Racing genre needs next gen - Blur dev

The racing game genre needs a new generation of consoles to thrive, former Blur and Project Gotham Racing developer Gareth Williams told OXM recently. Currently serving as chief designer on Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, Williams says consoles with increased power will spur gamers to pick up a simulation racing title.

"We need a new console," he went on. "Racing games always do well when a new console comes out, and you do a new physics engine and improved graphics, but towards the end of a console cycle it's always quite hard to push racing games, I think, because if you've Dirt 1 do you need Dirt 3? If you've got PGR3 do you need PGR4? I'm not so sure. It really relies on technology, the racing genre. Maybe more than other genres."

Wilson was vague about what new technology would allow simulation racing game developers, saying only that new hardware would bring about "another level of immersion and quality."

Nintendo's Wii U launches later this year, but the next wave of consoles from Microsoft and Sony are not expected soon. Both companies have confirmed that new systems will not be on hand at the 2012 Electronic Entertainment Expo, with no new hardware news expected until 2013 at the earliest.