Codemasters Wins F1 License

Codemasters has won the official Formula One license for gaming, previously held by Sony Computer Entertainment.

The deal will see F1 games returning to multiple platforms. The first official game from Codemasters will be available on “all major home consoles” as well as PC and handhelds.

It looks like the first game will be out next year and based on the 2009 F1 season. The last official F1 game was F1 06 from Sony and first appeared on the PS2 and PSP nearly two years ago.

Sony was rumoured to have lost the license earlier in the week. TG Daily reported^† that “industry sources” told it that Electronic Arts and Ubisoft were in the running for the license alongside Codemasters. Sony apparently dropped the license because it became too expensive. Not for Codies though, it would seem.

Codemasters Studios, the studio behind Colin McRae DiRT and Race Driver: GRID, is set to lead development on the series, using the EGO game engine utilised in both the aforementioned games.

The Warwickshire-based UK development veteran recently announced the acquisition of Birmingham-based SEGA Racing Studios. At the time, Codies' CEO, Rod Cousens, said, "In seizing this opportunity, we have created additional resources to escalate our plans in the racing segment." If the studio wasn't bought in preparation for the winning of the F1 license, SPOnG will eat its racing helmet.

Without F1 games to develop, Sony's racing-focused Studio Liverpool will have a gap in its yearly development schedule. Don't be surprised if we see the announcement of a new racing franchise from Sony soon...

“Formula 1 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 1 audience and connecting them globally”, said Rod Cousens of the deal.

Cousens went on to be anything but modest about the deal. “As a world-leading creator of driving games, this alliance with Formula 1 is the jewel in Codemasters’ racing crown and creates an undisputed segment champion. Formula 1 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 1 Online, to the company that is streaking away from the pack.”

SPOnG, for one, is pleased to see a British publisher having won such a high profile license.

We can't wait for the Max Mosely mod...

^{†Source: TG Daily}