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EA Sports WRC was among one of the most gratifying gaming experiences this year for me. Naturally, I was extremely excited about the recently released Central European Racing (CER) map for the game. And what better way to celebrate the newly released DLC than chatting about it with two-time World Rally Champion and EA Sports Ambassador Kalle Rovanperä.
As a fan of racing games, I always had a passing interest in Motorsports and Rally Racing. That has only grown over the years due to my exposure to titles like Gran Turismo Sport, Forza Motorsport, Assetto Corsa, and, of course, Dirt Rally. As such, getting the chance to interview a professional race car driver is genuinely a dream come true.
During our brief conversation with the new EA Sports Ambassador, we discussed Kalle's impressions of Codemasters' latest title, how well EA Sports WRC simulates the real sport of Rally Racing, as well as what the newly added Central European Racing (CER) map brings to the table.
Kalle Rovanperä discusses EA Sports WRC, the newly added CER circuit, and more
Q. Having been a fan of racing simulation games, I’ve always taken a passing interest in Motorsports. As someone who genuinely enjoyed what Codemasters delivered with their latest rally-racing simulator, WRC, I’d like to know your opinion on the game.
How much do you think WRC’s gameplay reflects the real sport of rally racing?
Kalle Rovanperä: The new WRC game is more on the realistic side, so I had a really positive feeling when I first tried it and still have it when I play the game. Every time I feel that I can take my real driving skills to the game, I can drive the same way, and it works out. I can still go straight away to the seam and be fast, that feels very realistic to me.
I've really enjoyed the new game. The physics are nice, and you can really drive the cars like real rally cars.
Q. We took a bit of time playing the new Central European Rally mode that’s been added to WRC as a free update. What are your thoughts on the new map?
Kalle Rovanperä: Yeah, I've seen videos of the new map. My simulator is not working at the time, so I haven't had the chance to try the new stages yet, but I've seen videos of it, and it looks good. In real life, it's (CER) a really challenging rally.
It seems they've quite well captured the same mood of the real-life rally, like the grip changes are quite big, and you have high-speed tarmac stages, which can be quite narrow at places, and a lot of pollution also, from the cuts.
I think the combination of this rally is a big challenge and has been brought to the game quite well.
Q. On that note, as you haven't had the chance to play the new (CER) map yet, are you familiar with racing on the CER track in real life?
Kalle Rovanperä: Yeah, this year we were on the Central European Rally with real cars for the first time. It was a big challenge, so I'd say I'm really looking forward to getting back to my simulator and trying the game and seeing if it can offer me a real challenge like that.
This year in the rally, it was a super difficult condition the whole weekend. Actually, the same weekend, we had our second World Championship, so it was a new burden, if you can say so.
Q. What do you think makes the CER tracks unique compared to other locations featured in WRC and races in which you've taken part?
Kalle Rovanperä: I would say one of the biggest things is that the stages on these tracks are really fast, and there's a lot of cutting, which makes the roads quite difficult to drive in.
So when you come with tarmac tires, and the road grip is actually quite low, it makes it quite challenging. I'd say that's the most special and difficult thing about these (CER) tracks.
Q. I’d also like to congratulate you on becoming the brand ambassador for EA Sports. I’m really curious about how you went about getting appointed for the role.
Kalle Rovanperä: So yeah, when we heard that the new WRC game would be done by Codemasters, I was really excited because I knew it'd be a really good game. Then, together with my management team and EA, I started to work on it. Of course, every time I was invited to give some input on it (the game), I was really excited.
To be a brand ambassador for a brand like EA, of course, it's really cool. I used to play all of their games when I was small. Being in this position now, I was excited about it.
Q. What's it been like so far as a brand ambassador, have you been able to provide any meaningful feedback towards the game's (WRC) development?
Kalle Rovanperä: Yeah, I think, I hope I gave some good feedback when I tried the game before its release. I had a few tests.
And yeah, it was cool to see the team (Codemasters) working on the game and giving feedback on it, and then seeing the final product, and also hearing from a lot of people that the new WRC game is more realistic and enjoyable.
So yeah, it was nice to hear that other people also enjoyed it.
Q. These kinds of games, i.e., the Motorsports titles, can be a bit daunting for newcomers. Any advice to sort of get them on the right foot?
Kalle Rovanperä: Yeah, if you want to start with a proper racing simulator experience, with the wheel and pedals and stuff, the first thing to do is to start quite slowly. It is actually quite challenging if you try to be fast right away.
I see people in online lobbies always crashing a lot. You need to take your time and try to take it slow and steady in the beginning to avoid the frustration of crashing all the time.
That way, you'd enjoy driving a lot more. There is also a lot of good advice that you can get from online guides and videos teaching the basics of driving. You can get some suggestions from there as well.
Q. Lastly, do you have any words for fans of WRC, Motorsports, and racing games in general?
Kalle Rovanperä: Yeah, I hope the new WRC game brings a ton of new players and fans and even those who might not be most familiar with rally racing. I hope that they enjoy it.
Hopefully, they'll have the chance to get the game maybe now or during the upcoming Christmas time, and get into it. So yeah, I hope the game is enjoyable for new players as well as fans of the sport that we also love.
It was really gratifying talking to Kalle Rovanperä about what is essentially one of my favorite racing games of this year and getting his valuable and professional insight on WRC's latest CER maps, as well as racing games in general. We previously had a discussion with WRC's Creative Director, Ross Gowing, on the inspirations behind their latest title, future games, and more.
EA Sports WRC is now available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows PC.
