Wipeout HD 'coming soon,' loses features

by Andrew Yoon { Oct 18th 2007 at 4:00PM }

Back at TGS, we gave you all the details on all the features the upcoming downloadable Wipeout HD would have. However, a new fact sheet reveals that a few of the game's features are being axed, quite possibly to make its "coming soon" release date. Some of the features missing include a community website, which would've allowed players to create profiles and see stats of other players. Various online and offline racing modes have been eliminated. The previously announced seven race modes have been whittled down to five -- Elimination and Head to Head modes are now gone.

In addition, Photo Mode, which will allow players to take in-game pictures, is also missing. Customizable race rules are also missing from this newly-shrunken release.

So what happened? It looks like this game is simply being pushed up, hopefully to release before the year ends. It seems that many of the community features promised in the game simply aren't possible using the current PS3 firmware. Certainly, "Game 3.0" features have played a vital role in the slowing down the release of Home, LittleBigPlanet and SingStar.

[Via NeoGAF]

Tags: wipeout, wipeout-hd

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Solace @ Oct 18th 2007 4:19PM

well, they can always add 'em back in later.
personally, i'd rather have my wipeout sooner than later, but that's cuz i'm impatient and haven't had good TV-sized wipeout in ages....

Popfrogs @ Oct 18th 2007 4:20PM

I say let it sit on the cooker longer. There's no real reason to rush this unless Sony just wants x number of new titles on the shelves this holiday season.

Trev @ Oct 18th 2007 4:22PM

I imagine elimination was a one crash and you're out mode. That doesn't sound all that interesting to me. Nor does one on one racing. I'm sure taking pictures would have looked really nice, but a game with the pace of Wipeout I imagine people would miss most, if not all, of the shots they really wanted.

I'm disappointed about the loss of customizable rules though.

Khash @ Oct 18th 2007 4:22PM

So where is the source on this? Where did you get this information?

Shattercross @ Oct 18th 2007 4:31PM

Oh, we haven't heard that one before! Please Mark, we know you're a biased turd from reading your comment history... your opinion on the ps3 is like Hitler on the jews.

Spaz @ Oct 18th 2007 4:32PM

@5... losing 2 modes in a game is a "nail in the coffin for Sony"?

Being a little dramatic, aren't we?

Bored @ Oct 18th 2007 4:37PM

Brilliant! This is just brilliant marketing.

Instead of delaying the game more, they cut off features. Said features will be available later at a nominal fee, effectively increasing the game's price!

DLC, gotta love it! What a way to rip off consumers!

Welcome to next-gen.

patrikshard @ Oct 18th 2007 4:42PM

I actually agree with number 1 that they can always add the features back in later and it doesn't sound like the core gameplay has been compromised in any way. I think the community and stat page stuff is the biggest loss, but I can deal with it. So long as they don't compromise the gameplay itself, I would rather have it sooner than later.

I'm dying for a true successor to the excellent Wipeout XL and the solid follow-up Wipeout 3. The handheld versions have been solid, but Wipeout is meant to be seen on the biggest screen possible. Wipeout XL stands as my favorite racing game ever. EVER.

OrganicShadow @ Oct 18th 2007 4:59PM

Yeah, they can add them later, as said before by others, but I still wonder what's so hard about implementing a game mode? I don't know what exactly Elimination is, but sounds to me like no max number of laps, and everyone just keeps going until only one person is left standing, as everyone else has crashed or gotten blown up by other racers. Doesn't seem too difficult to come up with to me, but again I don't know the specifics.

Either way as long as custom soundtracks is still in then im good to go. Or is that only the new PSP game?

Deviation @ Oct 18th 2007 5:41PM

The tracks and the racing are all still there and that's what matters to me. I could honestly give a flip about the community features for this one. They can always put those into the full sequel they're making with the Motorstorm engine that'll be coming later on down the line. All I want is some widescreen TV-sized Wipeout... right friggin' now! Heh.