Ridge Racer Vita is Budget Title, Contains Three Tracks

PlayStation Vita launch title Ridge Racer will be sold at a lower price point that other games - but it will only contain three tracks and five cars as a result. Namco Bandai is adopting a downloadable content strategy to give the game a significant long tail.

In Japan, the packaged game will be priced at ¥3,980 (around £33) with a downloadable version on discount for ¥2,980 (£25) until the end of March 2012. Other launch games will range from around ¥5,000 to ¥6,000 (£42 - £50).

Namco Bandai's reasoning for the low price, low content strategy is to ensure that as many players as possible pick up the game and get involved in its Planetary League mode. Planetary League is a persistent online multiplayer environment where players are split into Circle, Cross, Triangle and Square teams. New battle missions will regularly appear for teams to accomplish and ranks are awarded at the end of each month.

Details on DLC to beef up the initial offering of tracks (Harborline 765, Highland Cliffs and Southbay Docks) and cars will be revealed in December, closer to the PlayStation Vita's launch.