The next console generation is right around the corner. Earlier this month, Microsoft confirmed theXbox Series X is releasing in November, and following reports have suggested that Sony’s PlayStation 5 will be releasing soon thereafter. As a result, many major games are being developed for current and upcoming tech: Ubisoft’sAssassin’s Creed Valhalla, Crystal Dynamics’Marvel’s Avengers, and Activision’sCall of Duty: Black Ops Cold Waramong them. Another such game is Codemasters’Dirt 5, the latest entry in an off-road racing franchise spun off from 1998’sColin McRae Rally.
During the pre-show for Gamescom 2020’s Opening Night Live, aDirt 5trailer showcased its Playgrounds featurethat will let players construct and share monster truck-style arenas. This sharing and discovering feature inDirt 5will operate like a social media platform in which players can ‘Like’ and ‘Favorite’ Playgrounds they enjoy, and one benefit to this system is that it will not bar players from looking at Playgrounds made by someone using a different generation of console. Game Rant spoke with Codemasters Lead Designer Michael Moreton about this and other cross-generational features inDirt 5, as well as how current and upcoming tech will differ.
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Playgrounds created on PS4 and Xbox One will function on PS5 and Xbox Series X, and vice versa, according to Moreton. He said there will be technical differences, with next-gen hardware having higher resolution and frame rates; as well as additional features, such as “enhanced haptics” from thePS5’s DualSense Controller. However, the core racing gameplay is shared across all platforms, “Ensuring whatever version of Dirt 5 a player gets, it’s the best experience it can be,” Moreton said. The team at Codemasters wanted to take advantage of the hardware wherever possible, and Moreton feels this generation’s leap has been “fantastic.”
“Working with new hardware is always challenging, but also the most exciting time as we get to see what the new kit can do, where we can push limits, and what new features are on offer that allow us to really provide a fantastic experience for our players.”
Another cross-generational feature inDirt 5will be its multiplayer races. This should help to ensure servers “have a decent population” no matter what platform a player is using. Thus, even with machines like theXbox Series X able to reach 120FPSand have “super quick loading” thanks to solid-state drives, early adopters will still be able to play with those who haven’t made the jump.
With the coronavirus pandemic still ongoing, particularly in the Americas where over 11 million total cases were reported by World Health Organization (WHO) Situation Report 209 on August 16, Moreton thinks it is difficult to judge how successful Sony and Microsoft’s newest console launches will be. Codemasters is looking to offer all players “the best of both worlds” byoffering free upgrades to next-gen hardware. This will ensure early adopters will have instant access while late adopters will still be able to “get new life” out ofDirt 5in the future, without losing the core experience now.
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Many video game developers have been affected by the pandemic.One third of developers said their games were delayed by COVID-19in a survey of 2,500 people put out by the Game Developers Conference this July, and major titles like 343 Industries’Halo Infinitehave made headlines for pushing out their releases. According to Moreton, Codemasters transitioned to remote working “with minimum hassle.” Its IT, production, and facilities staff purportedly helped move the company through its early “teething problems” quickly.
Despite adjusting to work through applications like Microsoft Teams and holding remote face-to-face meetings, Moreton said the creative process is still challenging when co-workers cannot brainstorm in the same room or bother one another at their desks.Dirt 5was given a slight delay from October 9 to October 16, which he said was meant to “give ourselves the best chance going forwards on launch day.”
Codemasters is planning on sticking byDirt 5in a number of ways post-launch. Moreton said the game will evolve “through service,” with a chance for there being new content like challenge types in the Playgrounds feature, new cars and racetracks, as well as events and career strands to coincide withDirt 5’s narrative-driven story mode. There are also plans to create a ‘Featured’ section in the Discovery mode for Playgrounds, through which developers can hand pick a particularly impressive arena or content creator to highlight.
“We’ll be looking at dedicating time in each content release for community-driven feedback features, so we can make sure we’re always keeping the player in mind,” Moreton said.
Dirt 5is taking inspiration from several previous titles in the series — prominently the “attitude and vibrancy” ofDirt 2andDirt 3, according to Moreton. He feels the series' “amplified style of racing” has been captured in this entry to help players enjoy the view around its off-road tracks and the experience of driving on them. Though the game will have different features based on what system a player uses, the handling models for different vehicles have been designed “with depth and nuance” for everyone to enjoy, and there are assistive tools meant to make the game as accessible as possible.
Even with the core experience being designed for everyone, Moreton said working on next-gen hardware has been a blast. Sony and Microsoft have showcased new features that the Lead Designer said Codemasters is looking to utilize as much as possible to make what should hopefully be an enjoyable experience even better. Beyond the technical specs, new modes like Playgrounds and teased inclusions likeDirt 5’s mysterious vampire carshow Codemasters is looking to make a robust experience for racing genre fans on all devices.
Dirt 5releases October 16 on PC, PS4, and Xbox One, with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X versions scheduled later this year. A Stadia release is planned for 2021.
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