Codemasters confirms DiRT 3

By Robert Purchese Published 15 March, 2010

"If you don't innovate, you're dead."

Codemasters bigwig Gavin Cheshire has confirmed Colin McRae: DiRT 3's existence.

"There's some great stuff coming from Birmingham that's going into DiRT 3," blurted the exec to EDGE magazine, issue 213.

He added: "DiRT was a complete reboot - we threw away what was going on and redid it completely - and then we rebooted GRID because it wasn't top gun, and then we rebooted DiRT 2. I'm not saying we're throwing all the codebase away, but we're throwing the thoughts away and coming out with something fresh and new. Because if you don't innovate, you're dead."

Cheshire wasn't quizzed on details, platforms or dates, but he did mention that DiRT 3 may be a more British proposition than DiRT 2.

"I guess in today's world, every day you're dealing with people from all over the world. So it's a British company and the last bastion of British publishing, and there is some pride in that, but it doesn't take control of your life.

"It's about the culture we've created and making the best games you can. DiRT 2: brilliant game but it's all American accents, so maybe we're a little over the top with those. Maybe we should fly the flag a bit more," he said.

DiRT 1 and 2 revitalised a flagging Colin McRae Rally series despite the untimely and unfortunate death of the racing driver himself.

Head over to our Colin McRae: DiRT and Colin McRae: DiRT 2 reviews to find out more.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (33) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • gizmo #1 2 years ago

    How about you finish Dragon Rising first?

    I deliberately omit 'Operation Flashpoint' from the name, as it is a game title that CM neither deserved nor understood.
    Edited by 1 at 15/03/10 @ 13:39

  • Emmit_Assassin #2 2 years ago

    @Exorbit
    Indeed.

  • chicknstu #3 2 years ago

    Did you really have to pick

    "If you don't innovate, you're dead."

    As the subtitle for a story about a game series whose namesake tragically died.

  • dsmx #4 2 years ago

    Maybe they'll actually make a rally game this time instead of a brownish mess of lots of different types of off road racing that doesn't really have enough depth in any of the modes to satisfy anybody.

  • Beano #5 2 years ago

    I wish they would drop the "Colin McRae" prefix... DIRT1+2 were an insult to fans of the old Colin McRae games :(

  • clearblue #6 2 years ago

    Yes! Fly the flag, FLY THE BALLY OLD FLAG CHAPS!

  • sfp_noodle #7 2 years ago

    i love the DIRT games, but seriously, they shud drop colin mcraes name from the title out of respect. its only called DIRT in america after all.

  • Murton #8 2 years ago

    I think Dirt and to a slightly lesser extent Dirt2 were both great tributes to the later years of Colin's career, bringing traditional rallying to the US, a short lived involvement with their off road motorsports and two great appearances at the X-Games, but that's been done now and I think it's only right for the Colin McRae series to return to its roots.

    For my money the perfect Dirt 3 would include a career mode centered around traditional rally season with proper stages and specials, and the option to participate in the stuff that Dirt gave us just for the fun of it. I quite enjoyed the Raid events and Rallycross in Dirt 2, it would be a shame to lose them completely when they could still feature as part of a "free play" mode.

  • dsmx #9 2 years ago

    Yeah career mode is rallying but in the off season you have the option of competing in some 1 off events like the events in dirt 1+2. There's no reason to chuck them out completely but the game would be better if it focused itself on one area and polished that up as much as possible.

  • asharkman #10 2 years ago

    "so maybe we're a little over the top with those"
    MAYBE?

  • asharkman #11 2 years ago

    Should prob change the subtitle there guys.

  • ShanksForTheMemories #12 2 years ago

    I am not a fan of the "DiRT" title either and fear that 'innovation' will mean yet further YANKiFiCATiON of an otherwise excellent racing game.

    I was under the impression that amercian motor sport only involved driving either in straight lines or round ovals anyway?

    Although watching Travis Pastrana jump 292 feet in a Scoobie is pretty impressive though. http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=L5N7R9Wbe_E

  • Darren #13 2 years ago

    I'd like to see more emphasis on proper rally racing in DiRT 3 instead of this extreme nonsense. Alternatively, have the two modes separate so you can play one or the other depending on your preference.

    Also lets have a lot more tracks next time round please, I'm sure the previous gen Colin McRae games had more variation in the tracks and a larger count too. DiRT 2 had plenty of locations but most of the tracks within them came from the same template so they quickly felt familiar.

    Finally, can we have some weather in DiRT 3... and some snow or something? A rally game doesn't feel like a proper rally game without icy/snow tracks. Rallisport Challenge 2 on the Xbox still remains the best rally game to date IMO and had some 70 odd tracks from memory, tons of cars and lots of variety. A current gen version of that game would be very welcome IMO.

  • mkreku #14 2 years ago

    I had a lot of fun with Dirt 2, despite all the Americanization.. and I loved the Colin tribute movie you unlocked after a while.

  • lavalant #15 2 years ago

    I enjoyed codemasters Toca racing series, especially the final one they released last gen, so hopefully Dirt3 might go that direction.

  • orpheus #16 2 years ago

    After what they did to Dragon Rising, the 'last bastion of British publishing' can fuck right off!

  • Murton #17 2 years ago

    @dsmx: that's exactly what I'm thinking. You complete a season of regular rally and can then either continue to the next season or take part in Rallycross, Rally Raid, Baja or Dakar, possibly even a proper X-Games event.

    "I had a lot of fun with Dirt 2, despite all the Americanization.. and I loved the Colin tribute movie you unlocked after a while."

    +1. It was a great game albeit with some issues. Also really enjoyed the tribute movie, just a shame that you can't view it again in full screen.

  • Bealsy #18 2 years ago

    Just make it the Forza of rallying please. That's what I really really want (zig-a-zig-aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarghhhh)

  • Retroid #19 2 years ago

    For all its crass duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuudery I enjoyed Dirt 2 - but every time there was a rally section it would usually stand out as better than most of the other modes.

    I've picked up a few of the previous generation's McRae games and they're pretty damned good, such a pity they made such a massive move away from them.

  • superted1974 #20 2 years ago

    I hope they get Christina Aguilera to do the promo work...

    "Its time to get Dirt3...."

    etc, etc

  • Retroid #21 2 years ago

    /Hands superted1974 his coat, points to door

  • fizzyfish #22 2 years ago

    Stop saying "reboot". That goes for everybody.

  • effinjamie #23 2 years ago

    Fuck You Codemasters! you've let me down far to many times

  • fknetwork #24 2 years ago

    Me wants GRID 2! it's coming just not sure when :S

  • NorUraeus #25 2 years ago

    Dirt 2 ended up being to much about weird US race styles in shitty cars. Dirt 3 got to be much more of a rally game for me to considering plunking down any more cash on the series.

  • TRUTH #26 2 years ago

    Dirt, danger, realtime weather, wipers and lights that are controlled by the driver when ever they need, damage that can effect cars, sense of speed, control, proper voices/comments not dumb Americanism.

    Go back to proper rally Codemasters - NO SILLY DUMB AMERICANISM RACING!

  • RobotRocker #27 2 years ago

    "If you don't innovate, you're dead."

    *Makes 8th Rally Game since 1999*

    Maybe TEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM can threaten to send Kenny down again. Last time that happened, the Darlings fled the country.

  • polaris70 #28 2 years ago

    Probably make DIRT3 with a load of different tracks and terrain on a 1000000 mile course, only be able to race on one of them though in one car, and they'll release content for it every month- not. Codies = full of shit

  • seanthejackal #29 2 years ago

    "If you don't innovate, you're dead." Halo is fucked lol

  • Caimbeul #30 2 years ago

    Forget Dirt 3 what about GRID 2?

  • dfooster #31 2 years ago

    i think codemasters are finally listening to their fan base. they are losing the yanky voices, next they need to lose the orange bloom from their driving games. and then finally release a next gen toca touring cars game with forza style handling, and along with the f1 license they have they should clean up.

  • TheBloomster #32 2 years ago

    Soooo hope they cut the crap and give us a real Rally game. Especially since DICE seems reluctant to make Rallisport Challenge 3...

  • FlatStick #33 2 years ago

    less fireworks and more proper rallying,longer stages and lots more of them per country.Dirt2 was fun but its not a great example of proper rallying.Yes American accents can be changed but its not just the accents we dont like. stages are not made up of points in a rally but its total times added that make up the winner, A championship is made up of a points system.
    Seemed to be always sunny on Dirt2, Its not always sunny guys.More selection of rally cars. I dont think anyone used them crap BMW's Barbie cars. Oh keep the Mk2. If its not right this time round I think ill hold out for the New WRC rally game due out.
    One things for sure, Its all rallying and less fireworks