Namco Bandai Reveals Ridge Racer Unbounded

Namco Bandai Games America has announced the next console title in its Ridge Racer franchise, Ridge Racer: Unbounded, for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Windows PC. It's the first Ridge Racer title since PS3 launch title Ridge Racer 7. The company's put the Japan-native franchise in the hands of a European developer, Helsinki-based Bugbear Entertainment, which has developed Empire Interactive's FlatOut racing franchise and worked on the PSP version of Sega's 2007 Sega Rally. This follows on something of a trend of major Japanese publishers working with Western studios on key releases (the most prominent example is Konami, who has had recent iterations of its Castlevania and Silent Hill brands made in Europe). As seen in a debut trailer, Ridge Racer: Unbounded also seems to take some cues from Electronic Arts' Burnout franchise, as Namco Bandai's announcement highlights the addition of a "punishing dose of destruction" to the arcade racing gameplay. Vehicles will be able to physically damage one another as a tactic to win races. "Ridge Racer injects a shot of adrenaline into one of the most revered racing franchises in video game history," says Carlson Choi, vice president of marketing for Namco Bandai Games America. "The talented Bugbear development team is committed to crafting a game with the amazing attention to detail the Ridge Racer series is known for, while also delivering a destructive game, fans old and new will appreciate," he adds.