Driving simulator "Drive Club" was revealed yesterday along with the announcement of the all-new Sony PlayStation 4 next-generation gaming platform. A bold demonstration of graphics and gameplay, developer Evolution Studios already promises to dethrone the PlayStation's longstanding racing game flagship, Gran Turismo.
An ambitious concept 10 years in the making, "Drive Club" shifts the focus away from straightforward racing to a more interactive, team-based gameplay that allows gamers to accomplish all sorts of driving challenges while competing against other "race clubs."
"The gameplay isn't specifically about races, it's about challenges," said head of Evolution Studios Matt Southern. "The game rewards you for playing in groups even if you're not on top of the leaderboard. Much like the squad based first-person shooters do."
Beyond the innovative gameplay that takes from online first-person-shooters, "Drive Club" boasts unmatched levels of graphics processing. Not only does the game conduct a 3D scan for every car in the game, but "Drive Club" will push the envelope in detail and accuracy. "Drive Club" will model the direction of every microscopic flake of paint in multiple layers, emulated each individual thread in the weave of carbon fiber, and even the headlights feature multiple layer of reflectors and even feature the rainbow seen when the lights are waxed.
Finally, "Drive Club" promises to be portable thanks to Sony's new Gaikai cloud-based technology. A "Drive Club" app for the smartphone or tablet can let players access the game on the go, picking cars, race types, weather types, set times, and send challenges to "Drive Club" players around the globe.
More importantly, what sort of cars will "Drive Club" feature? Matt Southern already went over the Koenigsegg Agera R and the Hennessey Venom GT supercars in detail during the video. However, there is an Easter egg available in the presentation as well:
Mercedes-Benz slipped in a digital unveiling of the CLA45 AMG compact sports sedan during the PS4 presentation. The hot new sedan is expected to unveil at the upcoming New York Auto Show next month.
While the image doesn't provide the CLA45 AMG with a lot of context, Mercedes-Benz is strategically generating buzz to keep the industry interested. The CLA45 AMG will use the same running gear as the all-wheel-drive A45 AMG hatchback. The CLA45 AMG will offer a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with 355bhp and 332lb ft.
Stay tuned as we learn more about the upcoming Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG.
"Drive Club" is expected to be a launch title for the Sony PS4, which will debut in time for the 2013 holiday season. Be sure to pick up "Drive Club" for Christmas. In the meantime, check out the full "Drive Club" unveiling event below:
