Codemasters gets Formula One video game rights (multi-platform f1 games once again!)

[Nikhilb2008]

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.

Source: f1.com

[VJ_MAVRICK]

Yea Nikhil !
Codemasters with their top of the line racing titles like GRID and DIRT will bring a new lease of challenges and enthusiasm. I haven't played them personally but heard a lot about them through pals and cousins of mine who are big times gamers.

[abhinav.gupta88]

I will be eagerly waiting for the game.

[chetan]

they were also in line for the wrc series ,but for some strange reason that game has been discontinued.

[im_srini]

Codemasters has won the rights for F1 games

After a five-year drought F1 games will once again be available on multiple platforms Due to the FOA's myopic & insane decision to suckle at Sony's teat 6 years ago, F1 games were exclusively on the PlayStation platform for 5 whole years ! For avid gamers that meant no PC or XBox F1 games. The last "reasonable" PC examples were EA's F1-2002 & Ubisoft's RS3.

The F1 license should've never been exclusive to begin with (in my book at least). Anyway, there was talk last year that Sony might not be too keen to renew their exclusive F1 license & there was even talk that EA was the leading contender. Now it's official - the license has gone to CodeMasters ! Being a big fan of CMR 1, 2, 3, 4, & Dirt, I think the F1 license is in very capable hands - Whopeee !

Although it could take some time for the games to arrive, I think it's better than not having that option at all...

[speedzak]

This is real good news! How bad it was to see that only Playstations were getting the latest cars, tracks and gadgetry while all others were stuck in F1 2002.
I still play that gud 'ol one myself and online and it's so much fun.

The PS3 version of the F1 07 was amazing and preparing for a whole race weekend is something to die for. I spent about 5days in this Grandprix nirvana and was amazed to see how much attention to detail was there in the game. It was very much real if not real by itself.

Now that Codemasters have won the rights, let's hope they do a very good job on this too. I'm a big EA fan but always liked Codemasters' games too. I also hope they keep the game fun, simple and not too technically correct by taking all fun factor out of it. Afterall, that's what games are for. Right?

[Cyrus43]

Going a little off topic, How is Colin McRae : Dirt??

And coming back to the topic..I will be buying this one for sure.If it comes out for the PC that is!!

[chetan]

Dirts graphics are out of this world but handling , physics etc are arcade type , definitely playable ....the f1 will come to PC also

[madan80]

CMR3 was out of this world in trems of physics and car handling. the best part is the car gets battered and you keep loosing control.
im sure they will have a winner in this as well.

[sajands]

Hey,

Lets see how well Codemasters will develop the F1 2009 compared to the EA Sports 2008 F1 game. F1 2008 is based on the F1 2007 platform with cars and tracks updated till barcelona track. Renulat and Red bull cars have the Shark fin engine cover. Has anyone played the F1 2008???

Regards,
Sajan

[sujaylahiri]

The best Formula 1 game for PC so far is Geoff Crammond's Grand Prix 4, which was launched way back in 2002. However, there are quite a few high resolution mods available with updated drivers, helmets, tracks and teams.
Last time I checked, they had the 2007 season ready.


So let's hope that Codemasters' Formula 1 game is a worthy successor to it.

[SilentEngine]

Originally Posted by sajands

Hey,

Lets see how well Codemasters will develop the F1 2009 compared to the EA Sports 2008 F1 game. F1 2008 is based on the F1 2007 platform with cars and tracks updated till barcelona track. Renulat and Red bull cars have the Shark fin engine cover. Has anyone played the F1 2008???

Regards,
Sajan

There was no F1 game from EA in recent years if I am not wrong. Last official F1 game is F1CE for Sony PS3 which had 2006 season