Capcom revs up multiplatform MotoGP

By Brendan Sinclair, GameSpotPosted Mar 31, 2008 11:30 am PT

Publisher of latest PS2 motorcycle series installment gets rights to make games, peripherals for all platforms, announces new Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, Wii, PC versions.

The rights to make licensed games are often divided in unusual ways. Consider Take-Two Interactive's third-party exclusivity on the Major League Baseball license, or the way Marvel Comics offers different publishers different deals based on whether they want to make a massively multiplayer online game, a fighting game, or a trading card game.

Now one of the more unusual cases of divided rights is no more. At one time, the MotoGP motorcycle racing circuit had a deal with Namco Bandai to produce games on Sony platforms, and a separate deal with THQ for the PC and Xbox line of systems. Capcom struck a deal to create MotoGP games on Sony's systems last year, and today the publisher announced that it had picked up rights to the remainder of gaming platforms, including mobile phones. In addition to making Capcom the exclusive publisher of MotoGP games on all platforms, the five-year agreement also gives the company the rights to make peripherals based on the circuit.

MotoGP's move away from THQ as a licensing partner isn't entirely surprising. In 2006, THQ took a step back from the series and publicly said it was "evaluating the viability of the brand" after its next installment, a decision prompted in part by the purchase of series developer Climax Racing by Disney Interactive Studios (then Buena Vista Games). Sure enough, MotoGP 07 was the final game in the series released by THQ.

The first games to come out under the new licensing deal will be based on the 2008 MotoGP season, and will be released on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PC, and PlayStation 2. It will mark the series' first appearances on the Wii and PS3. For a look at Capcom's initial effort with the MotoGP license, check out GameSpot's review of last year's MotoGP 07 for the PS2.

26 Comments

  • oneofthefall

    Posted Aug 18, 2008 7:34 am PT

    Moto GP 07 was not very good and was just left to rot by the developers no updates bugs were not fixed so goodbye thq please dont come back! but hello Capcom and good luck please do us REAL moto gp fans good because not all racing games were made for kids or morons who cant race!

  • bostadskontrakt

    Posted Jun 22, 2008 1:43 pm PT

    I suspect the people who demerits motogp 2007 don't really understand motorcycle games. The game has flaws but the racing is solid. A great game.

  • damariners

    Posted Jun 9, 2008 1:42 am PT

    yeah i agree with idea of start career with 125 to 250 and last 500cc... thats the ultimate reason gamer want to feel in the career mode.. create a rider and race in what ever team that offered..

  • rayrossi46

    Posted Apr 28, 2008 5:20 am PT

    I totally agree with isaac8317! Right on Brother! Like he said people wanna progress through the lower classes 1st!

  • isaac8317

    Posted Apr 19, 2008 9:48 pm PT

    I too hope we get the 125cc and 250cc classes back. I hope they make it to where you have to become the WC in the class to move up to the next. You should be able to build a rider and have more than just 8 damn layers to create a custom machine. If you going to say "customize" then by god make it so. GET RID of the Extreme Mode! It would be great if we can join a team with our real names and own numbers (that aren't taken by other riders in SP) and give us enough character spaces to put our names up too.

  • tig1979

    Posted Apr 5, 2008 3:58 am PT

    I'll look forward to this, was always a fan of Climax's game's, but the last efforts were quite appauling, i hope we get 125's and 250's again, with a good championship mode, use a pro rider or create your own and work your way up kinda thing, keep my fingers crossed for this, as said below blackbean are small and they did a great job with SBK

  • rayrossi46

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 2:46 pm PT

    I think Capcom will do well with this game since it's the second Japanese company to develop this game and the Japanese developers are very particular to detail. THQ and Climax didn't do it justice at all. I hated the fact that Valentino Rossi in Moto GP 06 and 07 was wearing his boots outside his leathers instead of a Dainese boot inside. Seriously no respect for the 7 time world champion at all! I agree Namco was best at it especially when they got the licence for Moto Gp 4 with the 250 and 125cc categories added in. Some people have heroes in the smaller classes too! I agree also that Capcom didn't do well in graphics in the 07 PS2 version but come on everybody it's the freaking PS2 we are talking about here. Capcom can't do anything since the PS2 is already heading to your local museums already. I say give Capcom a chance and we will see as Milestone's and Black Bean Games are really doing well with their SBK 08 title. Cheers!

  • Nintendo_Man

    Posted Apr 1, 2008 1:08 am PT

    It will be a great battle against the World Superbikes game which is looking fantastic with sometime until release.

  • woofie13

    Posted Mar 31, 2008 11:33 pm PT

    eh... I was never really into the moto games... I'll def keep looking at it though... visually they've been at the top of their game.

  • ColdfireTrilogy

    Posted Mar 31, 2008 8:24 pm PT

    Last years game was fun, online should be interesting.

  • revelations

    Posted Mar 31, 2008 8:21 pm PT

    It should be noted that the MotoGP games were fantastic and they shouldn't be ashamed at all of the job they did. 06 will be the prominent sim cycle racer for years to come and it was simply that good. I'm curious where Capcom takes it but at the same time, They really did amazing with the license combining arcade and sim racing in what could be considered two seperate games. I'm praising the 360 version of course. Can't say much about the others.

  • Cbok

    Posted Mar 31, 2008 6:24 pm PT

    Well there last Ps2 effort was a fail, hopefully they have learnt something from this. Peripherals eh? Sounds like another fail. Yeah I'm pessimistic...

    I really hope this game will be good. Stoner will be champ again this year

  • chrismaster36

    Posted Mar 31, 2008 6:21 pm PT

    MotoGp has always been Namco's specialty, so why is Capcom taking over?

  • ctg867

    Posted Mar 31, 2008 5:28 pm PT

    Eh, sounds like it could be alright. I'll wait and see. Kinda surprised at the PC port. As far as I'm concerned, if it's not a shooter, and RTS, or an MMO, it doesn't need a PC port/version.

  • IsmirZone

    Posted Mar 31, 2008 5:16 pm PT

    Capcom does nothing but dissappoint. The announcment of Street Fighter 4 is what will save them. The last MotoGP 07 was not good at all. THis Multy platform games turn into bad projects.

  • VenomRitual

    Posted Mar 31, 2008 4:56 pm PT

    capcom doesn't dissappoint. we can be at ease

  • mariokart64fan

    Posted Mar 31, 2008 3:07 pm PT

    more wii support,, every day keep it coming ,, , awsome , i had only played moto gp 2 on xbox and was not to thrilled on the 360 one ,, maybe this one on the wii would be good ,

  • striker131

    Posted Mar 31, 2008 3:00 pm PT

    Hopefully it turns out good. MotoGP was getting dissapointing

  • SumerianDaemon

    Posted Mar 31, 2008 2:47 pm PT

    nice

  • OfficialBed

    Posted Mar 31, 2008 2:36 pm PT

    hopefully they make them good

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