Wednesday, 28th May (10 am UK time) – The thrill of the race takes to the streets this week as Codemasters® confirms that Race Driver: GRID is shipping across Europe and PAL territories and will launch at retail this Friday, 30th May, for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft®, the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Games For Windows®. The game is set to ship to U.S. stores on June 3rd.

For the title that delivers a truly smashing racing experience, Codemasters has released a new video that showcases Race Driver: GRID’s incredible damage engine that drives the game’s signature high-impact moments. The video is now available to view and download from http://community.racedrivergrid.com/.

As Ralph Fulton, Chief Game Designer, provides commentary and details the innovative new Flashback feature, the Aston Martin DBR9, Dodge Challenger Concept, a Nissan Skyline and over 20 other thrilling real racing cars all take punishment in this bone-jarring demonstration of the EGO Engine™’s unparalleled damage system.

Intrinsic to Race Driver: GRID’s intense, aggressive wheel-to-wheel races are its spectacular, genre-leading crashes. Up to 70 individual components on each car will damage, break or fall off depending on the severity of each collision. The damage doesn’t stop there: glass shatters, carbon fibre will splinter and steel bends all in jaw-dropping real time.

Debris from damaged cars becomes a persistent danger on the tracks and must be negotiated. Taking damage also plays a vital part in gameplay as each car can take dents, scrapes and bashes to its bodywork, but too much damage on the wheels and engine bay will affect performance, ultimately terminally.

Going for that audacious over-taking manoeuvre and nailing the racing line pushes drivers and their cars to the very limit. If players go beyond that limit and write off their car, it may be time to take advantage of Race Driver: GRID’s new Flashback feature, which gives players a chance replay the action and play again.

The replay function can first be used to inspect the detail of each impact through a rotating camera and witness the carnage unfold frame by frame in stunning slow-motion. Evolving replay technology, players can rewind to any point within the replay and then use Flashback to once again take control of the car and see if they can avoid the smash on the next run. Depending on the chosen difficulty setting, players can take advantage of Flashback up to five times during race at any point. Racing purists can, however, opt to disable the feature when in Pro Mode.

Gamers can experience Race Driver: GRID’s amazing damage engine and Flashback feature right now in the demo, available from Xbox LIVE® Marketplace, PLAYSTATION®Network and www.racedrivergrid.com for the Games For Windows demo. For the full game, get ready to race to retail this Friday, 30th when the game launches for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 system and Games For Windows with a Nintendo DS version to follow.

Video Can be viewed on our Home page