MX vs. ATV Alive revving up in May

During the 2010 Electronic Entertainment Expo, THQ gave the first hint of the changes it had in store for its popular MX vs. ATV franchise, which has now sold more than 10 million units. Those changes involve a marked shift away from the industry-standard $60 price point for games released for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3; instead, the publisher said that it would sell the game for $40 to increase its mass market appeal and then supplement the release with weekly downloadable content.

It remains to be seen how this experiment will play out for THQ, but the publisher did provide a window today for when the industry will find out, saying MX vs. ATV: Alive will be available for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in May. As previously noted by THQ CEO Brian Farrell, the game will be sold for $39.99. THQ did not provide additional details on its DLC strategy.

A new monetization model isn't the only advancement Alive is bringing to the MX vs. ATV franchise. The game will also benefit from an updated physics engine, as well as a refined control scheme and tweaked terrain deformation system. The game will also feature the all-new "Bar-to-Bar" racing mechanic, which emphasizes close-quarters combat between riders.

For more on MX vs. ATV Alive, check out GameSpot's first look at the game.