Skip to main content

It’s confirmed: VR version of DiRT Rally will arrive next week

Now that Nvidia has spilled the beans regarding the upcoming VR version of DiRT Rally with the release of optimized GeForce Game Ready drivers, Codemasters jumped on its blog on Thursday to clear the air about when the game will actually receive the VR love. While Nvidia was rather vague about the game’s availability on the Oculus Store in its recent blog post, the developer confirmed that official VR support will indeed arrive next week.
Get your weekly teardown of the tech behind PC gaming
Check your inbox!

Looking back on Nvidia’s original blog about DiRT Rally VR and the optimized drivers, the Pascal chipmaker has updated its post to reflect the confirmed date, which is July 11, as was reported by Codemasters. On that day, DiRT Rally VR will land on the Oculus Store while the $60 vanilla version sold on Steam will also receive a VR-enabling update. Previously, Nvidia hinted that the VR version would be an Oculus Store exclusive for a short time until the Steam patch arrived later this month.

But, no matter. All is well in the VR world now that Codemasters has cleared the air. And, thanks to the developer’s latest blog regarding the immersive DiRT Rally experience, we’re rather pumped up to see what it’s like to look in all directions while speeding through an FIA World Rallycross Championship race. The good thing about VR racing is that players won’t die if they crash while gazing backwards at the beautiful scenery.

“For those of you with kits in their homes or on their way, it’s time to buckle up – because if you thought DiRT Rally was a bumpy ride before, you’re going to feel it more than ever!” Codemasters said. “When we’ve been playing it in the office, we’ve had people flinching, leaning, and screaming in their rigs, so we can safely say: get ready to have your senses assaulted.”

If you haven’t jumped on the DiRT Rally bandwagon already, the minimum system requirements listed on Steam demand a 64-bit version of Windows 10, Windows 8/8.1, or Windows 7. The rig also needs an AMD FX series or Intel Core i3 series processor, 4GB of system memory, 50GB of free internal storage, and Microsoft’s DirectX 11 installed. That latter detail means the graphics chip must support Microsoft’s widely used gaming API, thus customers need a Radeon HD 5450, a Nvidia GeForce GT 430, or an integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics chip with 1GB of dedicated video memory at the very least. Again, those are the game’s minimum requirements.

Question is, what’s the base specs for the VR version of DiRT Rally? After all, the minimum system requirements for the Steam-powered HTC Vive demands an Intel Core i5-4590 or AMD FX 8350 processor (or equivalent), and 4GB of system memory. On the graphics front, the minimum requirements list the Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 and the AMD Radeon R9 290. Naturally, if Steam customers running DiRT Rally aren’t sure they can handle the HTC Vive and the VR update, Valve Software serves up a SteamVR Performance Test tool right here.

Given that DiRT Rally costs $60 on Steam, DiRT Rally VR will likely cost the same on the Oculus Store. PC gamers who want the full Oculus Rift experience but have yet to take the financial plunge will see a slight minimum hardware demand when compared to the HTC Vive, especially in the system memory department. Oculus VR provides a compatibility tool of its own that can be downloaded right here.

Editors' Recommendations

Kevin Parrish
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kevin started taking PCs apart in the 90s when Quake was on the way and his PC lacked the required components. Since then…
3 Xbox Game Pass games you need to play this weekend (May 3-5)
Senua in Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice.

Another weekend is upon us, and you're probably looking for some games to kill time with over the course of it. We're in a bit of a lull right now ahead of a flurry of releases starting next week, so it's a great time to dip back into the Xbox Game Pass catalog and check out some games that you may have missed. There are three games in particular that I think you should check out this weekend if you're looking for something to play.

One is an unsettling adventure that's getting an Xbox-exclusive sequel later this month. The next is a finely animated roguelike indie that recently made its way to Microsoft's gaming subscription service. Finally, there's a relaxing adventure that gives players a lot of freedom, yet is short enough to beat in a weekend. If you're having trouble deciding what to play this weekend, give one of these games a shot.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

Read more
3 underrated PS Plus games you should play this weekend (May 3-5)
The main character of Tales of Kenzera: Zau stands with two elemental items.

PlayStation Plus Premium and Extra have been around for almost two years, and during that time the subscription service has established itself as an ample competitor to Xbox Game Pass. That means there is a wealth of great games for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 owners to check out if they're looking for something to play this weekend. I think PS Plus subscribers should be looking toward some of the more underrated games in the subscription service this weekend too.

I have three particular picks in mind. The first is an enjoyable Metroidvania that came to PS Plus' game catalog when it launched just a couple of weeks ago and deserves a lot more attention than it's getting. After that, there's an action-platformer that pays homage to series like Ninja Gaiden that you should check out before it leaves the catalog. Finally, there's a PS2-era Star Wars game that fills the niche a recently canceled game would have.
Tales of Kenzera: Zau

Read more
If you’re not using PlayStation Stars, you’re missing out
Three phone screens with the PlayStation Stars app.

I wouldn't blame you if you forgot PlayStation Stars existed. In fact, I would guess the majority of people out there have no idea what that even is, but PlayStation's reward program deserves more attention than it's getting.

Launched in the summer of 2022, PlayStation Stars is a program meant to reward players for engaging with the PlayStation ecosystem. You can take on challenges to earn digital collectibles and, more importantly, coins that can be redeemed for games, store credit, and some premium in-game currencies.

Read more