Richard Burns Rally is a 2004 rally game that you cannot buy any more, and it is still the stage sim a lot of rally fans rate highest. The way to play it in 2026 is RallySimFans (RSF): a free community package that installs the game, the stages and modern physics in one go.
This page is the install and setup. Once you are driving, my beginner's guide to driving RBR covers the first stages, and my best rally sim page puts RBR next to EA Sports WRC and Assetto Corsa Rally.
Checked on 26 October 2026 on the RallySimFans download page (installer v1.59.0, release notes dated 15 August 2026), the Steam and GOG stores and Wikipedia for the original release.
What Richard Burns Rally is today
The original game was made by Warthog Games and published by SCi in 2004, on PC, PlayStation 2 and Xbox. It is named after Richard Burns, the 2001 world rally champion.
You will not find it on Steam or GOG: I searched both stores today and neither sells it. What keeps it alive is RSF, run by a Hungarian community at rallysimfans.hu. RSF puts a modern layer on the 2004 game:
- NGP7 physics. RSF's own notes say the NGP 7 physics plugin replaced the older FixUp and PhysicsNG plugins. If an old forum post tells you to install those, skip it.
- A big stage library. RSF does not publish a total, but version 1.59.0 alone added stages 609 to 641.
- Online. Online rallies, championships, a hotlap ranking and daily stages, each with its own page on the RSF site.
- Plugins built in. A pacenote plugin, RBRHUD, RBRControls for H-pattern shifters and clutch, and OpenRBRVR for VR through OpenXR.
It is PC only. There is no console version of RSF.
How to install RBR with RSF
- Download the RSF torrent and let it finish. On the RSF download page, get the installer files torrent (it was
rsf_installer_files_V4.11.torrentwhen I checked). Open it in a torrent client and wait for 100%. The installer needs those files. - Make a new folder. RSF says not to install under Program Files, your user system folders, or any path with special characters. Something like
C:\Games\RBRis fine. Do not install over an old RBR copy. - Run the installer. Download
Rallysimfans_Installer.exe(about 5 MB) and run it. It asks for Full or Minimal, and has an "Update Existing Installation" option for later. - Stay online. RSF needs internet during the install and on the first launch. Cars are not all installed up front: each one downloads the first time you drive it, so the first run in a new car takes a moment.
- Set your wheel in the RSF launcher before your first stage. More on that below.
On the original game files: RSF's download page says the installer "includes the Richard Burns Rally base game". It does not ask you for a CD key.
Disk space. RSF does not publish a size. Traxion reported that the October 2024 update cut a full install from over 150 GB to about 70 GB, so plan for that much on a Full install and less on Minimal.
Updates work the same way: get the new torrent to 100%, run the new installer and pick "Update Existing Installation".
Do you need an RSF account?
For offline stages, RSF never says you need one. The online side is different: RSF's notes say online-only stages need you logged in to the RSF plugin, either with autologon or by hand. If you want online rallies and the rankings, make an account on rallysimfans.hu.
Setting up a wheel
Do this in the RSF launcher, not in the old in-game menu. The Controls tab is where RSF added the force feedback options over the last few versions:
- FFB deadzone and its force threshold. If the wheel feels loose and vague around the centre, this is the setting to look at.
- FFB rate, and support for more than one controller at once (wheel plus a separate handbrake or shifter).
- Steering rotation per car. RSF sets the rotation range per car for a long list of bases, including Simucube, VRS, Logitech G PRO, Cammus, MOZA and Simagic. That means the wheel on screen matches your hands without setting lock by hand for every car.
- RBRControls for an H-pattern shifter and a clutch pedal.
RSF does not publish recommended force numbers, so I am not giving you any. Start with the force low, drive one gravel stage, and add strength until you feel the front go light over crests and on the exit of slow corners. Rally needs a lot of quick steering corrections. A wheel that is too strong makes you late on every one of them.
If you have a handbrake, map it before you start. Hairpins in RBR are built for it. For which hardware is worth buying, see my best sim racing steering wheels guide.
Is RBR still worth it in 2026?
If you are on PC and stage driving is what you want, yes. It costs nothing, it is still updated (three RSF releases this year: February, April and August) and the stage list keeps growing.
The price is time. The install is not one click, the menus are from 2004, and the physics punish a sloppy driver hard. If you want something that works out of the box with a career and official cars, EA Sports WRC is the easier start, and Assetto Corsa Rally is the one to watch for laser scanned stages.
FAQ
Is Richard Burns Rally free?
The RSF package is free, and RSF says its installer includes the base game, all supported stages and DirectX 9.0c. The original game is not sold on Steam or GOG any more.
What is the latest RSF version?
The RSF download page lists installer v1.59.0 with release notes dated 15 August 2026, which added stages 609 to 641. The download button showed v1.59.3 when I checked, with no separate notes.
Do I need the original Richard Burns Rally CD?
RSF's download page does not ask for one. It says the installer includes the Richard Burns Rally base game.
How big is Richard Burns Rally with RSF?
RSF does not publish a size. Traxion reported a full install of about 70 GB after the October 2024 update. A Minimal install is smaller, and cars download as you drive them.
Can I play Richard Burns Rally on PS5 or Xbox?
No. The original 2004 game came out on PS2 and Xbox, but RSF is PC only. On PS5 and Xbox Series, EA Sports WRC is the rally sim to buy.
Does RBR support VR?
Yes. RSF includes OpenRBRVR, which supports OpenXR headsets.