My Favorite Project – EA Sports WRC: A Personal Retrospective

There are projects that change your title. Then there are projects that change you. For me, EA Sports WRC was both.
I first got involved when the game was still in development at Codemasters. It was raw, full of potential and honestly, full of uncertainty. Not long after, EA acquired Codemasters and the project was put on hold. That moment stung. We had something promising on our hands, but it was shelved before it could take shape. But the story didn’t end there.
Eventually, the project returned revived under the EA x Codemasters collaboration. The name changed more than once (you can trace its history online), but the heart remained the same: delivering a true rally racing experience built for fans who know and love the sport. I was there through all of it starting out as a Tester, and growing into the role of a Quality Analyst by the time the project sunset.

Wearing Many Hats, Driving One Goal

My journey on this project mirrored its evolution.
At first, I focused on executing and validating test cases. But as development progressed, I was gradually pulled into the heart of the process. I moved into Dev QA work helping shape how we tested, why we tested, and what quality even meant for this title. I worked closely with designers, producers, and developers, diving deep into design documentation, understanding system dependencies, and building strategic test plans that weren’t just about breaking things they were about understanding the player’s experience. We weren’t just pushing builds—we were pushing boundaries.

A Real Racing Community, A Real Win

One of the highlights was working with the rally racing community itself.
We onboarded sim racers, hardcore WRC fans, and real players who gave us brutally honest, incredibly valuable feedback. Watching them interact with the builds helped us tune everything from car behavior to UI responsiveness. It grounded our decisions and reminded us exactly who we were building this for. From my eyes, this project was a success. Maybe not in the way that’s always visible on storefronts or in Metacritic scores, but in the level of care, the craft, and the player-first approach we upheld throughout.

The Team That Built It

What I’ll remember most is the team. I had the privilege of working with some of the most talented, passionate people in the industry. We brought different strengths to the table design insight, systems thinking, creative problem-solving—but we were united by a shared goal: make it great. Today, we’ve parted ways. Some have stayed at EA, others have moved on to new studios. But I have no doubt they’ll thrive because they’re exceptional at what they do. I’m proud to have learned from them.

Lessons I’ll Carry Forward

The project wasn’t without challenges. Shifting timelines, technical hurdles, internal transitions—it tested more than just the game.

But it also taught me how to:

  • Think holistically about player experience, not just features
  • Communicate across disciplines and time zones
  • Balance tactical testing with strategic quality goals
  • Own quality from the first design review to the final bug triage

It made me more resilient, more curious, and far more intentional in my approach to game development.

On to the Next

Now, I’m part of a new project with new responsibilities. The mission, however, remains the same: delivering a top-notch player experience. In game development, we move fast. Projects evolve. Teams change. But once in a while, there’s a game that stays with you—not just for what it was, but for what it taught you. For me, that game was EA Sports WRC.