PGR3 tourney gets in gear

When the new Xbox Live was announced last year, one of the new features hyped was Spectator Mode, which lets gamers watch live online competitions from the comfort of their Xbox 360s. The potential of the feature was largely tied in to talk about international competitions in the driving game Project Gotham Racing 3.

The Xbox 360 has been out for almost five months now, and the international race circuit on PGR3 has yet to turn on its engine. That's all about to change, as Microsoft and PGR3-developer Bizarre Creations have announced the first Xbox Live PGR3 Global Tournament.

In North America, the racing begins April 17 with a series of regional qualifiers that runs through April 30. A semifinal round of 64 commences May 4, and the finals will be held June 13. Registration begins today and ends April 28.

The fastest drivers not only get to claim that they're among the best at PGR3, they'll also be treated to just about any car enthusiast's dream: The top 12 racers from around the world will be invited to compete in the world finals at the Lamborghini factory in Italy.

For more information on the Xbox Live PGR3 Global Tournament, speed over to the official Web site. To learn more about Project Gotham Racing 3, read GameSpot's review.