Superleague Formula recently kicked off/gave the green light to its second season of football-cum-motorsport action.
I still find the whole concept rather cynical and unappealing but you can’t deny they promote themselves rather better than F1 does. I’ve already written about how much better their website is than F1.com, and now they’ve got a promising video game lined up too.
While FOM got Codemasters on board to produce the new official F1 game (which has now been partially delayed), Superleague Formula’s game will be produced by Media Game and Image Space Incorporated.
Codemasters might be more of an established games publisher but their recent track record is a better ropey: recent iterations of the once-great “TOCA” and “Colin McRae Rally” franchises have become ever more like other standard, disposable racing clones.
Image Space Incorporated, on the other hand, produced the immersive and addictive “rFactor” as well as the popular “F1 Challenge”.
However Superleague Formula may have made a mistake by opting for a single-platform game: it will only available in PC format with no mention of Sony Playstation, Xbox 360 or Nintendo Wii versions.
Of course, we won’t know if either game is any good until they actually come out. Superleague’s game is due in September, Codemasters “F1 2009” is also due out later this year, but only for Nintendo Wii and Sony PSP, with a 2010 version following next year.
Press release
Superleague Formula is set to move up yet another gear with the launch of its first official videogame in September.
Now poised to kick off its second season, Superleague Formula is the only competition in the world to unite premier league quality motor sport with top football brands. The series features a grid of powerful single-seater racing cars – all representing many of the world’s most famous football clubs – competing for top honours on the race track. This year’s championship takes place between June and November with races in France, Belgium, United Kingdom, Portugal, Italy and Spain. Among those celebrated clubs competing for outright glory are former UEFA Champions League winners Liverpool FC and AC Milan.
As on the race circuit, the exciting new Superleague Formula video game will combine the passion of football with the speed, excitement and emotion of car racing to produce a product with genuine appeal to the millions of global gamers already enjoying top selling football and motor sport games.
Renowned specialists Media Game and Image Space Incorporated are masterminding the development and subsequent launch of the official video game. ISI has a wealth of experience – its portfolio of video games already includes rFactor, F1 Challenge and NASCAR Thunder. The exciting new game will be introduced in September and will be distributed online for PCs from the official Superleague Formula website.
"We are delighted to have concluded this significant deal with such proven experts," said Superleague Formula President, Alex Andreu. "Football and motor sport games are among the most popular titles right around the world and we’re confident that our game will be a huge hit with all gamers. It will not only provide extra excitement to existing Superleague Formula followers and fans of those clubs competing in our championship but also it will help us to spread the Superleague gospel to important new global audiences."
Brendan
2nd July 2009, 22:11
There’s no way they’re going to sell enough copies to make a console port worth the time and money.
Plus, I don’t think that rFactor has been ported to anything other than PC. The core engine (gMotor2) was ported to Xbox 360 by Blimey for RACE 360, but I doubt that ISI could get access to that code base, or that they would want to rebuild rFactor on top of it.
Stealthman
4th July 2009, 6:06
Sorry, but that’s slightly incorrect.
Simbin (not Blimey, the two companies have nothing to do with each other anymore) created their own engine, Lizard, and the game (RACE Pro) was the engine’s debut title.
I think it’s safe to say that gMotor2 will never get to consoles. It’s old tech anyway, and compared with the newer game engines available, it’s very out of date.
rob
2nd July 2009, 22:23
F1 Challenge is by far the best F1 game ever made to date. I still play it on a regular basis, even though I have the newer variants.
They really do a great job in capturing the feel of F1, as well as the feel for the cars.
I’m looking forward to ISI’s next release as it is extremely long overdue.
mp4-19b
3rd July 2009, 5:51
no it isn’t. rfactor is a thousand times better.
rob
3rd July 2009, 13:22
rfacter is not an F1 game. Next time before disagreeing, read first. F1c shipped as a F1 game, and rfactor did not.
Also, for people with keyboards only, rfactor is harder to play. They cant only sell to people who have Wheels…
pSynrg
4th July 2009, 22:46
They can’t afford to only focus on wheel control, but they should!
Driving with a joy pad/stick or heaven forbid, a keyboard is asking for not to be taken seriously.
As for F1C best capturing the feel of F1 (via keyboard)? That’s like saying Monet best captured the feel of a sunrise (rather than an impression.)
F1C best F1 game/sim? Nah, that accolade is either for GP Legends or GP4…
mp4-19b
3rd July 2009, 6:00
even i was under that impression. the AI’s are as intelligent as george bush. i loved f1c as i have all the mods from 1978-2009 with the exception of 1992. i dunno why that mod was never made :( . but rfactor takes it to an all new different racing environment. infact i gotta crappy system & i dunno why rfactor runs better that f1c for me!! i get around 30-35 fps during race in f1c & in rfac that increases to almost 50! rfactor is easily moddable & has a better physics engine. it uses the same 3d engine as simbin’s gtr2. the gmotor2 is the best engine out there. rfactor will remain on this earth until 21-12-2012.
ajokay
3rd July 2009, 14:04
Why, what happens on the 22nd?
Red Andy
3rd July 2009, 14:12
According to the Mayan calendar, the world ends. ;)
pSynrg
4th July 2009, 22:47
Hmmm, and whatever happened to the Mayans?
Sush Meerkat
5th July 2009, 10:49
I saw a documentary called Alien vs Predator, it details the mayan demise on that.
chaostheory
5th July 2009, 0:08
I agree with Rob – F1C is last good F1 game. Rfactor is not good for F1: its fun to test cars and tracks with F1 mods (and make videos from it) but it cant beat F1C when it comes to single player and career\season mode. AI is too dumb in rFactor and authors of f1 mods for this game are focusing 95% on cars graphics and 5% on physics – you cant even setup an F1 car properly because they “forget” to adjust garage options. Ofcourse rFactor is superior to F1C when it comes to physics and it has potential but for now modders cant use it for some reason.
Anyway its pity that ISI cant do new F1 game.
AndyM
2nd December 2012, 12:37
I can’t comment on F1C as i’ve not driven it. But i don’t fancy racing against Ai. I prefer real people. But not those wreckers you see online with F1 2011/2012. For me rFactor (yes it’s not an F1 mod) has infinite mods including F1. Don’t waste yourself by racing against the Ai. Come and make friends online you lonely old fool. :)
Buy rFactor once and get your monies worth 1000 times over what you paid for it. Then there’s GPL. You’ve not lived until you’ve raced GPL. And the Ai is top score if that’s what you like while you’re locked away from the world. But come online where the real competition is. Plus, get a wheel. :)
Chalky
3rd July 2009, 0:04
I can’t get the whole football \ motorsport gel either. It makes me cringe when the race is even split into 2 x 45min races for the two halves.
How this appeals to race sims will depend on the quality of the game. With rfactor2 on its way I can’t see too many takers for this?
Aaron
3rd July 2009, 13:05
nkpro is THE best open wheel sim ever…shame it is still an unfinished work.
ISI games are generaly rubbish, well thats harsh lets say…if they made some code and then asked SimBin or another mod toeam to do the content (cars, tracks, weather, LTT, damage, sound, and basic immersion) and then added their netcode then it would be a great sim.
Will await to pass judgment till after its released and I have tried the demo 1st…maybe it is rfactor add on or even content in rfactor 2?
Steve_P
3rd July 2009, 14:16
I watched the first round from Mangy Cours this year last weekend and I actually liked the racing. I do’t much care for the whole football thing, but I really did think the racing was quite good.
persempre
3rd July 2009, 14:48
I must admit I forgot all about it. I`ll try to catch some of Zolder if I can.
Somehow the concept has always seemed a bit tacky to me. Like it’s trying to cash in on the best of both worlds.
scunnyman
3rd July 2009, 21:21
having read these articles about goodwood and overtaking it has got me wanting to watch some season reviews over the weekend, while not doing the july 4th thing. Only i can’t work out what seasons to watch from 1975 to say 2006.
can anyone suggest some years for me please?
Robert McKay
3rd July 2009, 22:40
There’s noone in the grandstands watching Superleague Formula, so why would there be an automatic market for a game?
Andrew White
3rd July 2009, 23:32
Slightly off-topic, I saw the Liverpool FC Superleague Formula car at Goodwood today.
TommyB
6th July 2009, 15:59
Superleague is the most ridiculous series of racing I have ever seen. Motorsport and football should not mix.
Robert McKay
7th July 2009, 20:01
The concept is silly but ignorable. The actual racing is not that bad…
flotsky
7th July 2009, 12:01
I found it a little depressing. “Rangers crash out on the first corner”. Just like watching them in Europe.