Why it matters to you
Codemasters is one of the most respected names in the racing genre, and DiRT 4 looks set to be another strong installment in a critically acclaimed franchise.
It’s been more than five years since Codemasters released DiRT 3, the most recent mainline installment in the series that succeeded the classic Colin McRae Rally franchise. Now, the studio has announced that DiRT 4 is in development, and will launch later this year.
DiRT 4 is set to up the stakes for racers, reflecting the very real risks of this kind of automotive competition. “Motorsport by its very nature is dangerous — it says so on the back of the ticket,” reads the blog post from Codemasters announcing the game. “DiRT 4 is all about embracing that danger. It’s about the thrill, exhilaration, and adrenaline that is absolutely vital to off-road racing. And more than that, it’s about loving that feeling.”
While there was a significant gap between the third and fourth games in the DiRT franchise, the series hasn’t been completely dormant for the past few years. DiRT Rally and DiRT: Showdown both focused on specific elements of the driving experience, but neither had the scope of a full-fledged follow-up.
More: It’s confirmed: VR version of DiRT Rally will arrive next week
DiRT 4 is set to introduce a mode that allows players to create their own stage to race on, according to a report from Gamespot. The Your Stage system creates a unique route based on a location and certain parameters supplied by the player, which can then be shared with friends for time trial competitions. Experts will be able to create long, technical routes, while novice players stick to simpler routes until they’re ready to take on tougher challenges.
Codemasters has confirmed that the new game will include the series’ popular Joyride and Landrush modes. The company’s announcement also states that routes will be spread across locations from three continents.
DiRT 4 is scheduled to release in June 2017, and will be available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.