Split/Second - Megathread - Just Announced

[BlueCali]

Racing to the finish line takes on added excitement when competitors trigger destruction on the track to take out their opponents. Disney Interactive Studios today announced Split/Second, an intense Action/Racing game set within the world of a hyper-competitive reality television show.

Competitors vie to be the first across the finish line in a made-for-TV city built for destruction, with the ultimate goal of becoming the season champion. Developed by Black Rock Studio, Split/Second is scheduled to be released in early 2010 for PLAYSTATION3.

Competitors in Split/Second don't just collide with other vehicles to knock them from the track - they can also trigger explosive events that drastically alter the dynamics of the race. Players must use strategy and pinpoint timing to derail opponents, tactically alter the track or create entirely new routes.

"Split/Second elevates action racing to a new level by enabling players to strategically take out their opponents by dynamically altering the course in real time," said Craig Relyea, senior vice president of global marketing, Disney Interactive Studios. "Split/Second further showcases Black Rock Studio's ability to innovate and deliver a compelling experience that has wide appeal beyond the traditional racing genre."

"We're creating huge memorable moments on par with the biggest blockbuster action films," said Nick Baynes, game director, Black Rock Studio. "Action racing has captured the imagination of videogame fans worldwide and we're going to redefine that experience with Split/Second."

Black Rock Studio is the development studio behind the critically
acclaimed 2008 action sports game, PURE. Formerly Climax Racing, Black Rock Studio is a development studio of Disney Interactive Studios and is based in Brighton, England.
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[BlueCali]

Following last week's early reveal via GameTrailers, Disney Interactive Studios makes battle racer Split/Second official, with a couple of new screens to sweeten the deal.

Coming early next year for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC, Split/Second is, as Crecente observed, a melding of Death Race and Burnout, crafted by Pure developer Black Rock Studio. Players race through a made-for-TV built with destruction in mind, with the ultimate goal of becoming the season champion of a reality television show. As well as knocking opponents off the track, racers will be able to strategically alter the race's route by triggering huge explosive events.

"We're creating huge memorable moments on par with the biggest blockbuster action films," said Nick Baynes, game director, Black Rock Studio. "Action racing has captured the imagination of video game fans worldwide and we're going to redefine that experience with Split/Second."

Sounds like a game that could capture the hardcore Burnout fans who've jumped ship due to Burnout Paradise's change in direction.

 

[jefXfree]

Split/Second gets dated; box art revealed

The action racing game, Split/Second, is set to release on May 18 in North America, Disney Interactive Studios announced today. The game will be released in Europe on May 21.

The game is set in a fictional reality TV show. This is not a typical racing game – instead, players can trigger explosions that will alter the track, allowing them to take out opponents or create short cuts.

Split/Second, from Black Rock Studio and Disney Interactive, is heading to the PlayStation 3. It will cost $59.99 USD.

 

[jefXfree]

Split Second Pre-Order DLC Incentive Unveiled

Play.com has revealed that it will be offering the first DLC pack as a pre-order incentive for Split/Second: Velocity.

The incentive hasn't been listed on the retailer's site yet, but has been spotted in an Edge magazine advertisement.

Apparently pre-orders will come with the "first DLC pack" for the forthcoming arcade racer, which hints that the DLC will be made widely available at a later date following the game's release and that more could be set to follow.

And that's about it really. There are currently no solid details on what the pack will contain, but expect extra cars, tracks and perhaps additional explodey bits.

Split/Second: Velocity is due for release on May 21st in Europe, May 18th in North America.

 

[jefXfree]

Split Second: Velocity's Making Of Trailer Will "Amaze Your Eyes"

Split/Second: Velocity will "challenge your thumbs and amaze your eyes" says the cheesy voiceover in the new Making Of trailer.

Direct from Black Rock's studio in Brighton, the vid features a few words from some of the key figures behind the action racer due for release this May.

Best of all though, there's more Split/Second gameplay footage showing the explosive action, toppling buildings and speeding cars. It's all Hollywood action movie inspired stuff apparently.

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[mobius387]

Both racing games Blur and Split/Second are sitting well with gaming press with neck and neck review scores. However, Split/Second just beat out Blur in the latest UK charts.

Split/Second and Blur are both kart racers marketed to the age groups who grew up with Mario Kart. Both games are easy to recommend to both kart and arcade racers alike.

With Blur being released one week later than Split/Second it will be interesting to see the numbers for both games about one or two months after sales have settled. Split/Second just might have stole the thunder away from Blur just because of marketing and timing.

“If you love a more hardcore racing experience, and the idea of truly chaotic combat sounds appealing, than Blur might be for you. If you’re looking for a fun, pick-up-and-play combat racer, then I think you need to go back to Mario Kart or, better yet, pick up the excellent Split/Second.” – IGN

“Split/Second’s high-gloss mayhem is best-in-class, though it peaks early, and the chaos can overwhelm the actual racing.” – GiantBomb

“Bizarre Creations has found a game worthy of the developer’s namesake in Blur, a game that finds something fun in the peculiar pairing of weighty, quietly technical real-world racing and over-the-top kart combat.” – Giantbomb

GiantBomb even made a visit to Bizarre Creations development studio in Liverpool, England providing video coverage for their readers. There certainly had to be something to do with the marketing of Blur compared to Split/Second. The commercials featuring Split/Second showed much more gameplay and gave you an idea of what the game was to the average viewer not to mention the game being backed by Disney.

Blur on the other hand had a fantastic commercial, but if you weren’t “in” on the joke parodying a grownup’s Mario Kart then the commercial’s main goal was flawed from the get go.

 

[jefXfree]

Split Second Getting Four DLC Packs

Is racing around exploding tracks getting a bit tiresome in Split/Second: Velocity? No? Well, whatever the case, Black Rock Studios is planning to release a whole bunch of DLC for the game in the coming weeks, which should hep freshen things up a little, with three add-on packs slated for "the next couple of weeks" and a "major" one, which will include a new environment in September.

Announced via the Split/Second Facebook page, the second of the DLC packs will introduce a host of new cars in the 'High Octane Supercar' pack (one of which is pictured below), while the first will comprise of new liveries to customise your high and lower octane vehicles.

There's no price as yet for the DLC, but the third will be free "as a way of saying thanks to our awesome community", and will be a special edition vehicle based on the Ryback Cyclone.

As well as no pricing, there's also no specifics on dates yet, other than the fact that they'll be landing on the PlayStation Store later this and next month.