Climax agrees to Crash 'N' Burn for Eidos

Eidos today announced that it has signed a development deal with UK-based Climax. The agreement will see Climax's Brighton Studio developing an all-new racing title for the publisher, titled Crash 'N' Burn. The game is described as an arcade racer with a focus on "aggressive and dangerous driving." Featuring online support for up to 16 players, Crash 'N' Burn will mark the first foray into online console gaming for Eidos.

Climax has already worked on a number of online games, including MotoGP and MotoGP 2 for the Xbox and the upcoming PC MMORPG Warhammer Online. Racing games previously developed by the studio include ATV: Quad Power Racing 2, Speed Kings, and Rally Fusion.

Eidos chose Climax for its Crash 'N' Burn project based on the studio's "proven track record in developing quality driving games and a great understanding of what makes a compelling online console experience," according to European development director Dave Rose.

Climax managing director Tony Beckwith cited the excitement of developing a new franchise as a major factor in the deal, saying, "We've been able to use the technology and expertise gained from driving games like the MotoGP series to allow us to focus strongly on gameplay, and we think the results are going to resonate with gamers. The driving genre has become very predictable and conservative over recent years, and creating a new brand has given us the opportunity to understand what made us love vehicle-based games in the first place."

Crash 'N' Burn will be showcased at this year's E3 and is scheduled for release on both the PS2 and Xbox this fall. We'll bring you more information as soon as it becomes available.