Burnout Paradise peels out January 22

Electronic Arts will be giving gamers the keys to Paradise City early next year, as the publisher today announced that Criterion Games' wreckless PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 racer Burnout Paradise will arrive in North American stores January 22. The European release date has not yet been confirmed.

Eager gamers who can't wait for the New Year to check out the first open-world installment in Criterion's long-running series will be able to grab a glimpse of what the game offers a little early. EA is planning to release downloadable demos for both versions of the game in December.

The demo will include a look at the game's new stunt mode, as well as the chance to race through the game's streets in search of the fastest route to a set destination. Gamers will also get to check out the new multiplayer emphasis by competing in three challenges online, or make use of the system's camera peripherals to see the look on the face of a rival racer being rubbed into a guardrail.

Burnout Paradise is rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older. For more on the game, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.