Got a craving for screaming turbocharged four-cylinder engines? Been craving another chance to thread a path between a rock wall and hundred foot drop-off, in the rain, at 70 MPH? Then your wait is over, because WRC 8 is now out worldwide on PCs, Sony PlayStation®4, and Microsoft Xbox One.
I’ve had the chance to go hands-on with WRC 8 for a couple of hours now, and while I’m not ready to write a full review yet, I have been impressed by what I’ve played. The crew management elements provide an interesting challenge outside of pure racing, while the racing itself is some of the most intense I’ve ever played. Rocketing down a mountain road in the snow while your computerized co-driver calls out turns is an entirely different beast than the open world racing of a Forza Horizon, or the wheel to wheel battles of a Gran Turismo.
WRC 8 features 52 world rally teams, 100 special stages scattered across 14 different countries, and an array of legendary rally cars from throughout WRC history. ESports is a huge built-in part of the game from launch, with the 9 world finalists in the 2019 eSports WRC powered by Hyundai already qualified for an October showdown that will be part of the Wales Rally GB. The winner will be taking home a brand new Hyundai i20. Then in January 2020, the championship road will begin again.
In WRC 8, cars can fly. At least temporarily.
Another new feature for WRC 8 is the expansion of the ghost leaderboard from five to unlimited. That’s right, unlimited. If a player is on the leaderboard, then that ghost can be raced against. Additional free online features will be coming to the PC in October, including the ability to face friends in real time directly on a stage.
WRC 8 is out now on PCs via the Epic Gamestore, and on PS4 and Xbox One consoles. A Nintendo Switch release is scheduled for November 2019. After a 12 month exclusive stint on the Epic Gamestore, WRC 8 is also scheduled to appear on Steam in 2020.
