Race Driver: GRID the all-new exhilarating racing experience from Codemasters Studios, recently launched in the U.S. and throughout Europe to critical acclaim, is to be fully localised for release in Japan later this year, Codemasters announced today.

One of the highest rated racing videogames of recent years, Race Driver: GRID already features Japanese specific content, including Drift and Touge race events and locations that include Tokyo Shibuya, Yokohama and Haruna.

The Playstation 3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft editions of game will now be adapted to include Japanese speech and text throughout in readiness for its arrival in the market this winter.

“As Codemasters continues to gain significant ground in the global videogame business, the release of Race Driver: GRID in Japan will also see the arrival of the Codemasters brand as a publishing label in the market,” said Rod Cousens, CEO, Codemasters. “We have pursued options in the market for some time and this announcement is but a first indication of our ambitions in that market.”

On release, the Japanese edition of Race Driver: GRID will come complete with a full copy of the flagship off-road racer, Colin McRae: DiRT. The dual offering is expected to be well received; earlier Race Driver and Colin McRae titles have enjoyed success in the market when published under licence.

“The recent success of key western titles in Japan is indicative of the current trend where Japanese gamers are not only more aware of popular western gaming brands but actively seeking them out,” continued Cousens. “With Race Driver: GRID set to be fully localised and arrive bundled with Colin McRae: DIRT, it is an opportune time for Codemasters to enjoy brand success in Japan.”

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.

A brand new BMW 3-Series car will be the ultimate champion’s reward as Codemasters today revealed an incredible pan-European fastest lap challenge to mark the launch of the Race Driver: GRID™ playable demo for home consoles.

The demo is now available to download from Xbox Live Marketplace for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft® and is available later today from the PlayStation Network for the PS3 system.

For the game that’s all about the race, the Race Driver: GRID™ playable demo delivers intense competition right from the off as gamers compete in single-player GRID World events, 12-player online races and then prove their worth in the white-knuckle Time Trial competition, which is home to the fastest lap challenge. Pitting all console players against each other, it’s the Time Trial results that will see one race driver getting the keys to the BMW.

With a BMW 3-Series car up for grabs, the competition is sure to be fierce from the start, so download the demo and then get revved up for the full aggressive wheel-to-wheel Race Driver: GRID experience, coming May 30th for Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3 system and Games for Windows; a Nintendo DS™ edition of the game is set to launch in June.

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.”

The upcoming Gran Turismo 5 Prologue will feature a total of 71 cars from the world’s most iconic manufacturers.

Slipstreaming.net brings you the list:

Lexus IS F ‘07
Nissan Skyline GT-R V-spec II Nur ‘02
Nissan Fairlady Z Version S ‘07
Nissan Skyline Sedan 350GT Type SP ‘06
Nissan Skyline Coupe Concept ‘07
Nissan Skyline Coupe 370GT Type SP ‘07
Nissan Skyline Coupe (V36) Tuned Car
Nissan GT-R Proto ‘05
Nissan GT-R ‘07
Honda Integra TYPE R ‘04
Honda NSX Type R ‘02
Acura NSX ‘91
Mazda Atenza Sport (2007 Tokyo Motor Show reference exhibit)
Mazda RX-8 Type S ‘03
Mazda RX-7 Spirit R Type A (FD)
Mazda RX-7 (FD) Special Tuned Car
Subaru Impreza WRX STI (18inch BBS Wheel Option) ‘07
Subaru Impreza Sedan WRX STI spec C Type RA ‘05
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX GSR ‘05
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X GSR Premium Package ‘07
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX GSR Tuned Car
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X GSR Tuned Car
Suzuki Cappuccino ‘95
Suzuki Swift Sport ‘07
Suzuki Cervo SR ‘07
Suzuki Cappuccino Tuned Car
Suzuki Swift Sport Tuned Car
Daihatsu Copen Active Top ‘02
Daihatsu OFC-1 ‘07
Chevrolet Corvette Z06 ‘06
Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (C6) Tuned Car
Dodge Viper GTS ‘02
Dodge Viper SRT10 Coupe ‘06
Dodge Viper SRT10 Coupe Tuned Car
Ford Mustang V8 GT Coupe Premium ‘07
Ford GT ‘05
Ford Focus ST ‘06
Ford GT Tuned Car
Audi R8 4.2 FSI R tronic ‘07
Audi TT Coupe 3.2 quattro ‘07
BMW Z4 ‘03
BMW 135i Coupe ‘07
BMW M3 Coupe ‘07
BMW 135tii ‘08
Mini Cooper-S ‘06
Mercedes-Benz SL 55 AMG ‘02
Volkswagen Golf GTI ‘01
Volkswagen Golf V GTI ‘05
Alfa Romeo 147 TI 2.0 TWIN SPARK ‘06
Alfa Romeo Brera Sky Window 3.2 JTS Q4 ‘06
Ferrari 599 ‘06
Ferrari F430 ‘06
Ferrari 512BB ‘76
Ferrari F40 ‘92
Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evoluzione ‘91
Citroen C4 Coupe 2.0VTS ‘06
Renault Clio Renault Sport V6 24V ‘00
Clio Renault Sport V6 24V Tuned Car
Aston Martin DB9 Coupe ‘06
Jaguar XK Coupe ‘06
Lotus Elise 111R ‘04
Lotus Elise ‘96
Lotus Elise 111R Tuned Car
Lotus Elise Tuned Car
TVR Tuscan Speed 6 ‘00
TVR Tamora ‘02
Art Morrison Corvette’60
Amuse/Opera Performance Gran Turismo 350Z RS
Amuse S2000 GT1 Turbo
Mine’s BNR34 Skyline GT-R N1 base ‘06
Blitz Dunlop ER34 ‘07

Review originally written 2007-04-10

Now when Schumacher is out of the picture and the Formula 1 season is more open than in many years Sony gives us the opportunity to recreate last year’s battle between Renault and Ferrari. Every fan of Geoff Crammond’s Grand Prix series have cried for years about the fact that Sony owns the rights to the F1 games, but things could be much worse. Sony is far from behaving as badly with the F1 licence as the PC gamers often make it sound like and gives all F1 addicts a big challenge when all the driving aids are switched off.

Regardless of whether you want to do a quick arcade race or setup the car carefully for that ultimate flying lap around Silverstone F1 Championship Edition is a game for everyone with at least a small percentage of racing in the blood.

EA’s demo of Burnout Paradise is now available for download at the Playstation Store and on the Xbox Live Marketplace.

Discover jumps, billboards and smashable targets all over Motor City, Big Surf Beach and Ocean View in search of the fastest Burnout Route in the Hunter Cavalry car. Also, attempt your shot at a race and check out the all-new Stunt Run mode. If you’re online, invite up to three friends into your game and connect with them instantly using the EasyDrive online system. Once online, players can work cooperatively to complete three FreeBurn challenges or simply smash each other up and grab their Burnout Mugshots with the PLAYSTATION®Eye and Xbox LIVE™ Vision cameras.

The development team at Criterion pushes the boundaries to make each Burnout game stands on its own – reinventing the franchise with every iteration. The Paradise experience is all about freedom and exploration. The game has been designed to embrace speed, freedom, social online play and spectacular crashing, but now with all new modes, a completely open world and events at every intersection.

So make action your middle name and take to the streets of Paradise City.

The full game has Playstation 3 launch date of September 14th for PAL regions but you can already get your hands on the wheel and try out DIRT by downloading the demo from the Playstation Store.

The demo features three modes:

• Crossover: Compete against Colin McRae himself on a twisty tarmac super special stage in a Subaru Impreza.
• C.O.R.R.: Ten V8 650hp buggies at the same raceway!
• Rally: The start of the Cuconi B rally stage in Sardinia.

Already a 700,000+ best seller on other formats, Colin McRae: DIRT is a thrill ride through a massive range of off-road racing experiences on gravel, mud and dirt, right across the globe. Race in challenging, heavyweight 850bhp cars through high speed blind corners and along perilous cliff edges in the Hill Climb events, including the world famous Pikes Peak International through the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.

Multiple car races take players across grueling desert terrain in Rally Raid competitions, while Rally Cross switches between dirt and road racing. There’s also Crossover circuits and events from the CORR (Championship Off-Road Racing) series in the U.S., which combines powerful buggies with exciting dirt tracks and tabletop jumps, drop-offs and moguls for an intoxicating mix. DIRT also offers a dedicated mode for rally championships and an online race mode for up to 100 players.

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 December 24th Sony Computer Entertainment America announced that Gran Turismo HD Concept would be available as a free download at the PS Store. The Concept game gives the player the chance to try out the new Gran Turismo game. A new course and a selection of ten cars from Ferrari, Infiniti, Lotus, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Suzuki to name a few.

“Gran Turismo HD Concept provides PS3 and automotive fans a glimpse into the future of Gran Turismo,” states Kazunori Yamauchi, creator of the Gran Turismo franchise in the press release.

The cars available in the demo:

• Suzuki Cappucino
• Mazda Eunos Roadster
• Honda Integra TYPE R
• Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV GSR
• Infiniti G35 Coupe
• Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX GSR
• Lotus Elise 111R
• Nissan SKYLINE GT-R Vspec II
• Toyota Celica GT-FOUR Rally Car
• Ferrari 599

In “Time Trial” mode, the player selects a car and must complete the Eiger Nordwand course within the target time indicated at the top of the screen. Each time the player beats the target time, a new car is unlocked and made available for selection. As stated, upon unlocking all of the cars, the player can access tuned cars, along with the option to race Eiger Nordwand in the opposite direction.

In “Drift Trial” mode, the players drifting technique is tested, rather than their lap time. The player earns drift points based on their drift angles, racing lines, and speeds within evaluation zones located at various turns on the course. For each evaluation zone, the results are based on the number of flags and a numerical figure. The point total from all zones determines the players drift points for the lap and is counted toward the rankings.

The following settings are available during gameplay: 1) Transmission the player can select either Manual or Automatic. 2) Stability Management (SM) the player can turn this ON or OFF during gameplay. ASM is designed to prevent vehicle skidding by controlling each of the four wheel brakes independently. 3) Traction Control (TC) Level the player can set the TCS level, which senses drive-wheel slip and prevents wheel spin. 4) Tires the player can select front and rear tires from nine types of brands.