Codemasters secures Formula One video game rights.

[Dino Scuderia]

Codemasters, developer and publisher of award-winning racing video games, has secured the exclusive video game rights to FORMULA 1™ it was announced on Friday. In a worldwide licensing agreement with Formula One Administration Limited, Codemasters will develop a new generation of the multi-million selling Formula One game franchise across multiple platforms.

Codemasters Studios, creators of genre-leading racing titles Colin McRae: DiRT™ and Race Driver: GRID™, will lead the design and development of official FIA Formula One World Championship games for home console, handheld and PC gaming formats.

“Formula One 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 One audience and connecting them globally,” said Rod Cousens, chief executive officer, Codemasters.

“As a world-leading creator of driving games, this alliance with Formula One is the jewel in Codemasters’ racing crown and creates an undisputed segment champion. Formula One 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 One 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 One’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 One 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 30, Race Driver: GRID was recently hailed as ‘The driving game of the summer’ by BBC Top Gear magazine.

Codemasters expects the first game based on the FIA Formula One World Championship to launch in 2009.

[Suka]

Finally!
I have been waiting forever for Sony to give up that little gem for ages. Being a 360 owner i have been itching to play F1 on my Xbox ever since F1 2002 on the original Xbox from EA Sports.

[RacingManiac]

If they do what they do with the last few CMR/Dirt game in terms of physics, the F1 franchise will suck as well.....but then again, market it to the console crowd only needs pretty graphics and deformable cars......

Too bad companies like Simbin/ISI and such can no longer afford that kind of license...

[Zytek_Fan]

Originally Posted by RacingManiac

If they do what they do with the last few CMR/Dirt game in terms of physics, the F1 franchise will suck as well.....but then again, market it to the console crowd only needs pretty graphics and deformable cars......

Too bad companies like Simbin/ISI and such can no longer afford that kind of license...

I hope Codemasters is commited to bringing out an exceptional game. When you secure a license for such a high calibre of motorsport, such as F1, you can only accept near perfection. We shall wait and see though

I hope Simbin polishes their physics system, because the one in place in GTR2 isn't all that great.

[Gt1Street]

Originally Posted by RacingManiac

If they do what they do with the last few CMR/Dirt game in terms of physics, the F1 franchise will suck as well.....but then again, market it to the console crowd only needs pretty graphics and deformable cars......

Too bad companies like Simbin/ISI and such can no longer afford that kind of license...

It's so true its ironic, todays best selling car/race games (not counting GranTurismo) meainly feature pressing on the accelerator and occaisonaly making a turn at 90 degrees

[ptclaus98]

Originally Posted by Zytek_Fan

I hope Codemasters is commited to bringing out an exceptional game. When you secure a license for such a high calibre of motorsport, such as F1, you can only accept near perfection. We shall wait and see though

I hope Simbin polishes their physics system, because the one in place in GTR2 isn't all that great.

It's the best one out there.

[Dino Scuderia]

Originally Posted by ptclaus98

It's the best one out there.

Indeed.

[RacingManiac]

Simbin and ISI's model(which is where Simbin's starting point was) are atleast based on 4 contact patches on top of an actual platform with c of G and c of P accounted for. You know, like an actual car, instead of rotating around an fixed axis thats navigating the track....

[Matra et Alpine]

Have just downloaded and tried Codies DRIVE sim and it it PISH on a keyboard.
Looks OK, not brilliant, guess I'll get the wheel out and try it.

But the handling doesn't impress and definately looks too arcade-ish.
Guess it'll be down to add-ons for Simbin's products to get us F1 then

[mndl632]

Having played the demo for Race Driver GRID, it looks like codemasters could do a great job with the F1 franchise if they don't make it too much of an arcade game.