Rumour has sprung up like dandelion flowers on the lawn of videogame truth today, foretelling a no-show for Microsoft’s key Xbox 360 launch racer Project Gotham Racing 3.
The gossip seemingly stems from this recent US open day to which webmasters were invited to preview the game at EA Vancouver. According to reports, EA stated to attendees that Microsoft has hinted to its development team that Project Gotham Racing 3, the latest instalment of the beloved series from Bizarre Creations, would not be ready within the launch window.
"…everyone there at EAX Canada doesn’t expect PGR3 to make launch…Microsoft has apparently been giving EA all the help they can give with getting Most Wanted out at launch (which they are on track to do), and they wouldn’t be doing that as much as they are if they had their own racing game ready for launch. Also, PGR3 is very ambitious, and from what they’ve seen it won’t make launch,” one attendee reports.
This would conflict with assurances given by Microsoft that the game will be ready. Indeed, speaking to SPOnG last month Xbox VP Peter Moore named only three games that would be ready within the launch window.
“The key is to make a strategic decision [regarding launch games] - do you have the genres covered? Sports games, fighting games, racing games - do you have them all covered? The three we should talk about, and that we are focusing on from a first-party point of view are Kameo and Perfect Dark from Rare, and Project Gotham Racing 3 from Bizarre.”
Read the full interview here.
And furthermore, this claim stands in contrast with the progress we have seen PGR3 make in recent weeks. At its Tokyo briefing last month, Microsoft showed off Gotham 3 in some detail, showing completed tracks and cars taking part in races, purportedly grabbed from development kits and running real time.
Whatever may happen, PGR3 is slated to be playable on the showfloor at Microsoft’s European expo, X05, slated to take place in early October. Launch window games for all territories are also expected, so as ever, stay tuned and let us know your thoughts on all of the above in our forums.
The gossip seemingly stems from this recent US open day to which webmasters were invited to preview the game at EA Vancouver. According to reports, EA stated to attendees that Microsoft has hinted to its development team that Project Gotham Racing 3, the latest instalment of the beloved series from Bizarre Creations, would not be ready within the launch window.
"…everyone there at EAX Canada doesn’t expect PGR3 to make launch…Microsoft has apparently been giving EA all the help they can give with getting Most Wanted out at launch (which they are on track to do), and they wouldn’t be doing that as much as they are if they had their own racing game ready for launch. Also, PGR3 is very ambitious, and from what they’ve seen it won’t make launch,” one attendee reports.
This would conflict with assurances given by Microsoft that the game will be ready. Indeed, speaking to SPOnG last month Xbox VP Peter Moore named only three games that would be ready within the launch window.
“The key is to make a strategic decision [regarding launch games] - do you have the genres covered? Sports games, fighting games, racing games - do you have them all covered? The three we should talk about, and that we are focusing on from a first-party point of view are Kameo and Perfect Dark from Rare, and Project Gotham Racing 3 from Bizarre.”
Read the full interview here.
And furthermore, this claim stands in contrast with the progress we have seen PGR3 make in recent weeks. At its Tokyo briefing last month, Microsoft showed off Gotham 3 in some detail, showing completed tracks and cars taking part in races, purportedly grabbed from development kits and running real time.
Whatever may happen, PGR3 is slated to be playable on the showfloor at Microsoft’s European expo, X05, slated to take place in early October. Launch window games for all territories are also expected, so as ever, stay tuned and let us know your thoughts on all of the above in our forums.
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Comments
Captain Rizla 6 Sep 2005 09:03
1/2
I hope it makes launch.
It's the only game I bothered pre-ordering with the 360.
It's the only game I bothered pre-ordering with the 360.
jordanlund 8 Sep 2005 06:54
2/2
The big thing, and what the article misses, is that you have to consider the source. EA is producing competing products to PG3. Gee, you don't think they might want to talk down the competition would you?
EA wants the 360 owners to go get their latest Need For Speed or Burnout POS instead of (rightfully) ignoring their titles and going for quality releases.
EA wants the 360 owners to go get their latest Need For Speed or Burnout POS instead of (rightfully) ignoring their titles and going for quality releases.