Dirt 5 Launch Day – Revealing the Past, Present, and Future of the Off-Road Racer
It’s here! It is launch day for Dirt 5 on Xbox One – and oh my, what a journey it’s been…
It seems like an eternity ago that the plans for Dirt 5 were put in place, and the incredible development team at Codemasters Cheshire went to work on bringing this game to life. You know the coolest thing about it? From that initial concept, to what you can play today, not a lot has changed with Dirt 5’s core goal: to be an over-the-top, bold, colourful, amplified off-road racing experience that is, above all else, fun.
That’s easy for us to say, of course, so we’ve been thrilled to see reviews from media, content creators, and Amplified Edition early access players, agree that Dirt 5 hits those targets – and does so with a mixture of classic additions and brand new ideas. The development team looked at classic games in the Dirt series, picked out the elements of what made them special, and brought that into Dirt 5, combining it with a fresh approach and new ideas.
Past, present and future come together in this racer that is nostalgic and ground-breaking in equal measure. Let’s strip back this beast and show you how it works…
Rear View Mirror
When your game is called Dirt 5, you’ve probably got a good amount of previous content in your franchise to learn from! Whilst every game in the Dirt series inspires the next, the team specifically looked at Dirt 2 and Dirt 3, to see if some of the magic of those racers could be sprinkled into today’s game.
Play those titles back and you’ll find a vivid style, from the main menu to the racetrack, that’s dripping in style. You’ll feel an accessible, yet nuanced and deep handling model, that made every car a dream to drive. You’ll see stunning visual quality, from the kick-up of mud splattering other cars, to crumpling front bumpers. You’ll play innovative and exciting party modes. You’ll hear a pumping, official soundtrack that’s bold and eclectic.
Every single one of those elements is brought into Dirt 5, tweaked and reimagined at times, but maintaining the soul of what made them special. Not a bad platform to build on for Dirt 5, right?
New Bells and Whistles
Freshening up fan-favourite features is one thing, but Dirt 5 adds to that with a slate of new concepts, new ideas, new ways to play, to make it a racing game that feels full to the brim with originality. Take Playgrounds – our brand new custom arena creator. Here, not only can you design the racing event of your dreams, but you can also discover and race on Playgrounds created by other players; something you’ve never seen before from the franchise.
We’ve added in the series’ deepest ever livery editor, with near-unlimited possibilities to style your ride, and brought in a detailed photo mode to capture your greatest moments. Dirt 5’s Career mode is our most ambitious ever, starring the legendary Nolan North and Troy Baker as your rival and mentor, respectively. Four-player split-screen allows you to share the fun with friends and family.
Classic features, paired with fresh ideas and new possibilities. Sound good?
Racing to the Future
But, doing my best impression of Morpheus from The Matrix, what if I told you that all of this could be combined with next-gen technology? Dirt 5 isn’t just designed to marry up the past and present. Come November 10th, when this thing launches on Xbox Series X|S, you’ll see it’s the most futuristic racer available, too.
Dirt 5 integrates new console technology to include a 120hz and 120fps option, as well as 4K capability. Loading times are even quicker and the console’s Quick Resume option is utilised, ensuring you see all that visual goodness faster and more often. All this means a truly immersive experience, especially when you partner it up with the 10 stunning global locations, over 60 off-road cars created in the finest detail, and some seriously extreme, dynamic weather conditions to battle during an event.
When you’re throwing a huge racing truck around the oasis of Morocco, with your front bumper hanging off, battling through an ever-worsening sandstorm, all in 120 frames a second – that’s when you’ll know that Dirt 5 uses ideas from the past and present, but is built for the future.
Whether it’s on Xbox One today, or on Xbox Series X|S starting from November 10, we can’t wait to share the track with you, watch you create your Playgrounds, or be blown away by your liveries and photos. Combining past, present and future, Dirt 5 is a game to be enjoyed right now – so, what are you waiting for?
DIRT 5
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