Kylotonn were given an almighty challenge, develop one of the most colossal automotive championships in just 1 year, an almost impossible task, yet the team rose to that task and built the foundation of the technology that would need to be developed. WRC 2 released in 2011 built on the original by adding additional stages with improved modelling, while the 2012 release of WRC 3 was a complete relaunch, a re-envisioning and a huge improvement over previous attempts, 2013’s WRC 4 built on this again before yet another change in developer, it was time for Kylotonn to enter the stage. It was clear that producing a rally game to a modern standard would be a huge undertaking. The game was enjoyable to play but lacked the realism and investment to deliver on the vision. Milestone entered the world of WRC in 2010, resetting the franchise and producing WRC – FIA World Rally Championship.
However, despite the series being much loved among rally fans this official series concluded, the WRC brand disappearing from gaming for some 5 years before being picked up by Milestone. With various improvements to WRC II Extreme, WRC 3, 4 and WRC: Rally Evolved. The teams accurately generating stages that could support draw distances far beyond the current standard, however handling was limited and formed as more of a tech demo of things that were to come. The more memorable WRC: FIA World Rally Championship arrived in 2001 was developed for PlayStation 2 using cutting edge technology as an exclusive first party title for the PlayStation via Evolution studios. So, let’s start this journey in the rugged and open lands of Kenya, the location returning to the WRC calendar this year, and see that transition from WRC 9 right down to, WRC: FIA World Rally Championship Arcade on the original PlayStation, and as you can see, we’ve come a very long way.
We’ll begin by looking at that journey to WRC 9, understanding the challenges in developing a modern rally game, and discovering the passion of development that makes for those little details while exploring the latest game before we move onto our full preview. Now we’ll look back a few of those titles besides a more detailed breakdown on the recent progress by NACON and Kylotonn Studio. Given the scale, replicating a full WRC season has been extremely challenging and 2020 represents just the 9th game in the modern series that has attempted to simulate that experience effectively. Rally games have been around almost as long as gaming itself, with various highlights over the years, but as technology has developed, so the resource required has expanded exponentially. It is something many of us will never get the chance to experience, the intensity of driving on the edge of adhesion with nothing to protect you but a reliance on your own skill at the wheel. The World Rally Championship is arguably the most challenging racing series on Earth, crossing the globe with rough and unpredictable terrain, the journey is epic in scale and tests both man and machine to the limit. So, sit back and strap in as I’ll be your co-driver through automotive gaming world of WRC.
Taking in the improvements and considering the ever-expanding scale of a production like this as the technology has developed. Hello Viewers! Welcome to this journey on the road to WRC 9, and a look back at some of those key titles in the WRC series as we work our way through the years to modern day.