The official game of the FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy, DiRT Rally 2.0 will also feature cars from the 2018 season as well as eight of the official WorldRX circuits at launch, , complete with licensed Supercars and support series.

You will need to rely on your instincts with the most immersive and truly focused off-road experience yet, including a new authentic handling model, tyre choice and surface deformation.

Power your rally car through real-life off-road environments in New Zealand, Argentina, Spain, Poland, Australia and the USA, with only your co-driver and instincts to guide you, where you can take on incredible hand crafted stages in a wide variety of cars from the history of the sport and modern day.

Develop your team and cars around race strategies, and progress through a varied selection of Events and Championships in both a single player Career Campaign and a competitive online environment.

Codemasters confirmed that the DiRT Rally 2.0 World Championship will commence on 10th September. In partnership with Motorsport Network, the competitive gaming Championship is open to all players on PS4, Xbox One and PC. Players will compete in a series of online challenges, culminating in a live final at the Autosport International Show at the Birmingham NEC on the weekend of 11th January 2020.

The DiRT Rally 2.0 World Championship heats will be played across three months, consisting of three weeks of qualifiers each with a pre-determined location, stage and car class. All weekly winners across the three formats will qualify for the quarter finals with an additional place going to the players who have the fastest cumulative time each month. The quarter and semi finals will take place over the weekend of 7-8th December and will be broadcast live across DiRT Rally 2.0 and Motorsport Network channels. Players can choose between wheel or pad for the qualifiers. The DiRT Rally 2.0 World Championship Final will be played on wheel only.

The dates for the DiRT Rally 2.0 World Championship qualifiers are as follows:

Rally:

• 10th September: Poland – Kopina – H2 FWD
• 17th September: Argentina – Las Juntas – Group B 4WD
• 24th September: New Zealand – Te Awanga Forward – R5
• 8th October: Spain – Comienzo en Bellriu – Rally GT
• 15th October: USA ­– North Fork Pass – Group A
• 22nd October: Australia – Mount Kaye Pass – Group B 4WD
• 5th November: Poland – Czarny Las – H3 RWD
• 12nd November: New Zealand – Waimarama Point Reserve – R2
• 19th November: Spain – Decenso por carretera – R5

Rallycross:

• 10th September: Hell, Norway – RX1600
• 17th September: Trois-Rivières, Canada – RX2
• 24th September: Lohéac Bretagne, France – RX Supercars
• 8th October: Montalegre, Portugal – RX Supercars
• 15th October: Silverstone, England – RX2
• 22nd October: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain – RX1600
• 5th November: Mettet, Belgium – RX2
• 12nd November: Höljes, Sweden – RX1600
• 19th November: Hell, Norway – RX Supercars

“After six months of planning, we are finally ready to launch the DiRT Rally 2.0 World Championship and we can’t wait to get started,” said Ross Gowing, DiRT Rally 2.0 Game Director at Codemasters. “Our players are passionate and love the thrill of competing. We look forward to crowning our inaugural World Champions in January and wish all our players the very best of luck.”

“We are delighted to be working with Codemasters to deliver the official DiRT Rally 2.0 esports programme,” said Stephen Hood, Motorsport Network. “The quality of their game, combined with our capabilities within the growing esports space, will serve to provide the community with a first-class series in which to showcase their talent.”

Motorsport Network serves its fans through an integrated digital ecosystem that speaks 17 languages and reaches over 30 million people every month. This includes a portfolio that spans everything from racing websites such as Autosport.com and Motorsport.com to ticketing and events and an OTT racing television network, Motorsport Network.

To participate, players must start the game on their chosen platform and navigate to the World Championship tab in the main menu. Drivers then select Qualifiers and select Qualifier Rally or Qualifier Rallycross.

All pre-orders editions of DiRT Rally 2.0 will include access to the amazing Porsche 911 RGT Rally Spec as a bonus vehicle to use on the stages. In addition there will also be a DiRT Rally 2.0 Deluxe Edition which also includes the first two seasons of post-launch additional content, each with three locations (split between rally and rallycross) and five early vehicles unlocks (Ford Escort MkII, Lancia Stratos, Subaru Impreza 1995, AUDI Sport quattro S1 E2 and Ford Fiesta OMSE SuperCar Lite). The Deluxe Edition will also allow players to get their hands on the game four days early, launching on 22nd February 2019 and also includes upgraded starter cars for My Team, in-game bonuses and high reward events. More details about the seasons will be revealed soon.

Marking a return to the simulation style off road racing that made the original such a hit with gamers, DiRT Rally 2.0 will release worldwide on PS4, Xbox One and PC on Tuesday 26 February offering gamers the most authentic rally and rallycross experience available in gaming.