New Codies racer aims to 'make racing exciting again'

by Jason Dobson { Nov 29th 2007 at 1:56PM }

We hate to be the ones to break it to you, but you know those racing games you think excite you so much? Well, they really don't. But don't worry, because according to Codemasters' game design chief Ralph Fulton, the studios' newly announced racer Grid aims to "make racing exciting again." How? Well, according to Fulton, the game, which is the latest in Codies' Race Driver franchise, is not about collecting cars or tweaking suspensions, but rather about "the drama, the rivalries, the aggression and the crashes." Sounds like someone's a fan of Burnout.

Due sometime in the middle of 2008 for the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC, Grid is being developed on a refined version of the engine used to make Dirt, and will include a variety of different circuit and drift vehicles, new and old. Grid aims to test your driving prowess on both real life tracks as well as in street races "on the fringes of legality" in cities such as Detroit and San Francisco, as well as in the neon underworld of the Far East. Forget Burnout. It sounds like Need for Speed has passed the baton.

Tags: codemasters, dirt, grid, race-driver, racing

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

elpmis @ Nov 29th 2007 2:16PM

Codemasters later revealed that studies indicated a racing game's excitement level was directly related to the number of red turtle shells a player could shoot from their kart

Hashbrown_Hunter @ Nov 29th 2007 7:09PM

...interesting.

PrinceOfPersia009 @ Nov 29th 2007 2:20PM

Well I've decided to just skip out on this years Need For Speed and just pick up Burnout this January.

I might give this a try depending on how it looks in the trailers, etc...

In other news Assassin's Creed and Mass Effect are just uberawesome!

Shockgamer @ Nov 29th 2007 2:25PM

I will try this game just because it has Detroit.

Say what you will about the city's reputation, but I've raced in Manhattan so many games that I think I live there. There's more to the world than New York, London, Paris and San Francisco; I wish more racing games would reflect that.

Spottednigel @ Nov 29th 2007 2:25PM

For the love of god, use a normal version of Detroit, not the post apocalyptic version. Yeah, it's still very shitty for the most part, but its not all an industrial wasteland

tcc3 @ Nov 29th 2007 3:53PM

By not post apocalyptic, You mean back when it was a French outpost? =P

rasgueado @ Nov 29th 2007 2:31PM

DiRT... Grid... you know, the success of DiRT probably had very little to do with changing the name. Pretty soon all Codemasters games will have a four letter title. FLASH: Operation Flashpoint 2...

FrankTheCrank @ Nov 29th 2007 2:38PM

That screen shot just made me cream my jeans.

Those guys at Codemasters are amazing developers. DiRT on PS3 is insane. And Jericho looks damn good on the PS3. Grid looks SICK!!! Bring it, EA needs competition.

upz @ Nov 29th 2007 5:25PM

Agreed. Dirt is awesome, especially the damage modeling. Now all this needs is multiplayer and we'll have a winner.

Grapefruit Juice @ Nov 29th 2007 2:49PM

I rather have a next-gen TOCA, but... Codemasters kicks all ass' when it comes to racing, so count me in.

Viridium @ Nov 29th 2007 2:49PM

Will it have REAL multiplayer, unlike DiRT?

reiji @ Nov 29th 2007 2:52PM

I spy a HEMI Orange Challanger in the photo. If this game stays more Gran Turismo than NFS, I'm in. Plus, Codemasters seems to be one of the few devs who actually wants to take time on the PS3.

FrankTheCrank @ Nov 29th 2007 3:19PM

That's what I'm talking about...I saw the new Chevy Camaro and the new Dodge Challenger.

That was enough for me.

Jeff @ Nov 29th 2007 6:35PM

And a blue Stang...but who gives a hell about that? Camaro FTW!

Jmoney @ Nov 29th 2007 2:59PM

After what happened to the ps3 version of Dirt...and Jericho( or clive barker's jericho or jericho by clive barker or pile of steaming crap) I'll reserve my judgement til the reviews kick in.

FidliousWong @ Nov 29th 2007 5:59PM

Umm, PS3 version of DiRT runs better than the 360 version. How was the change a bad thing?

A-Sauce @ Nov 29th 2007 4:18PM

Screeshots look amazing @ the site.

http://www.codemasters.com/games/?gameid=2456

ThornedVenom @ Nov 29th 2007 4:42PM

Gimme demo: I'll see if it's worthy of Burnout status.

umm....hello??? @ Nov 29th 2007 5:24PM

exactly what I was thinking. right now my money is on Burnout Paradise.

Hashbrown_Hunter @ Nov 29th 2007 7:13PM

Yup. Burnout is probably the only flat-out fun racer that can appeal to everyone.

I

Luthyr @ Nov 29th 2007 4:57PM

I'd really like Codemasters to do a great follow-up game to Micro Machines for PS1. It was a really amazing party racing game and something I don't see much very often aside from Mario Kart.

DarkTetsuya @ Nov 29th 2007 5:16PM

Now if you can just get the 09 Camaro in black and yellow, I'll be set.

Daran @ Nov 29th 2007 5:18PM

Dirt is almost Grid backwards.

ThornedVenom @ Nov 29th 2007 5:45PM

I wanna play Dirg.

Daran @ Nov 29th 2007 6:50PM

I saw my mistake afterwards, and I just said eff it.
But then I knew someone would point it out, then I'd have to go back and explain said mistake.

So all in all, i win.

embassy @ Nov 29th 2007 11:52PM

so...

from the looks of that screenshot...

grid is basically PGR 5 then?

Burnt Meatloaf @ Nov 30th 2007 7:04AM

Frankly, I wish they'd stop using licensed cars and familiar locations. I want something really wild and original.

Hard Drivin' 3 would do the trick. You know, a game where you don't just bounce off walls, but you can drive up them. Crash Day really had me interested, until I tried the demo and found out that the physics and game design sucked lug nuts. THAT was a damn shame.