Back in October, Milan-based publisher Black Bean Games announced to have acquired the World Rally Championship license from owners ISC, planning to bring a new WRC video game to the PC and next-gen gaming consoles in September 2010.
Now, a few new infos have been emerged from the Motor Sport Business Forum in Monaco where ISC chairman Neil Duncanson disclosed some new details on the new title currently being developed by Milestone.
“From September next year we’ll be back in the gaming marketplace,” Duncanson commented. “We haven’t been there since 2005. For the rally fans, they’ve been short-changed. There is no definitive rally video game out there right now, so we’re going to come back with a bang, delivering the ultimate in off-road racing.
This will be all of the official cars on all of the official tracks, and because we own and deliver the timing systems and all of the satellite GPRS solutions, we’re able to give you the real version of rallying, delivered to your gaming platform.
The holy grail is to deliver a real, simultaneous live race experience where you’ll be able to go after Sebastien Loeb at the same time on the same stage, and compare your performance against his. In addition you’ll be able to have his live on-board camera footage integrated into the live game-play experience.”
The possibility to race against the WRC drivers had been mentioned before as iOpener has also been linked to this project a few months ago, rallying is certainly the best plattform to use this technology given that the events are time-trials with not more than one car at a time involved.
Another very promising comment is the fact that real stages are mentioned, something that’s badly needed to make the live-racing approach work. It remains to be seen to which lengths the real stages will be included though. As a typical WRC rally consists of several 30+ kilometer stages, it’s somewhat doubtful that the title will actually include all stages of all rallys on the calender, meaning that the live-racing feature could be limited to some stages.
Via Autosport
orubasarot
December 11th, 2009 at 07:20
Did a ctrl+f for “sim” in this article and all I got was “simultaneous”.
gtrNL
December 11th, 2009 at 07:23
If they really do make a game which is realistic and has all the WRC stages I would be very amazed, but most of all, incredibly happy!
And for doom-thinkers saying that a multi platform release can not ever be realistic, think about this: Richard Burns Rally was released for the XboX…
scca1981
December 11th, 2009 at 07:35
Being multiple platforms isn’t the issue. The issue is who’s making it :)
gtrNL
December 11th, 2009 at 07:46
Very true, but Black Bean made SBK09, right? One of they most realistic motor games out there.
I have high hopes for this one…
Uff
December 11th, 2009 at 08:06
Black Bean produced it, Milestone realized it (which is the same team who’s working on this). In past interviews they made it clear that it won’t be a total simulation, but at least there’s the hope to have an enjoyable title anyway.
yavin
December 11th, 2009 at 09:36
@gtrNL : RBR has been released on Xbox yeah, but it was not the same game as the PC version. Gameplay was totarlly different, more arcade style :)
Sensekhmet
December 11th, 2009 at 10:51
I don’t believe this will be a full sim. There is no creature on this planet* who can keep up with Loeb over a true to life 30km rally stage in a true to life WRC car, making the ‘hardcore sim’ concept worthless as far as gameplay is concerned.
* Maybe save for Hirvonen.
ForzaBarca88
December 11th, 2009 at 11:29
I dont know about that, a sim with accurate physics + stages would allow people to get pretty much unlimited practice driving a stage and basically memorising it, something Loeb or any other rally driver doesnt have the privilege of doing.
As far as the game is concerned, it sounds more like its targeted towards the broader audience so its hard to see it improving or even emulating RBR.
6e66o
December 11th, 2009 at 12:30
“This will be all of the official cars on all of the official tracks”
If that´s true, im gonna buy it,
even if its not a full sim.
FooAtari
December 11th, 2009 at 12:40
No it wasn’t. It was pretty much the same game. It was damn near impossible to play with a pad.
yavin
December 11th, 2009 at 12:43
My bad, you’re right. Sorry for the mistake.
Jos
December 11th, 2009 at 14:04
all official cars?
ok that’s like 3 cars then :P
Paul Kelly
December 11th, 2009 at 16:02
ISC chairman: “There is no definitive rally video game out there right now”
Guess he’s never heard of Richard Burns Rally on the PC.
Firefox
December 11th, 2009 at 17:51
He hasn’t because it is a RallySim
Howie47
December 11th, 2009 at 19:44
If this is just another rally game like RBR where you can’t fell (FF) the same ruts, pot holes and changing road surfaces, (gravel, mud, sand water, etc)that you see. But just has canned FF effects. I don’t think it will have much appeal.
With PhysX much realer dynamic interaction should be integrated into the road surface model. IF not forget it. (attention developers)
joseki
December 11th, 2009 at 21:49
If this is just another rally game like RBR I am a very happy simmer
eddiespag
December 11th, 2009 at 22:00
Ha, ha. That was a bit funny JOS!
free2game365
December 12th, 2009 at 02:13
RBR is pretty old, but tbh WRC is dying pretty bad and basically just has two manufacturers now. So maybe we could have someone make an actual realistic rally game based on the IRC.
scca1981
December 12th, 2009 at 05:59
I’d like to see a vintage rally game. Bring back some of those insanely overpowered classics.
Sensekhmet
December 12th, 2009 at 12:10
Let’s see… Citroen: 2, Citroen Junior Team: 3, Ford: 3, Stobart? Munchi’s?: 2?
Damn, that’s a LOT of cars! 2 models with 2 variations! GT5, eat your heart out!
mattabater
December 15th, 2009 at 08:22
yea add that physx thing for sure and just make the textures cock pits terain as photo realistic as possible like shift but not as flashy.