On May 23rd the new TrackMania United Forever will be released in the stores. Today a new trailer shows off some of the new cars and the seven new environments.

Codemasters has secured the exclusive video game rights to Formula 1 it was announced today. In a worldwide licensing agreement with Formula One Administration Limited, Codemasters will develop a new generation of the multi-million selling F1 game franchise across multiple platforms.

“Formula 1 is ambitious in expanding its reach with more circuits planned beyond recent additions in the Middle East and China. It is also ambitious in expanding its reach via technology. The digital communities that computer and video gaming creates will play a key role in further growing the Formula 1 audience and connecting them globally,” said Rod Cousens, chief executive officer, Codemasters.

“As a world-leading creator of driving games, this alliance with Formula 1 is the jewel in Codemasters’ racing crown and creates an undisputed segment champion. Formula 1 has gone with the best, the segment leader. It has gone to the home of the EGO Engine for quality; it has gone to the company that can host Formula 1 Online, to the company that is streaking away from the pack.”

“Codemasters’ success and recent innovations in the racing game space makes the company more than appropriately tuned for the challenge,” said Chris Deering, chairman, Codemasters. “The combination of Formula 1’s new momentum of expansion and Codemasters’ contemporary technology and past experience is the breaking of a new dawn for the sport, on the track and on the HD game screen.”

The worldwide deal provides Codemasters with rights to feature all Grand Prix circuits, Formula 1 teams, cars, and driver likenesses.

The FIA Formula One World Championship games will be developed using the evolution of the award-winning EGO Game Technology Engine, Codemasters’ highly versatile cross-platform middleware technology. Its advanced graphics and physics technology brings an unmatched cinematic quality and realism to interactive entertainment.

The EGO Engine is currently being deployed in the creation of Race Driver: GRID, the latest in Codemasters Studio’s international circuit-based racing series. Set to be a landmark release when it launches on May 30th, Race Driver: GRID was recently hailed as “The driving game of the summer” by BBC Top Gear magazine.

The estimated price of the F1 licence is at over $75 million.

At the end of June or in early July the arcade racing game FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage is heading to the PC platform.

With over 2.5 million sales worldwide, the award winning FlatOut franchise is now one of the most successful racing series across multiple formats. FlatOut Ultimate Carnage debuted on the Xbox 360 in Europe in June 2007, and the game has been a critical success, remaining a Top 5 seller in all European markets for several months. This high demand prompted Empire Interactive to develop FlatOut Ultimate Carnage for PC, improving graphically upon the XBOX 360 version, and bringing PC gamers up to date with the latest instalment of this high-octane, destructive racer.

Capcom has confirmed that they have secured the exclusive worldwide rights to publish official videogames and peripherals for the motorcycle racing championship MotoGP through 2012. The exclusive four year license covers all console formats including PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and PC.

MotoGP is the world’s premier motorcycling championship consisting of 18 Grand Prix races hosted around the globe. It features top motorcycle manufacturers such as Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Ducati, Kawasaki, KTM and Aprilia, who provide machinery for the world’s best riders, including reigning World Champion Casey Stoner from Australia, American Nicky Hayden, Italy’s Valentino Rossi, and Spain’s Dani Pedrosa. The 2008 line up also includes Japan’s Shinya Nakano, plus newcomers for the new season, such as 250cc World Champion Jorge Lorenzo and last year’s World Superbike Champion, James Toseland, from the UK.

“We are very excited to have signed this long term agreement with Dorna Sports, which for the first time grants one publisher worldwide multi-platform rights to the adrenaline fuelled world of MotoGP,” said Mark Beaumont, executive vice president, officer and head of Capcom’s consumer software publishing in the Americas and Europe. “We feel this move to a single publisher will greatly benefit our ability to develop titles that deliver more authenticity and excitement to the consumer.”

Eurosport and SimBin Studios have announced the V-WTCC, the Virtual Touring Car Championship. The championship will use SimBin’s RACE 07.

There will be five semi-finals with pre-qualifying taking place online. The best qualifiers for each round will then race on site during five European WTCC event for a seat in the Grand Finale at the FIA WTCC race meeting in Monza.

The new championship will also get TV coverage on Eurosport in the youth-oriented programme BUZZ.

Stay tuned for more info as it becomes available.

FIA WTCC

10tacle Studios deliver goose bumps this autumn by bringing to life the powerful engine of the new BMW M3. The racing specialists of developer Blimey!Games demonstrate for the first time the impressive power of the 420 hp Bolide with their new Freeware game “BMW M3 Challenge” for PCs.

The authentic driving experience is once more based on the award-winning technology of the internationally acclaimed “GT Legends” and developed together with the close co-operation of the BMW engineers. It was closely calibrated to match the brand new model launched this year. Road performance, sound and optics, as well as the detailed distance conversion of the Nürburgring, one of Europe’s most challenging race tracks, provide the player with a realistic test drive of the newest sports car under race conditions.

“We are very excited to be working as a premium partner with one of the world’s most successful car companies to realise this project. Our Blimey!Games team once again proves its impressive efficiency in the field of motor sports simulations with their newest BMW M3 Challenge game,” says Michele Pes, chairman of 10TACLE STUDIOS AG. The launch of the new game will take place at the IAA International Motor Show in Frankfurt. Visitors to the trade show will get a taste of the first laps in the BMW M3 simulator. The joyride will afterwards be available on four game modes at home. Players can compare their own driving abilities with those of other drivers in the extensive online mode. Up to 16 cars will be waiting at the starting line when the traffic light turns green at this winter’s BMW M3 Challenge online competition. BMW will award prizes to the best international drivers.

In May 2008 Milestone and Black Bean will release SBK -08 Superbike World Championship for Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, PC and PSP.

The new game, developed by Italian racing veterans Milestone, is the official WSBK game and will feature new enhancements for the next-gen consoles. Milestone was originally called Graffiti and released the highly acclaimed PC racing game Screamer in 1995. In 1996 the company followed up the success with Screamer 2 and later Screamer Rally. The Superbike World Championship game series was started in 1999 and SBK -08 will be the sixth game from Milestone with these two-wheelers.

On September the 21st PC gamers will have the opportunity of racing in seven European cities when European Street Racing by Team 6 and XIDER gets released.

The top street racers from across Europe have been competing against each other in their various home towns in racing ‘turf’ wars. But now, the seven national champions are looking for a fresh challenge in a bid to find the all out champion of Europe.

An influential event sponsor has requested there be one further contender, an eighth contender, someone to challenge the champions, a wild card with little experience but great racing skills… In European Street Racing you are the wild card, and the winner of all seven cities becomes the European Street Racing Champion winning a place in street racing’s hall of fame.

Crucial to success is making the right tuning and modification choices before the chequered flag falls. Prior to hitting the streets of Berlin, Hamburg, London, Madrid, Moscow, Paris and Warsaw with a brand new car, you have to decide whether it’s speed or control that will win the next race. Speed may put you into first place, but also into the first corner!

Engine and gear box upgrades are available and needed as the racing becomes more intense. Cars can be acquired by beating opponents on their home turf and prize money can be invested in new cars or parts to make the ultimate racing machine.

There are 3 types of racing mode. ‘Drift Racing’ looks to develop the player’s skill at using handbrake turns and dramatic manoeuvres to win a race; ‘City Racing’ is about speed and the knowledge of the course as timing is everything, while ‘Challenge Racing’ is a personal battle between two racers who admire or hate each other.

The Swedish National Motorsport Authority Svenska Bilsportförbundet is now launching a new series for Virtual racing called Virtual Grand Prix.

The VGP series will use Simbin’s coming World Touring Car simulaton RACE 07 and will feature prize money at 100,000 SEK (approx. US$ 14,300).

“Virtual Grand Prix is a means for us to market auto sport towards younger talent and even to new markets such as gamers. Racing games and simulations are a natural part of racing but we believe VPG.se will be a step forward for the interest of motorsports in Sweden”, Magnus Öhrström of SBF says.

At VGP.se it’s now possible to dowload the demo of RACE 07 and compete online at the Brands Hatch circuit to get ready for the real season.

In the fall of 2007 THQ is bringing us Moto GP ‘07 for Xbox 360 and PC. The previous MotoGP titles have shipped more than 1.5 million units and assuming nothing goes horribly wrong ‘07 will add to that considerably.

Moto GP ‘07 features complete 2007 rider and team data, new 800cc bikes and Misano has been added to the tracks. Head over to http://www.motogpthegame.com/ for more info.