Codemasters snags F1 licence

British publisher in pole position for the 2009 Formula One season with exclusive deal to develop F1-licensed titles.

Codemasters is certainly no stranger to the racing genre, having produced rally and touring car franchises such as DiRT and GRID, the latter of which is due out in Europe on May 30 (June 3 in North America).

However, Codies obviously isn't content with merely having those two racing games in its virtual garage, as the publisher has just announced an exclusive licensing agreement with Formula One Administration.

The first game to come out of this agreement will be released on "home console, handheld and PC gaming formats" in 2009, and is expected to be based on next season's roster. The game is being developed with the developer's own EGO engine, the same one being used in GRID.

Prior to this agreement, Sony Computer Entertainment had held the rights, with its first game being Formula One on the original PlayStation in 1996, and culminating in Formula One Championship Edition, which arrived at the European launch of PlayStation 3. Sony Computer Entertainment Europe was unavailable for comment at the time of publication.

107 Comments

  • ReventonS

    Posted Apr 20, 2009 10:35 am PT

    i hope this game looks absolutely realistic... and good at the same time... and the career mode should have more features rather than just racing around the track .... and more of the things that u do while driving should be left upon the player to decide ... cant wait!

  • kaichang94

    Posted Apr 15, 2009 8:44 am PT

    i hope he creates a racing game which look so damm real that i will never stop playing it..

  • joanhm

    Posted Mar 22, 2009 5:27 pm PT

    am glad that codemasters got this, because the only thing that was good for me was the sixaxis control over the cars in the game I think the idear to give the game right to codemasters was piorly because of the rush value that they delivered with Grid and before that Dirt, and the f1 sony produced was dull. and I love formula 1. I turely think that its in the right hands, please make the pits more on, the faster you push your button to make the animation of the pit crew move more faster to get you out of the pit, than push this button when it comes on the screen, and from behind you can see wheel getting warn away ( high speed blow outs like in grid, winner!

  • lyntonc

    Posted Feb 27, 2009 4:08 am PT

    About time F1 has gone to codemasters, Grid was epic; please bring it out on all formats as we need an F1 game for the 360. Well done Codemasters for the top class Racing games so far. Ps: Please give us a good story line, not boaring like Race Pro, we want to feel part of the F1 sceen, thanks.

  • sphinx7410

    Posted Jan 29, 2009 12:09 am PT

    Dont stuff it up codies, and lovre to be able to design and race my own car Jack brabham style in 09 using honda engines

  • Maslowo

    Posted Jan 9, 2009 9:10 am PT

    Grid -
    Toca +

  • TheRealUku

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 12:01 pm PT

    division 9's comment doesnt even warrant flaming lol , bit like saying intel processors? no thanks lol , codemasters produce fine quality car games so glad to see they got the license.

  • division_9

    Posted Dec 31, 2008 7:13 pm PT

    Codemasters?, no thanks

  • CrazyKid15

    Posted Oct 19, 2008 5:42 pm PT

    Hope it also comes out on the X360 and the possibilities of F1 Challenge 99-02 cause that was the best f1 game of the last years still playing it (08 mod)

  • adamduffield

    Posted Sep 24, 2008 3:29 am PT

    Cant wait to here some more news on this game, codemasters are good at their racing games so hopefully this one wont dissapoint!

  • prem_pinaak

    Posted Sep 11, 2008 10:43 am PT

    The last PS3 ver. of F1 championship edition had a good game play with almost realistic graphics. Hope Codemaster carry on that with an improvement on the Pit lane theme, AI car movement on blue flags when cars being lapped. Also get a lively commentary with an excellant podium celebration. It would be better off with a mixture of F1 99-02 and F1 championship edition. Also carrer mode option should be there. Hope for the best at the soon on PC and PS3 both.

  • xtoda7

    Posted Sep 10, 2008 4:17 am PT

    Maybe create a team like they had in GRID.how good would that be

  • DonCurtis88

    Posted Aug 26, 2008 6:58 am PT

    Hope it comes out on PS3
    Also hope it aint like GRID, I WANT A SIM
    jus like f1 Championship that game is great!!
    SIM CODEMASTERS A SIM no arcade sh*t!!

  • The_Witch_King

    Posted Aug 4, 2008 10:45 am PT

    If this games manages to make you FEEL like an F1 driver then it will succeed, I'm thinking taking part in the drivers parade, press conferences, huge banners with your name on at your home circuit etc. And for heavens sake do NOT make an arcade game, F1 is the furthest thing from arcade.

  • bendouse

    Posted Aug 2, 2008 12:46 pm PT

    hope it comes out on the 360

  • catsgomoo123

    Posted Jul 24, 2008 1:36 am PT

    plz be on the wii...

  • marco245

    Posted Jul 22, 2008 12:38 pm PT

    Great thing is that Codemasters Reps have just announced that it will be a simulation (with optional aids for newcomers, ofcourse) which is great for people who disliked the terrible GRID and DiRT handling. The forums are literally alive with activity as Codemasters are taking feedback from the forum to implement into the game. I trust Codemasters with the game, since the days I played my first Playstation game, ToCA 2. They can do it, they have the experience, the engine, the dev team and the support.

    If anyone here has anything they would like to have heard concerning the game, head to the Codemasters forum and post in the appropriate threads...

  • dude026

    Posted Jun 26, 2008 2:26 pm PT

    I need an F1 game to come out for 360. Id love a realistic Sim F1 game where the player can fine tune most parts of an F1 car as well as advanced parts. Stuff like Pit stops, race strategies and fuel loads etc should also be taken into account. It would be so cool, i havnt played a f1 game since sega megadrive just came back from silverstone f1 testing today and just feel like playing f1 games lol

  • DillonBalfe

    Posted Jun 22, 2008 8:29 am PT

    this game better be on the 360 or i will shoot codemasters in the face

  • Thorpe89 Site moderator

    Posted Jun 21, 2008 7:48 am PT

    Can't wait. I am guessing a new F1 title should be on most consoles too.

  • joey2683

    Posted Jun 11, 2008 12:37 am PT

    When are we going to get a WRC game?

  • nyranasaurus

    Posted May 26, 2008 12:12 am PT

    Hmm, Judging by grid and DIRT, this very well may just be an arcade experience.However i can still happily play F1 99-02 F1C by EA, as it is the best ive ever played so far.Nothing on any console or pc has yet to beat the amount of Depth in F1 99-02.Not that ive played anyway.The only thing that worries me about codemasters, Is i hope they just give us F1 and not a bunch of friggin Offroad and trucks and lots of other sht to go with it like Dirt,which was fun but it was hardly a die hard rally experience,no weather on Windscreen???!?,no sweden,no snow,no mud, falling onto the windscreen NOTHING.I hope they purely just focus on an F1 experience, The best F1 experience.It would be great to see the last 4 years of F1 in a game.Id rather that than heaps of racing genres.oh yeah AND PLEASE bring back decent weather patterns codemasters SHEESH!!and in the next rally game more MUD and GUTS PLEASE, bumps and bruises.DIRT was to CLEAN

  • TTDog

    Posted May 13, 2008 5:50 am PT

    So does this mean an end to the "not at all a cheap tacky gimmick" of using the PSP as a rear view mirror on any PS3 version?

  • rizalariff

    Posted May 12, 2008 11:46 pm PT

    Finally... I've been waiting for a new f1 game for a while now...

  • KnuckleZ_V8

    Posted May 12, 2008 6:35 am PT

    NO, eggmcmuff! IF YOU CAN READ.......
    sony's license has run out an codemaster have bought it, not EA buys codemasters. mong

  • eggmcmuff

    Posted May 11, 2008 8:39 pm PT

    ... In other news, EA buys Codemasters...

  • sauberf1fan

    Posted May 11, 2008 3:41 pm PT

    This news is so exciting, I'm not sure how to control myself...but, after slightly wetting my pants, I think I've calmed down enough to say, "F&*K YEAH!!!!"

    I've been a die-hard F1 fan since 98, and played every game since (cept the newest PS3 game which was rubbish!) Still, F1 2002 for PC (with mods) and Grand Prix Legends are my two favorite F1 games!

  • erica1633

    Posted May 11, 2008 2:24 pm PT

    "...and culminating in Formula One Championship Edition, which arrived at the European launch of PlayStation 3." It was out for the North American launch too was it not?

  • BenQ90

    Posted May 11, 2008 1:31 pm PT

    man, if driving a F1 car is like driving in GRID, this game from codemasters will suck... and i´ve been waiting so long for the next F1 game

  • -Raiden-

    Posted May 11, 2008 10:11 am PT

    Yes F1 on Pc and more on Ps3!

    But what about wii!!!

  • _RA0_

    Posted May 11, 2008 6:52 am PT

    Finally F1, haven't played that game in ages.

  • Draggunof

    Posted May 11, 2008 6:35 am PT

    Finally F1 returns to PC!! Thanks Codemasters!!

  • infestedcyborg1

    Posted May 11, 2008 12:36 am PT

    Cool codemaster rock with racing games.

  • punkologist

    Posted May 10, 2008 7:52 pm PT

    this is great news. I actually bought a PS3 for F1 games but I have high hopes for what codemasters can do

  • kevin82485

    Posted May 10, 2008 6:00 pm PT

    Codemasters as some experience with open wheel racing when they released IndyCar Series and IndyCar Series 2005.

    Those games didn't exactly get great reviews, but they now have a new racing engine and have more that they can do with F1 than what they could do with Indy. I'm sure it will be a decent game. Its one that I will look forward to playing since I haven't got to play an F1 game on Xbox since F1 2001.

  • BradW92

    Posted May 10, 2008 12:24 pm PT

    Sweet, hopefully they will have a "personalised" career mode like they have with GRID, in which the radio guy will call you by your name etc (long as its in the list) and hopefully they wont make it arcady like GRID

  • joe_ender

    Posted May 10, 2008 11:28 am PT

    can't wait to see what codemasters will do with the F1 licence, excited cant wait to hear more

  • spec440

    Posted May 10, 2008 7:56 am PT

    HELL YEAH!

    about damned time if you ask me!

  • Beaglesniffer

    Posted May 10, 2008 6:57 am PT

    GR8

  • nathace

    Posted May 10, 2008 6:39 am PT

    dose this meen F1 wil b cumin out on 360 i hope so

  • markimsoad

    Posted May 10, 2008 5:30 am PT

    Congratulations Codemasters... Actually, GRAND PRIX 4 is the best F-1 game for PC. Is a Fact!

  • FreddoX12

    Posted May 10, 2008 2:37 am PT

    Woohoo!! In your face EA!!
    Nobody likes EA anymore, they've betrayed us gamers for far to long!

  • gp3tron

    Posted May 10, 2008 1:02 am PT

    Best. PC. Driving. Genre. News. since. 2002. EVER.

  • HELLRAISERR

    Posted May 9, 2008 11:19 pm PT

    No doubt it's 'bout time somebody other than Sony made F-1 racing games. 2 me, F-1 is king of all motor racing. I'm glad EA didn't get it, now let's see what Codemasters can do with it. By '09, they should be able to tweak their Grid engine and put out a racing game that looks great, but isn't overly swayed to simulation. They gotts to find a balance and make F-1 racing fun. 4 now, bring on GRID !!!

  • Zoomer30

    Posted May 9, 2008 11:04 pm PT

    This is GREAT news. I was scared to death that EA would get it and destory yet another sports genre.

    The last great F1 game I played before F1 CE on the PS3 was the Geoff Crammond (think thats his name) and his PC sims. They where cool. Before GTA IV thats the best weather simulation I had ever seen.

  • larlarbd

    Posted May 9, 2008 9:10 pm PT

    This is Fantastic news , I have always held codemasters in very high relm when it comes to racing , they NEVER disappointed me , F1 with codemasters is gonna be awesome .

  • CADMAN_3

    Posted May 9, 2008 7:35 pm PT

    YES, YES, YES.... It's about time. This is the best news ever. I've got the PS3 version and I got the PSP version on the way. Of course the PSP version was only released in Europe. So lucky me has family over there that got this for me and are mailing it my way. That should keep me busy until this comes out in 09.

  • Norther81

    Posted May 9, 2008 5:52 pm PT

    It will be fun to see how this will be. Have bought all F1 games on the ps(1,2 and 3) so this will be some major change(i think?)

    Anyway, Sony did good. Now let's see if Codemaster gonna crank it up.

  • speedracer15

    Posted May 9, 2008 5:10 pm PT

    Good News!!!!!

  • projectpat2280

    Posted May 9, 2008 4:48 pm PT

    Thank GOD! Iv been waiting for a F1 game to hit the 360 since launch. As an American who loves Formula One, i try to get my hands on anything F1 related. This is GREAT news!

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