Background and story of Dirt series

The Codemasters' videogames series DiRT debuted in 2007 with Colin McRae: DiRT. From the beginning, the game aimed to be the best rally simulator available in the market. It also featured a few extra game modes, other than point-to-point Rally and RX.

Colin McRae: DiRT featured a simulator-like background, inherited from older Colin McRae Rally titles. But with its 2009 sequel, known simply as DiRT 2 in North America, Codemasters tried to broaden the player base adding several new game modes and switching to a more arcade-y style.

DiRT 3 was another installment in an already well-known IP, and debuted in 2011. One year later, Codemasters emphasized the arcade-like nature of their next game ditching any number in its name. The brand's spin-off DiRT: Showdown was missing the classic Rally experiences and was focusing on all the alternative game modes.

It was only then that Codemasters decided to develop Dirt Rally, a true rally simulator based on a brand new handling model and a physics system built from scratch. It also lacked the "flashback" ability featured in all the latest Codemasters' titles, and any arcade game mode was scrapped, offering only Rally, RX and Pikes' Peak. The developers themselves describe Dirt Rally on their website as "the most authentic, challenging and thrilling rally game ever made". It aimed to be the best, hardest, most realistic simulator of all times, and to achieve that, Codies at first released the game with Steam's Early-Access program. The devs took advantage of thousands of feedback from the community to tweak and improve the product. The definitive experience was published in 2015 on Steam for Windows and a year later on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One systems. In 2017, They decided to push Dirt Rally to a whole new level of simulation, introducing the VR compatibility on PC via Oculus Rift and on PlayStation 4 via PS VR.

Dirt Rally VR update was praised from the critics and the community. The unforgiving, hardcore mechanics and the immersive VR experience helped Codemasters to reach a new landmark in their career, and set a new standard in rally simulators for us gamers.

Dirt 4, launched in 2017, was a comeback to the main Dirt series. It featured both simulation and arcade handling styles, and the ability to choose and use the first or the latter via the in-game options menu. The game was developed using an updated version the last physics engine, with an improved weight-transfer physics. Being another chapter of the main numeric series, it featured the classic rally and RX experiences with Landrush mode from DiRT 2 and Joyride (from DiRT 3 Gymkhana). The game didn't mean to get the attention only of the hardcore simulation nuts, but even of the long-time series fans: it actually succeded in the latter, but failed to hit the target for Dirt Rally veterans. For this last installment, Codemasters never confirmed the compatibility with any kind of VR device. As of today, Dirt 4 is not VR-ready, on any system.

Last but not the least, the long awaited Dirt Rally 2.0 was revealed this week, after several teasers. Codemasters decided to deliver another entry in the newer Dirt Rally family. It will be released on 26th February 2019, and it will be "marking a return to the simulation style off-road racing that made the original such a hit with gamers", as stated on the developer blog. The whole community rejoiced for the announcement and a lot of buzz started online, with fans wondering if Dirt Rally 2.0 will feature any kind of VR support.

Only yesterday, speaking with usgamer.net, Codemasters' Community Manager Christina McGrath offically confirmed that VR support is not in the plans, and the developers are "focusing on making the core game experience before launch - and after that". She also added that "if there is demand from our community, then we'll explore the possibility".

What we'd like to see

We really think that VR experience in driving simulators - and especially in Dirt Rally - adds a lot to the games. We have been enjoying for years the level of realism reached by this game with its matchless physics and its stunning visuals. We really think that Dirt Rally 2.0 is worth being played with a VR device.

Both Oculus Rift (and the hardware needed to use it) and PS VR have dropped in price recently, becoming more affordable from the gamers. There is no reason not to buy a VR device today and sit behind the wheel of a mud eating, fire spitting rally car, provided by Dirt Rally 2.0. There's enough demand to consider adding full VR support to the game at launch. People all over the internet (Reddit, Steam, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) are asking for it.

With this petition, we want Codemasters to acknowledge VR is one of the most important features of the game, and to add VR compatibility, either at launch or as a post-launch update.



Thanks for your hard work. Please don't ignore our requests.

PS: Can't wait to fire up the new game and play it with my RIG...

...including my VR headset :D

UPDATE: It is (and was) not my intention to threaten Codemasters: we appreciate your job and our goal is just to show you how much we liked the VR update in Dirt Rally and that we think it is a killer feature in the upcoming Dirt Rally 2.0. Personally, if the game will deserve my money, I'll buy it at launch regardless if it features VR support or not. But I really understand the point of the thousands of gamers that will consider the absence of VR support a dealbreaker. A lot of people around the internet are commenting and tweeting with "No VR, no buy". For this reason, I decided to launch the hashtag #NoVRnoBuy, to help spreading this petition around the web. Please keep signing, sharing and commenting using that hashtag. Thank you