ performance, investing in better polish, or complex aerodynamics systems. Wangs for marbles? You betcha.
“On the face of it, taking our sport to video games is the perfect leap forward,” said Daisy Allproof, Chief Rolling Office of the International Marble Automotive Division (I.M.A.D). “From beach to back yard, from hand-build tracks to an egregious use of children’s toys, marble racing is going to the next level. Esports marble racing is basically inevitable at this point, right?
“Oh, and when you can collaborate with a team like Codemasters, it’s not like you’re rolling the dice. Though you don’t really roll dice, like you would roll a marble. You kinda just… throw it. And isn’t it a die, not a dice? What were we talking about again?”
Look out for official DIRT Rollers social channels to follow in the near future, including an official Twitch channel. There, we’ll be showing deep dives into the nuanced marble handling model and the all-important stats of each marble in the game – from rolly-ness, to shiny-ness, to oh-isn’t-that-one-pretty-ness.
So, get ready to roll with DIRT Rollers. Take it from us: it’s marble-ous!
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Think you can take on the real-life World RX drivers? Put yourself to the test with the World RX Esports Invitational by qualifying this Saturday on Steam.
Before we go any further, make sure you read the official announcement here.
This blog post is here to give more information on the Qualifier format itself.
Qualifier Format:
- The Invitational and Qualifier are only available on Steam
- Start Time: Saturday, March 28 at 10.00 UTC
- Finish Time: Sunday, March 29 at 10.00 UTC
- Find the event in My Team > Events
- You can use any 2018 RX Supercar you have in your Garage
- Track: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya
- Conditions: Daytime / Clear
- Laps: 6 (5 + 1 Joker)
- Your total cumulative time across all laps is added to the Leaderboards.
Some additional tips:
- You will need to own a 2018 RX Supercar in My Team, so make sure you get them before the Qualifiers start.
- Like any My Team Event, engine and other performance upgrades are available.
- If you need to spend some time unlocking engine upgrades, the fastest way to do it is to create a My Team Career Championship. You’ll make progress with event Event you complete.
- My Team Career Championships are also the fastest way to earn Credits in-game, though if you need extra take on the Daily AI Challenges.
- Get some practice in beforehand. The conditions are the same as in Time Trial (note: Time Trial cars are fully-upgraded).
- You are allowed to tune your car.
- When you have finished your run, make sure you hit Continue on the post-Event screen. If you switch off your PC or quit the game before this, your time may not be uploaded to the Leaderboards.
We’d like to wish you all the best of luck, and can’t wait to see how you fare against the professional drivers in April.
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Music artist Liam Payne, professional golfer Ian Poulter and six-time Olympic Gold medallist Sir Chris Hoy have all been confirmed on the grid for this evening’s virtual Bahrain Grand Prix.
The trio will be joined by a variety of F1 drivers past and present, including Lando Norris, Nicholas Latifi, Nico Hulkenberg, Stoffel Vandoorne, Esteban Gutierrez and Johnny Herbert.
The event will consist of a qualifying session followed by a 28-lap race around the Sakhir circuit, with all 10 Formula 1 teams represented by two drivers each.
Fans can watch all the action from 8pm GMT on the official Formula 1 YouTube, Twitch and Facebook channels, as well as F1.com. You can check out the official YouTube broadcast below:
The Virtual Grand Prix will also be broadcast live with international broadcast partners including in the UK on Sky Sports F1, Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Mix (Sky channel 145). Please find a full breakdown of the grid for the virtual Bahrain GP below:
Team Driver 1 Driver 2 Alfa Romeo Cyanide Johnny Herbert AlphaTauri Luca Salvadori Sadokist FDA Hublot Esports Team Robert Shwartzman Dino Beganovic Haas Anthony Davidson Redeye McLaren Lando Norris Nic Hamilton Mercedes Esteban Gutierrez Stoffel Vandoorne RacingPoint Jimmy Broadbent Nico Hulkenberg Red Bull Sir Chris Hoy Philipp Eng Renault Guanyu Zhou Ian Poulter Williams Liam Payne Nicholas Latifi -
Formula 1® has today announced the launch of a new F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix series, featuring a number of current F1 drivers. The series has been created to enable fans to continue watching Formula 1 races virtually, despite the ongoing COVID-19 situation that has affected this season’s opening race calendar.
The virtual races will run in place of every postponed Grand Prix, starting this weekend with the Virtual Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday March 22. Every subsequent race weekend will see the postponed real-world Formula 1 race replaced with a Virtual Grand Prix*, with the initiative currently scheduled to run until May**.
The first race of the series will see current F1 drivers line up on the grid alongside a host of stars to be announced in due course. In order to guarantee the participants safety at this time, each driver will join the race remotely, with a host broadcast live from the Gfinity Esports Arena (or remotely if required) from 8:00pm (GMT) on Sunday March 22.
The series will use the official F1 2019 PC video game, developed by Codemasters, and the first virtual GP on the Sakhir track will be a 50% length race with 28 laps. The broadcast, which will be available on the official Formula 1 YouTube, Twitch and Facebook channels, is expected to run for 1 hour 30 minutes, with a qualifying period where grid positions will be determined based on the drivers’ fastest lap time.
Due to the wide variety of gaming skill levels amongst the drivers, game settings will be configured in such a way to encourage competitive and entertaining racing. This includes running equal car performance with fixed setups, reduced vehicle damage, and optional anti-lock brakes and traction control for those less familiar with the game.
The series is strictly for entertainment purposes, to bring racing action to fans in this unprecedented scenario the world has been affected by, with no official World Championship points up for grabs for the drivers.
During non-race weekends, Formula 1 will also be hosting online exhibition races, where fans from around the world will be given the chance to go head-to-head with F1 drivers. More details of these events will be available across the official Formula 1 social media channels in the coming weeks.
Julian Tan, Head of Digital Business Initiatives and Esports said: “We are very pleased to be able to bring some light relief in the form of the F1 Esports Virtual GP, in these unpredictable times, as we hope to entertain fans missing the regular sporting action. With every major sports league in the world unable to compete, it is a great time to highlight the benefits of esports and the incredible skill that’s on show.”
Frank Sagnier, Chief Executive Officer, Codemasters added: “We’re excited to be a part of the new F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix Series. With sporting events currently on hold around the world, it’s great that the official F1® video game can help fill the void by bringing together an exciting line-up of talent to race online during the postponed race weekends. It’s going to be competitive, action-packed, and a lot of fun for everyone involved.”
*Grands Prix not available in the 2019 official F1 video game will be replaced with an alternative Grand Prix.
**The F1 Esports Virtual GP initiative will be extended beyond May if the coronavirus pandemic results in further Grand Prix cancellations/postponements. -
Win F1® 2019 game merch
With the F1® season postponed for the near future, we thought we’d brighten up what would have been the Bahrain Grand Prix with a photo mode competition! We’ve got 5 sets of F1® 2019 game merchandise to give away to some lucky winners.
How can you win? Simple. We want your best overtaking pictures around the Bahrain International Circuit in F1® 2019’s Photo Mode – that’s all! Just make sure you’re snapping your overtakes (not crashes!) on Bahrain, and you’re using one of the 2019 cars. That’s it. Once you’ve taken your picture, email it to us at competitions@codemasters.com, or tweet it to us at ‘@Formula1game’ using the hashtag ‘#F12019’. We’ll only be accepting two entries per person, so make sure they count! You’ve got until 12pm GMT on Monday, 23rd March 2020… good luck!
Terms and Conditions
1. The promoter is: Codemasters Ltd whose registered office is at Lower Farm, Stoneythorpe, Southam, Warwickshire, CV47 2DL.
2. The competition is open to all, except employees of Codemasters and their close relatives and anyone otherwise connected with the organisation or judging of the competition.
3. There is no entry fee to enter this competition.
4. By entering this competition, an entrant is indicating his/her agreement to be bound by these terms and conditions.
5. The competition will be publicised on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the official Codemasters website and forum.
6. Two entries only from the same person are permitted.
7. Closing date for entry will be 12 noon GMT Monday, 23rd March 2020. After this date the no further entries to the competition will be permitted.
8. No responsibility can be accepted for entries not received for whatever reason.
9. The rules of the competition and how to enter are as follows: play F1® 2019, and take a screenshot using Photo Mode. Entries must be using an 2019 F1 car, be on the Bahrain International Circuit and show an overtake to be eligible for entry. Send it to us via competitions@codemasters.com, or tweet to us at ‘@Formula1game’ using the hashtag ‘#F12019’.
10. The promoter reserves the right to cancel or amend the competition and these terms and conditions without notice in the event of a catastrophe, war, civil or military disturbance, act of God or any actual or anticipated breach of any applicable law or regulation or any other event outside of the promoter’s control. Any changes to the competition will be notified to entrants as soon as possible by the promoter.
11. The promoter is not responsible for inaccurate prize details supplied to any entrant by any third party connected with this competition.
12. The prize is as follows: five winners will receive a F1® 2019 game t-shirt in a size of their choice, Steelbook, notebook and pen.
13. The prize is as stated and no cash or other alternatives will be offered. The prizes are not transferable. Prizes are subject to availability and we reserve the right to substitute any prize with another of equivalent value without giving notice.
14. The winners will be chosen by Codemasters. The decision is final.
15. The winners will be notified by email within 28 days of the closing date. If the winner cannot be contacted or does not claim the prize within 14 days of notification, we reserve the right to withdraw the prize from the winner and pick a replacement winner.
16. The promoter will notify the winner when and where the prize can be collected / is delivered.
17. The promoter’s decision in respect of all matters to do with the competition will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.
18. The competition and these terms and conditions will be governed by English law and any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England.
19. The winner agrees to the use of his/her name and image in any publicity material, as well as their entry. Any personal data relating to the winner or any other entrants will be used solely in accordance with current UK data protection legislation and will not be disclosed to a third party without the entrant’s prior consent.
20. The winner’s name will be available 28 days after closing date by emailing the following address: competitions@codemasters.com.
21. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Twitter or any other Social Network.
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Hey everyone,
First things first, we send our best wishes and hope the entire Codemasters community is healthy and safe during what is, yes, some unprecedented times. It’s a little bonkers out there right now, and whilst video games can seem a pretty unimportant subject, it’s been brilliant to see so many of use gaming to come together and bring togetherness in a time of isolation. You’re all pretty awesome, and we salute you!
The Racing Line is our light-hearted, irreverent take on the last fortnight of Codies news and extra goings-on, and that doesn’t change here, as we look to supply you lovely people with some gaming goodness to keep entertained, occupied, and happy. Sure enough, there’s plenty to talk about and get involved with, so allow us to give you the latest update on our live titles, and some extra news and content. Let’s do this thing:
F1 2019
Hey,
It’s time for another Racing Line! It’s been an interesting couple of weeks, with the real-life F1 season on hold for a while. With that in mind, we’ve loved seeing your F1 2019 moments and pictures as we all try and make the world a little better – keep sending them in to us!
Last week, we ran a photo mode competition using the 2019 F1 cars at Albert Park in Australia. You sent us some incredible pictures – thank you for sending us your entries, and huge congratulations to all of our winners. You can check them all out in our Twitter thread:
We’ll always have you virtually, #AusGP!
It’s time to announce the winners of our Australian Grand Prix Photo Mode competition… and our first winner is:
Flixv03 pic.twitter.com/X5Kajt6F1w— Formula 1® Game (@Formula1game) March 13, 2020
If, like us, you’re missing F1 cars on a track, you can pick up free trials of F1 2019 right now on Xbox One and PS4. Coming up to what would have been the Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend, we’ll see you out on that (virtual) track – keep it here for more!
– Jenny
DIRT RALLY 2.0
Hi all, hope everyone out there in DiRT land’s going well and staying safe.
As I write this, we’re only a few days away from the last big release for DiRT Rally 2.0. The Colin McRae: FLAT OUT Pack is releasing on Tuesday and the Game of the Year Edition (which contains everything) is officially out a few days later.
I say “officially” as some areas in the world may see physical copies of GOTY as early as this weekend (as the release date has been brought forward in a few territories, mainly Europe). If you’re one of the lucky few who could get the Xbox One or PS4 GOTY ahead of March 24 you’ll be happy to know that the code in the box is valid immediately, and unlocks all of the Season content which you can play right now. On Tuesday, you’ll then get the Colin McRae: FLAT OUT Pack for free (as will anybody who owns a Season), which you can install after the update is released.
Speaking of, the expected timeline for the Colin McRae: FLAT OUT Pack is for the Version 1.13 update to go out from 10.00 GMT on Tuesday, March 24. You can find the patch notes here. As usual, server connections go down for a few hours but, after that, the whole world’s going FLAT OUT.
If you’re new to the game or even just the FLAT OUT news, we’ve got dozens of great videos over on our YouTube channel to get you up to speed.
See you all on Tuesday.
– PJ
GRID
Hey everyone,
We’ve loved seeing everyone’s creativity flourish thanks to custom livery designs shared on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook; so much so, we decided to make up and share a few ourselves. Take a look at all the submissions so far by searching #GRIDCustom on socials – maybe you’ll get some inspiration of your own.
Season 2 launched on Stadia this week, bringing with it six new cars, 33 new Career events and the Red Bull Ring. On top of that, all the features from the Community Update including stats screens and the ability to clean your car were also added. You can read into everything that’s featured in the update here.
Don’t forget: every Friday we’re setting a lap-time challenge that anyone with GRID can take on. Last week, we gave the Renault R26 a spin in Sydney – and after a few laps, it wasn’t just seconds that we were taking off…
The team is continuing to work hard on GRID and we can’t wait to share everything else we’ve been working on. In the meantime, join the discussion on our Forums and keep safe, wherever you are.
– James
F1® MOBILE RACING
No real-world F1 for a little while longer? No problem. F1® Mobile Racing has you covered, as the official free-to-play handheld F1 game, meaning you be part of the action whenever, wherever.
Take advantage of that right now and you’ll have a fresh new update to enjoy! Update 11 delivers big on new events and a glimpse into the future of the game. You still have a few days to enter our one-time-only Pre-Season Test GP Event, where players can try out the new physics system ahead of its full deployment in a later update, along with the new R&D layout and the snazzy 2020 car and livery. For anyone taking part, we’re also sending out a short survey to those players, so we can grab your feedback and use it to refine the system before its full launch. Enter through the Events tab and take it for a test drive!
Keep an eye out for more GP Events, including the ELITE Championship which is now live and pits the very best Duel players against each other in a new format. We also recently finished up the Community Event, with circuits and grid orders chosen by you, the players, which saw some epic action. Expect plenty more of just that in the coming weeks, as we keep you topped up on F1 for the foreseeable.
– Chris
ANY OTHER BUSINESS?
- At the beginning of March we marked International Women’s Day 2020 by shining a well-deserved spotlight on some of the incredibly talented women making their mark here at Codemasters. From localisation to art, game design to QA, we spoke to women from all manner of departments to get some pro insight on their line of work, and what advice they have for other women eager to be a part of the gaming industry. Check out our first feature here, and scroll to the bottom to see all our IWD features.
- It’s been great to see our industry friends, partners and the racing community coming up with ways to keep us all entertained at this time, and we’re of course looking to do the same. This week, we went live with a laid-back stream of GRID, as James and Chris challenged each other in different scenarios and hung out in the chat. We also couldn’t leave this Racing Line without mentioning the brilliant #NotTheAusGP, where F1 content creators squared off against actual F1 drivers like Lando Norris, and sporting stars like Thibaut Courtois!
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The ultimate DiRT Rally 2.0 experience is coming. Get all the DiRT in one complete package on March 27.
All 4 Seasons of Content
DiRT Rally 2.0 Game of the Year Edition provides the most comprehensive rally and rallycross experience ever made, with over 80 cars and 26 locations to take on the world with.
Since the release of the base game in 2019, DiRT Rally 2.0 has been on a path of evolution with new cars, locations and community-requested features coming every month, and with the Game of the Year Edition all post-launch content is now available in a single package.
Take on the definitive versions of iconic rally locations such as Wales, Monte Carlo, Sweden, Germany, Greece, Finland and Scotland in legendary rally cars, including fan-favourites like the SUBARU Impreza 2001, Peugeot 206 Rally and the Skoda Fabia Rally (pictured above).
DiRT Rally 2.0 Game of the Year Edition also includes the latest and greatest of the FIA World Rallycross Championship, with the 2018 and 2019 championships, cars, drivers and locations at your fingertips. Experience the fast-paced super-intense action from the world of rallycross in modern machinery, or take on the fearsome monsters of the Group B era, the choice is yours.
Colin McRae: FLAT OUT Pack Included
The ultimate tribute to a rally legend who gave birth to the DiRT series over 20 years ago. The Colin McRae: FLAT OUT Pack is included in DiRT Rally 2.0 Game of the Year Edition.
DiRT Rally 2.0 celebrates the 25th anniversary of Colin McRae’s World Championship victory with two of his most iconic cars, an all-new rally location and 40 challenging scenarios which will test the toughest of drivers. Relive the humble beginnings, the giant-killing, the never-say-never attitude and the sensation of driving FLAT OUT.
For the first time: All content available on Oculus
DiRT Rally 2.0 Game of the Year Edition brings with it a significant milestone to our players on the Oculus platform, who have only had access to the Standard Edition up until now.
On March 24, all Oculus users will have their game updated to the Game of the Year Edition, making all post-launch content (including the Colin McRae: FLAT OUT Pack) playable in the dramatic world of virtual reality. If you’ve just got a headset and are ready to take on the world of rally, this is the perfect place to start.
New Livery: Ford Focus RS Rally 2001 (Valvoline)
Coinciding with the release of DiRT Rally 2.0 Game of the Year Edition, we’ve got a special treat for all DiRT Rally 2.0 players in the form of a new livery.
On March 24, all players who have access to the Ford Focus RS Rally 2001 (it was available in Season 3) will have a new, original Valvoline-branded design available to use. This car and livery also feature in the Colin McRae Scenarios, so all players with access to the Colin McRae: FLAT OUT Pack can drive in style too.
DiRT Rally 2.0 Game of the Year Edition: Full Content Details
When can I get the DiRT Rally 2.0 Game of the Year Edition?
- Physical versions (Xbox One and PlayStation 4 only) release on March 27.
- Digital versions (all platforms) release on March 24.
Can I pre-order the DiRT Rally 2.0 Game of the Year Edition?
- If you don’t have DiRT Rally 2.0 at all, the DiRT Rally 2.0 Super Deluxe Edition (available now) will contain all of the content listed above.
- If you have the DiRT Rally 2.0 Standard Edition (also known as the Day One Edition), the Year One Pass will give you the remaining content not included in the Base Game.
I bought the DiRT Rally 2.0 Deluxe Edition, what do I need to have all the DiRT Rally 2.0 Game of the Year Edition content?
- The Deluxe Edition contains Season 1 and 2. If you purchase the Season 3 and 4 bundle, you’ll have everything.
- You will already have access to the Colin McRae: FLAT OUT Pack even if you don’t purchase Seasons 3 and 4.
I have the DiRT Rally 2.0 Deluxe Content Upgrade (Seasons 1 and 2), what do I need to have all the DiRT Rally 2.0 Game of the Year Edition content?
- If you purchase the Season 3 and 4 bundle, you’ll have everything.
- You will already have access to the Colin McRae: FLAT OUT Pack even if you don’t purchase Seasons 1 and 2.
I have the DiRT Rally 2.0 Super Deluxe Edition, does that mean I’ll have DiRT Rally 2.0 Game of the Year Edition content?
- Yes.
I have the DiRT Rally 2.0 Year One Pass, does that mean I have all of the DiRT Rally 2.0 Game of the Year Edition content?
- Yes.
I have all 4 Seasons of DiRT Rally 2.0, does that mean I already have the DiRT Rally 2.0 Game of the Year Edition?
- Yes.
The Colin McRae: FLAT OUT Pack will unlock for you on March 24.
I have DiRT Rally 2.0 on Oculus, do I need to do anything to get the DiRT Rally 2.0 Game of the Year Edition?
- No.
When your game updates on March 24 you’ll get everything.
I bought DiRT Rally 2.0 DLC content (individual cars and locations) but did not buy a Season bundle, do I need to do anything to get the DiRT Rally 2.0 Game of the Year Edition?
- The DiRT Rally 2.0 Year One Pass will give you everything.
I have DiRT Rally 2.0 on Xbox Game Pass, do I need to do anything to get the DiRT Rally 2.0 Game of the Year Edition?
- The DiRT Rally 2.0 Year One Pass will give you everything.
Are the timed-exclusive (Festive & Solberg Challenge) liveries available in DiRT Rally 2.0 Game of the Year Edition?
- The liveries for these cars will be unlocked for all players later this year.
Can I buy the Colin McRae: FLAT OUT Pack individually?
- Yes. (Price £7.99 / €9.99 / $9.99)
Can I buy the Colin McRae: FLAT OUT Pack content pieces individually?
- All contents from the Colin McRae: FLAT OUT Pack come as a complete package and cannot be bought individually.
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1
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Win F1® 2019 game merch
The new F1® season is nearly here, and we absolutely cannot wait for the opening race at Albert Park! We’ve got 5 sets of F1® 2019 game merchandise to give away to some lucky winners. How can you win? Simple. We want your best pictures using F1® 2019’s Photo Mode – all you need to do is take them on Albert Park, and make sure you use one of the 2019 cars. That’s it. Once you’ve taken your picture, email it to us at competitions@codemasters.com, or tweet it to us at ‘@Formula1game’ using the hashtag ‘#F12019’. We’ll only be accepting two entries per person, so make sure they count! You’ve got until 12pm GMT on Thursday, 12th March 2020… good luck!
PRF1_FLE GIRO on Steam
Terms and Conditions
1. The promoter is: Codemasters Ltd whose registered office is at Lower Farm, Stoneythorpe, Southam, Warwickshire, CV47 2DL.
2. The competition is open to all, except employees of Codemasters and their close relatives and anyone otherwise connected with the organisation or judging of the competition.
3. There is no entry fee to enter this competition.
4. By entering this competition, an entrant is indicating his/her agreement to be bound by these terms and conditions.
5. The competition will be publicised on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the official Codemasters website and forum.
6. Two entries only from the same person are permitted.
7. Closing date for entry will be 12 noon GMT Thursday, 12th March 2020. After this date the no further entries to the competition will be permitted.
8. No responsibility can be accepted for entries not received for whatever reason.
9. The rules of the competition and how to enter are as follows: play F1® 2019, and take a screenshot using Photo Mode. Entries must be using an 2019 F1 car and be on the Australian circuit Albert Park to be eligible for entry. Send it to us via competitions@codemasters.com, or tweet to us at ‘@Formula1game’ using the hashtag ‘#F12019’.
10. The promoter reserves the right to cancel or amend the competition and these terms and conditions without notice in the event of a catastrophe, war, civil or military disturbance, act of God or any actual or anticipated breach of any applicable law or regulation or any other event outside of the promoter’s control. Any changes to the competition will be notified to entrants as soon as possible by the promoter.
11. The promoter is not responsible for inaccurate prize details supplied to any entrant by any third party connected with this competition.
12. The prize is as follows: five winners will receive a F1® 2019 game t-shirt in a size of their choice, Steelbook, notebook and pen.
13. The prize is as stated and no cash or other alternatives will be offered. The prizes are not transferable. Prizes are subject to availability and we reserve the right to substitute any prize with another of equivalent value without giving notice.
14. The winners will be chosen by Codemasters. The decision is final.
15. The winners will be notified by email within 28 days of the closing date. If the winner cannot be contacted or does not claim the prize within 14 days of notification, we reserve the right to withdraw the prize from the winner and pick a replacement winner.
16. The promoter will notify the winner when and where the prize can be collected / is delivered.
17. The promoter’s decision in respect of all matters to do with the competition will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.
18. The competition and these terms and conditions will be governed by English law and any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England.
19. The winner agrees to the use of his/her name and image in any publicity material, as well as their entry. Any personal data relating to the winner or any other entrants will be used solely in accordance with current UK data protection legislation and will not be disclosed to a third party without the entrant’s prior consent.
20. The winner’s name will be available 28 days after closing date by emailing the following address: competitions@codemasters.com.
21. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Twitter or any other Social Network.
Codies Racing Line – June 25, 2020
in News & Announcements
Posted
Hey everyone,
As always, we want to begin the Racing Line by wishing you all well, and hope you’re staying happy and healthy. The fans and paddling pools are well and truly out across the homes of the Codies team, as we remotely battle the UK heatwave!
It’s undoubtedly one of the busiest times of the year for the entire Codemasters team, as we hurtle towards the launch of two different major titles, prepare for a new generation of gaming, and keep optimising our existing games with community-driven updates.
Plenty to get through, then – and this time around, we’re kicking things off with a special message for all players of one of our 2019 releases.
GRID
Since GRID’s announcement in May last year, we’ve been overwhelmed with the positivity around the series’ return. GRID launched in October to critical acclaim and since then players have enjoyed three new circuits and a half dozen cars to add to their garages all for free, with more cars and Career events made available through GRID Ultimate Edition.
Released on Google Stadia at launch, GRID was the first track-based racing title on the cloud-gaming platform. This offered a whole new generation of players the opportunity to enjoy GRID – and its exclusive 40-player Endurance mode – from almost anything with a screen.
GRID’s community has been at the heart of all the tweaks and changes made since launch and despite Season 3 being the final season of GRID, every bit of feedback – whether that’s from the Codemasters Forums or across the web – will be passed on for future entries in the series.
Whilst this will be GRID’s last inclusion in the Racing Line for a while, it certainly won’t be the last you hear from us. We’ll be keeping the conversation going on our socials, so make sure you’re following on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for all the latest news on the GRID series.
DIRT 5
New trailer, new audio content, first ever gameplay. Yeah, you could say it’s been a busy fortnight for DIRT 5.
We recently revealed how DIRT 5’s Career mode features a racing story that’s truly amplified. Check out our special video, featuring voice acting stars Troy Baker and Nolan North, as they go into detail on the characters they play in the game, and how the unique and fresh approach to storytelling came to life in our recording session in Los Angeles:
Alongside the video we also announced the launch date of October 9 for current-gen consoles and PC, followed shortly by Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5! Head here for all the latest links and news on DIRT 5 pre-orders.
The brilliant James Pumphrey and Nolan Sykes from Donut Media also appear in the video, who host the in-game podcast that drives the story of Career mode forward. We’ve previewed this feature by dropping a couple of podcast episodes on an official SoundCloud page – the latest featuring a guest appearance by W Series champion Jamie Chadwick! The super-fast Jamie is one of our in-game guests that appear through the Career, and in this episodes she gives her thoughts on AJ and Bruno Durand – the characters Troy Baker and Nolan North portray, respectively.
You thought that was all we had for you from the last fortnight?! Come on now…
We know how keen everyone’s been to see gameplay of DIRT 5, even at this early stage. With that in mind, the first ever hands-on session for DIRT 5 recently took place with media and content creators from our Racing Ahead program. The previews are live – and the first impressions are glowing! Check out our YouTube playlist of the best of the gameplay, and read the thoughts of IGN, Eurogamer, GamesRadar and more on how DIRT 5 is already getting people hyped for October 9.
– Chris
F1
Hey all!
I seem to say this every time but it’s been SO BUSY since the last Racing Line. With the launch of F1® 2020 coming up very soon (I can’t believe it’s nearly July already!), we’ve shared a ton of information on what you can expect when the game launches on July 10th.
Let’s start with the latest news: hot off the press from this afternoon is F1® 2020’s TV advert which you can find below. We’ve been practically buzzing with excitement waiting to share this with you!
Now that you’ve seen that, let’s go over everything else you might have missed.
My Team – F1® 2020’s My Team mode gives you the opportunity to write your own racing legacy by joining the F1® line-up as the 11th team. Last week, we released a trailer that gives an in-depth look on what to expect from this all-new mode. Here it is:
In My Team, you’ll experience F1® 2020 through the eyes of a driver-manager, offering you a unique insight into the world of F1 – how incredible does that sound? If you want to learn more, we released a bunch more My Team info in a blog post last week – get the lowdown on everything you need to know here.
What are you going to call your F1® team? Drop us a line on our social channels and let us know.
F1® 2020 Deluxe Schumacher Edition – In the F1® 2020 Deluxe Schumacher Edition, you’ll be able to drive as the legendary Michael Schumacher in four of his most iconic cars – 1991: Jordan 191, 1994: Benetton B194, 1995: Benetton B195 and 2000: Ferrari F1-2000. You’ll also receive exclusive content such as themed car liveries and driver customisation items, including a unique podium celebration. We covered what you can get in full here and you can also check out our celebration of the GOAT on YouTube here.
Split-Screen – There’s nothing better than showing your friends (rivals!) who’s best out on track, and what better way to do this than with F1® 2020’s two-player split-screen mode. We released a video showing split-screen off around the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve which you can check out here.
All 2020 cars
We know you’ve been aching to see what all ten of the 2020 F1® cars will look like in-game. Well ache no more, as we’ve got a couple shots of them right here to feast your eyes on. I think you’ll agree, they are stunning. Have you got a favourite? Want to see them all? Just head here!
PlayStation Store Pre-Orders Now Live
Finally, we’re thrilled to say that PlayStation players are now able to pre-order both versions of the game on the PlayStation Store. We can’t thank you enough for your patience in waiting for these to be ready. You can pick up either version by heading to our pre-order page: https://bit.ly/F12020PreOrder
If you already own F1 2019, you can get yourself a 10% discount on the Deluxe Schumacher Edition. Just head in-game to redeem it!
F1® 2020’s release is almost upon us. In fact, by the next Racing Line those who’ve bought the Deluxe Schumacher Edition of F1® 2020 will be playing it… this is exciting stuff, and I can’t wait until then!
– Jenny
DIRT RALLY 2.0
Hello everyone – time for your regular Rally update:
World RX Esports Series – The world’s best rallycross drivers were at it again this past weekend, taking on Norway’s Hell circuit in the second round of the World RX Esports Series.
Just like at Yas Marina, over 20 races were packed into a two-hour show, providing many entertaining battles as World RX drivers, sim racers and special guests duked it out on one of the best circuits for racing. Shane van Gisbergen was the favourite heading into this after his dominant performance at Yas Marina, but would he win again? Here are the highlights, here are all of the races, and if you’re okay with spoilers, here is the full race report.
The next round is at Sweden this Sunday, before we end the series in South Africa in July.
The Solberg World Cup – After three months of rallying action, 17,000 entrants descended on Wales for the final rally of the Solberg World Cup.
Coming out on top was a driver well-known for past esports success: Robin Jonsson from Sweden. On top of his podium finishes in the DiRT 4 and DiRT Rally 2.0 World Series, he now has the opportunity to drive a rally car for real, and learn from Oliver Solberg himself. To read quotes from Oliver and Robin on the event, head over here where we’ve shared them, and drop your experiences in the replies. As for me, I gave it a fair go and ended up just outside the Top 500 overall. I’m not “esports good” so to get a Top 3% performance feels great, and I’ve heard similar stories from many players after their six rallies, who challenged themselves to do well.
The Solbergs were delighted with the response to this competition and have hinted that they may do another in the future. If that becomes a reality, we’ll let you know!
That’ll do it for now, see you all on Sunday for some top-class rallycross action!
– PJ
F1® MOBILE RACING
With the real-world F1 action set to return next weekend, there’s no better way to get ready for the new season than jumping into F1® Mobile Racing! With the 2020 Season Update now live, check out the official teams, cars, circuits and driver helmets of the new season, before the racing gets underway in Austria.
As well as our usual thrilling PvP races, live multiplayer action and single-player racing, keep an eye out for special events. Now live is our 2020 Regulation Cars Event – a four-race series where you can represent your favourite team in their new machine and win huge rewards. The event is open until July 5, meaning you can take part all the way up to Austrian Grand Prix gets underway!
– Chris
ANY OTHER BUSINESS?
We know it, you know it – gaming has the power to bring people together in any situation. As part of Loneliness Awareness Week, we’re working with Ukie to encourage everyone to find time to #PlayAndTalk during these unprecedented times. This past weekend saw the #PlayAndTalk event take place to tackle separation during lockdown. Head here to find out more.
The amazing people over at SpecialEffect made us aware of the story of Aaron – a double-leg amputee who is still enjoying the joys of sim racing, thanks to a specially adapted steering wheel. After plenty of practice, Aaron has upgraded his setup with a racing rig, and is participating in sim racing leagues! Read more about the awesome Aaron here.
We mentioned the first ever DIRT 5 hands-on session earlier on – and since the event we’ve had a huge number of content creators reach out to see how they can get involved. Racing Ahead, Codemasters’ program dedicated to finding and collaborating with talented creators, is what you’ll want to be involved in to be a part of future exclusive events. Find out more here.
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