First Screenshots Of Pikes Peak Area Coming To Dirt Rally Later In May

Dirt Rally is set to get its first significant content update later this month, with screenshots revealed of the upcoming Pikes Peak environment hitting Codemasters’ rally racer. Pikes Peak is a new Hillclimb rally setting and will be available as a free content update for Early Access users.

Bolting on to the original three locales currently available, Pikes Peak will be a extremely high altitude track series featuring Hillclimb for the first time. There’ll be no co-driver shouting instructions in your ear so you’ll have to learn the routes, all the while getting used to improved aerodynamics. The altitude affects engine power and so Hillclimb cars are modified with extreme wing setups to improve airflow.

Depending on the altitude of the track, air pressure will impact engine performance. Power loss will be noticeable the higher you go, making each ascent a real struggle. Codemasters certainly seem to be taking a simulation aspect seriously, a side often found wanting in its Dirt series.

Development on the Early Access title seems to be coming along pretty smoothly. Codemasters' Lee Williams admitted they've had to make a few changes though, writing “We’ve got things feeling right as far as the Force Feedback is concerned but it has taken a complete rewrite to get us to this point. Next we are going to get it in the hands of some rally drivers to get their feedback."

Dirt Rally's Pikes Peak update  will be going live later this month, with a Panzerplatte German environment set to follow in June. Have you taking Dirt Rally for a spin? Glad Codemasters is veering back to rally sims, or would you prefer a proper Dirt 4?