The best rally sim in 2026 depends on your platform. On PC, I would pick between Richard Burns Rally with the RallySimFans mod (free, the deepest handling and the most stages) and EA Sports WRC (the official championship, a full career, works out of the box). Assetto Corsa Rally is the one to watch if you accept Early Access. On PS5 the answer is simple: EA Sports WRC.
Below is each one with its real status today, because two of these games are finished and one is not done yet.
Checked on 17 October 2026 on the Steam store pages (EU prices), the RallySimFans site, Wikipedia, and Traxion and Push Square for the EA and Nacon news. This is a buying guide by platform and status. For the circuit sims, see my best sim racing games ranking.
The quick answer
| Game | Platforms | Price (Steam, EU) | Status in October 2026 | VR on PC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Burns Rally + RSF | PC | Free mod | RSF updated 15 August 2026 | See the RSF site |
| EA Sports WRC | PC, PS5, Xbox Series X and S | 49.99 euros | Finished, no new content since April 2025 | Yes |
| Assetto Corsa Rally | PC | 29.99 euros | Early Access, version 0.6 | No, planned for 1.0 |
| DiRT Rally 2.0 | PC, PS4, Xbox One | 19.99 euros (GOTY 39.99) | Finished, Clubs closed 8 July 2026 | Yes |
My picks, by what you want:
| You want | Get |
|---|---|
| The hardest, most complete stage driving, and you are on PC | Richard Burns Rally + RSF |
| Official WRC cars, rallies and a career, on any platform | EA Sports WRC |
| A new sim that is still growing, on PC | Assetto Corsa Rally |
| A cheap first rally game for a wheel, with VR on PC | DiRT Rally 2.0 |
| Anything on PS5 | EA Sports WRC |
Richard Burns Rally with RSF
Richard Burns Rally came out in 2004. On its own it is old and hard to buy. What keeps it alive is RallySimFans (RSF), a community plugin that turns it into a modern rally sim with new cars, a huge stage library and online rallies.
The facts that matter today:
- It is free. The RSF team does not charge for the plugin, and Traxion reports the base game is treated as abandonware.
- It is still updated. The RSF site lists version 1.59.0 on 15 August 2026.
- Install is a torrent plus an installer. You download the RSF torrent package, let it finish to 100%, then run the RallySimFans installer. Use a new folder, not an old RBR install.
- PC only. There is no console version and there never will be.
Is it worth the setup? Yes, if stage driving is what you want and you are on PC. It costs nothing, and the stage list keeps growing with every RSF update. The price is time: the install is not one click, and the base game is from 2004.
My Richard Burns Rally beginner's guide takes you through the first steps.
EA Sports WRC
EA Sports WRC is the last official WRC game from Codemasters. It came out in November 2023 on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X and S, on Unreal Engine 4. Wikipedia lists over 200 stages across 18 rallies and 78 cars.
The important part for a buyer in 2026: it is finished. At the end of April 2025 Codemasters said the Hard Chargers pack would be the last content and that it was pausing work on rally games. The game stays on sale and playable. So what you buy today is what you get, forever.
That is not a reason to skip it. The content is big, it has a full career mode, and it is the only one of the four with the real WRC cars and rallies. On PC it supports VR through OpenXR. It is 49.99 euros on Steam.
If you start the career, read my EA Sports WRC career guide first. The first season is easy to waste.
Assetto Corsa Rally
Assetto Corsa Rally is the new one, from Supernova Games Studios with 505 Games. It has been in Steam Early Access since 13 November 2025, and the latest update on the store page is 0.6.
What you get on 17 October 2026, from the Steam page:
- Stages in Wales and Alsace from launch, then Greece, Monte Carlo and the Livigno ice circuit added in updates.
- Direct input wheels, triple screens and force feedback supported.
- No VR yet. The requirements say it is not supported in Early Access, and planned for the full release.
- PC only, 29.99 euros.
My view: buy it if you like watching a sim grow and you can live with a small car and stage list. If you want a complete game today, it is not that yet. The full status, cars and specs are on my Assetto Corsa Rally page, the car list on Assetto Corsa Rally cars, and the console question on Assetto Corsa Rally on PS5.
DiRT Rally 2.0
DiRT Rally 2.0 came out in February 2019 on PC, PS4 and Xbox One. It is still on sale on Steam at 19.99 euros, or 39.99 for the Game of the Year Edition with the extra locations.
One thing changed this year. The Steam page says Clubs are no longer available from 8 July 2026. Time Trial, My Team career and Quick Play multiplayer still work.
The base game has six locations: New Zealand, Argentina, Spain, Poland, Australia and the USA. The paid content adds Monte Carlo, Sweden, Germany, Greece, Finland and Wales, among others.
Why still buy it? Price. On a sale it is the cheapest way into proper rally driving with a wheel, and it is VR capable on PC. It is not a PS5 game, though. It is a PS4 game, so on a PS5 you would run the PS4 version.
What about PS5 and Xbox?
On PS5 and Xbox Series, EA Sports WRC is the only game of the four built for the console. DiRT Rally 2.0 is a last generation version. Assetto Corsa Rally and RBR with RSF are PC only.
That is the honest state of rally on console in 2026: one finished official game, and a wait for the next one.
What comes next
- WRC The Official Game (Nacon). Nacon has the WRC game licence from 2027. The game was named in August 2026, built by a new studio, Grit Games, on Unreal Engine 5. The first car shown was the Lancia Ypsilon HF Integrale Rally2. There is no date beyond 2027, and no platforms are announced.
- Assetto Corsa Rally 1.0. No date. VR is planned for the full release.
- EA and Codemasters. No new rally game planned. EA Sports WRC stays as it is.
If you are deciding between buying now and waiting: a rally game in 2027 does not help you this winter. Buy for what exists.
FAQ
What is the most realistic rally sim?
On PC, my pick is Richard Burns Rally with the RSF mod. It is free, still updated in 2026 and has the biggest stage library. EA Sports WRC is the most complete official game.
What is the best rally game on PS5?
EA Sports WRC. It is the only one of the four made for PS5. DiRT Rally 2.0 is a PS4 game, and Assetto Corsa Rally is PC only.
Is EA Sports WRC still supported?
No new content. Codemasters said in April 2025 that the Hard Chargers pack was the last. The game is still on sale and playable on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series.
Is Richard Burns Rally free?
The RSF plugin is free, and the RSF installer gives you a working game. It is PC only.
Is Assetto Corsa Rally worth it in Early Access?
If you accept a small, growing game, yes, at 29.99 euros. If you need VR or a big car list today, wait.
Is there a new WRC game coming?
Yes. Nacon's WRC The Official Game, built by Grit Games, is due in 2027. No date and no platform list yet.