Only next gen consoles can save the racing game, says Blur designer

OXM UK: "The market "just isn't there anymore" for Blur, Split/Second and Motorstorm.

[dirigiblebill]

Not sure why technology is so crucial to racing and not, say, the FPS.

Liking the look of this new kart racer.

[kneon]

Well for games that focus on realistic physics and graphics technology, plays a big role. That's not critical to an FPS.

But I think he's overplaying the importance, GT5 is probably north of 7-8 million in sales by now so it doesn't seem to have suffered.

If you've got a second rate game then expect second rate sales.

[Army_of_Darkness]

What a sad excuse! Shift, gt5 and fortza seem to be doing pretty well ?!

[Pintheshadows]

I don't know if that's the reason. It seems the ascent of certain genres (mp shooters) has hurt driving games a little this gen.

However I can disprove the argument by simply saying Burnout. If a new Burnout game was announced (fingers crossed) it would sell like hotcakes, whatever platform it came out for.

[dirigiblebill]

"However I can disprove the argument by simply saying Burnout. If a new Burnout game was announced (fingers crossed) it would sell like hotcakes, whatever platform it came out for."

That's like saying Call of Duty's success means all first-person shooters sell big bucks. The problem is, some of the "big" genres are now effectively single games. FPS = Call of Duty, football = FIFA, TPS = Gears. The market's completely polarised - either you're one of the mega IPs, or you're flotsam.

[Pintheshadows]

True, but I was trying to get across that whilst the driving market has shrunk, for the right game it is still there.

Burnout is most definately that game when it comes to arcade racers.

It's a bit unfair to compare it to CoD as we've only had Paradise this gen. It's also odd that he ignores Mario Kart which sells by the bucket load, and both Gran Turismo, Forza, and the F1 games. The market is still there.

I forgot to mention Hot Pursuit which did okay. Split/Second deserved to do well. Blur, not so much.

To add to this I think gamers are a bit more discerning and aware of where quality lies these days. I think Burnout may now be the only franchise that can get away with fake cars (just look at Ridge Racers demise). Blur suffered because it relied on silly powerups that didn't gel well. I think all the calls for Underground 3 and Grid 2 should be an indicator of what people want. Pure arcade racing. Nothing more. Whilst we're at it i'd like a new Midnight Club.

[Frankfurt]

Burnout Paradise and Ridge Racer Unbounded prove you wrong. EVen the last NFS sold badly.

[Pintheshadows]

Burnout Paradise did fine. As for Unbounded and The Run look at my last comment. They were poor games, they didn't sell, they deserved that fate. However a new Burnout, GRID or NFS Underground game would do well. They're never going to hit GT or CoD numbers but I don't think anyone expects them to.

[StrongMan]

For whatever reason, the arcade racers just don't seem to sell anymore. If Blur, Split/Second, and Motorstorm don't sell anymore then Forza Horizons will tank miserably.

@hennessey86

Forza 4 barely sold 2 million copies so an arcade version will sell far less.

[hennessey86]

a little bit about horizon which we don't how do you no. It could be brilliant/good/average/bad we just don't no

@strongman-again how do we no its arcade, we no nothing about it

[Robotronfiend]

Depends on which side of the fence you are on (arcade or sim style). Both Forza and GT5 sold pretty well and were excellent games released more than halfway through the console's life cycle.

I think that both Blur and SPlit/Second didn't find big commercial audiences because they weren't as much fun as older arcade racing titles, and not as technically sound as current sims. I played both and there just weren't as much fun as GT5, Forza, or even GRID.

Perhaps the audience has shifted away from arcade racers and into sim racers instead - or those games mentioned just weren't up to par with the other games released around them.

I'd much rather race in GT5 than any of those mentioned in the article, but I like racing sims better.

I would also like to add that I love GRID and would definitely buy GRID 2 if they made it.

[Regent_of_the_Mask]

Racing games don't need saving unless their mediocre ones like Blur & Sonic Racing.

[gumgum99]

I fail to see how THe first Sega Allstars Racing game was mediocre. It was a pretty solid title from what I played, and many other gamers felt the same way. It wasn't perfect, sure, but far from mediocre.

Any faults the original had will be fixed this fall with the sequel. Blur didn't have enough to set itself apart as a racing game, let alone a brand name as recognizable as Mario and Sonic.

[Hicken]

I don't think I believe that at all.

[TheColbertinator]

Racing games don't sell too much.Driving sims like Forza and GT however just bust up the sales charts.

[Dits]

7.4 million copies of GT5 say otherwise

[catfrog]

racing games arent in need of saving, individual developers maybe arent doing so well, but the genre is diong fine

[AtomicGerbil]

Why not just admit it wasn't good enough instead of making excuses.

[jaymart2k]

Agree if you like Arcade Racers more then Sim Racers.

I just get bored of Sim racers.

Hope the rumored Need for Speed Most Wanted 2 is true.

That game along with Burnout would sell like hot cakes.

[Kemicalbeliefs]

There's a reason why racing games don't do so well these days, it's because they're no longer racing games. When you put all flashy lights, bombs, guns and stupid collectors or upgrades in a game, it appeals to a certain criteria. Mainly non racing gamers. Blur, split second etc were garbage. Even the run I couldn't wait to finish to trade in pronto.

Burnout paradise, grid, dirt and games in that mould do well because they are racing games. Give me grid 2, dirt or pgr and I'll be in heaven.

[MidnytRain]

Sims are doing fine. If anything, it's the arcade racer that's dying. ModNation, Blur, Split/Second, MotorStorm, etc.

[BuffMordecai]

I loved Blur and bought it day 1, then the shittiest publisher in the history of forever fired Bizarre Creations for slightly underwhelming sales, despite the team's excellent track record for producing great games. Fuck Activision.

[closnyc]

its not the racing genre suffering, its how the consoles have become ground for noobs with a pad to destroy gaming. GT5 and forza are only 2 games and no other game can compete with them in this genre. Look at the PC platform, less competition and we are still looking for a game that isnt consolified. Project CARS is my hope for revival on the genre. If you want less competition more sales, give us a good racing gam eon the pc that uses the hardware and its not limited by 7 year old hardware.