Might have to pick this one up in September.
Lesquin, France, April 30, 2020 – NACON and its development studio KT Racing are pleased to unveil the first gameplay video for WRC 9, the official video game of the FIA World Rally Championship. It is planned for release on September 3, 2020, on PlayStation®4, Xbox One, and PC from the Epic Games Store, then on PlayStation®5, Xbox One Series X and Nintendo Switch™ at a later date.
This gameplay video gives fans of the competition a glimpse of the work put in by KT Racing to recreate the iconic Rally New Zealand, which is making a big return to the FIA World Rally Championship calendar after a seven-year absence. It is one of three new rallies this season, along with the Safari Rally in Kenya and Rally Japan, which fans and players of WRC are eagerly anticipating.
In this brand-new rally, players will face a tough challenge along the rugged coastline and wildlands around Auckland in the heart of the North Island.
“Roads in New-Zealand are amongst the most beautiful and the most appreciated in the Championship’s history,” tells Benoît Gomes, Lead Level Designer at KT Racing. “Famous for its fast chains of turns and a sustained pace rhythm, along with breath-taking landscapes, Rally New-Zealand truly offers a particular experience. A long preparation work allowed us to replicate, as closely as possible, the luxuriant vegetation, the light, and unique ocean views, as well as the road’s topography and surfaces, mainly composed of gravel. We’re convinced that players will enjoy taking up this challenge as much as we did in WRC 9.” concludes Benoît Gomes.
WRC 9 will be available on September 3rd, 2020 on Xbox One, PS4™, and PC from the Epic Games Store. Release timing for Xbox Series X, PS5™, and Nintendo Switch will be announced at a later date.
About Nacon
NACON is a company of the BIGBEN Group founded in 2019 to optimize its know-how through strong synergies in the video game market. By bringing together its 8 development studios, the publishing of AA video games, the design, and distribution of premium gaming devices, NACON focuses 20 years of expertise at the service of players. This new unified business unit strengthens NACON’s position in the market, enables it to innovate by creating new unique competitive advantages, and achieve its ambition to become one of the world’s leading players in gaming. https://corporate.nacongaming.com/
About Kylotonn
Created in 2006, Kylotonn is one of the most important French video game development studios, also known under the KT Racing label. Specialized in motorsports and official developer of the WRC FIA World Rally Championship series and Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, the company is internationally recognized for its know-how and for the passion of its teams. With more than 100 employees as of today in Paris and Lyon, Kylotonn has developed more than 25 titles distributed by major publishers. Kylotonn has forged itself a strong technological expertise thanks to the real-time 3D engine KT Engine that the company owns. At the forefront of the video game industry, this technology is also used within R&D partnerships on autonomous vehicle projects in the automotive industry. Since 2018, Bigben Interactive, one of Europe’s leading video game publishers, holds a 100% stake in the company. Kylotonn is member of the French National Developers Federation (Syndicat National du Jeu Vidéo) and Capital Games. The company is supported by BPI, IFCIC, and the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation.
About WRC Promoter GmbH
WRC Promoter GmbH is responsible for all commercial aspects of the FIA World Rally Championship, including TV production and the marketing of global media and sponsorship rights. The Promoter also has a responsibility to increase the field of participants and to propose the venues that form the FIA WRC calendar.
The World Rally Championship is the FIA’s premium rally series. WRC showcases authentic motorsport, high-performance cars and the world’s best drivers competing in dramatic surroundings ranging from the ice and snow of Scandinavia to the blistering heat of Mexico. Established in its current format in 1973, WRC participants battle for the drivers’ and manufacturers’ world titles at 13 rallies spanning 15 countries and six continents. Additional championship information can be found at www.wrc.com and www.wrcplus.com.
