Today, Bigben Interactive, WRC Promoter, Kylotonn Games and ESL are excited to announce the launch of the eSports WRC at the Rallye Monte-Carlo. The first ever international online World Rally Championship (WRC) competition, the eSports WRC will see the world’s best WRC 5 drivers clash from January to October in line with the 2016 WRC season.
The Rallye Monte-Carlo is known worldwide for being one of the most exciting rally events of the year, with it having also launched the WRC season for some time. This year, the Rallye Monte-Carlo will also celebrate the start of the eSports WRC, where players from across the world will race to see who’s the most skilled at WRC 5, the official FIA World Rally Championship game.
The competition will culminate with an onsite finale at the Wales Rally GB from the 27th to the 28th of October, where the first ever eSports WRC champion will be crowned.
Tournament format
The eSports WRC season will be divided into two halves with five qualifying rounds and a semifinal for each half.
The semifinals will be played out online during the Rally Italia Sardegna (9th to the 12th of June) and the Rally RACCCatalunya (13th to 16th of October) right before the grand finale at the 2016 Wales Rally GB, where the top 18 drives will be invited to come and face off for a shot at the title.
Take part in the eSports WRC!
The eSports WRC is open to PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC players. Simply download the eSports Pack DLC to gain access to each rally’s dedicated stage. You will have unlimited chances to practise after you have the DLC, but please note that on rally weekends you will only have one opportunity each day to record your best time between Thursday and Sunday at noon. In the afternoon, ESL will invite the best drivers to a Sunday tournament which will broadcast live on Twitch. The top three drivers on each platform will then receive invites to the semifinal and grand finale respectively.
This first qualifying round will see drivers compete on a stage called La Salle En Beaumont - Corps. 35% ice and 65% tarmac, players around the world who have been practising since December will tackle this challenge head on for their chance to advance to the finals.
The eSports WRC is a virtual adventure that puts players in the boots of real World Rally Championship drivers, so make sure not to miss your chance to take part!
For more information, visit the official WRC site as well as the the ESL eSports WRC homepage.
