Codemasters reveals Dirt 2 dates

Codemasters has a fine track record when it comes to racing games. Its Colin McRae rally series has been around since the PlayStation era and has been well received critically. More recently, another of its racing titles, Race Driver Grid, has been nominated for a BAFTA award. The publisher has also secured the prestigious F1 licence and won the Grand Prix at this year's Develop Industry Excellence awards event.

No wonder then that there is some excitement about the upcoming release of Colin McRae: Dirt 2, the sequel to the critically acclaimed Dirt. Today, Codemasters has announced firm release dates for the rally title. It is set to be released on September 8 in the US (where it will be known simply as Dirt 2); on September 10 in mainland Europe, Pacific Asia, and Canada; and finally on September 11 in the UK. The game will be available on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, DS, and PSP, with the PC version following at a later date.

Developed by Codemasters Studios, the game will feature an updated version of the EGO engine, used in Dirt and Race Driver Grid as well as in the upcoming shooter Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising. Gamers will embark on a rally world tour featuring more than 100 events, taking place in locations such as Los Angeles, London, and Malaysia, through racing types such as Rallycross, Trailblazer, Raid, Landrush, and Rally. Codemasters has also promised improved physics, damage effects, and "aggressive multivehicle races."

Rally fans will also recognise some famous faces appearing in the game, including Travis Pastrana, Dave Mirra, and Tanner Faust, as well as Subaru Rally Team USA driver Ken Block. The game will also feature competitive online play alongside the single-player career modes. Check out GameSpot's latest hands-on with the game for more.