Those of you who want to gain beta access need to fill out this form, once completed you will then have to ask roughly 8 multiple choice questions to help Codemasters decide whether you are suitable for the beta testing. If you are lucky enough to get access to the beta you will receive an email.

We will now just remind you exactly what this game is all about, firstly this game will be free-to-play and will run in your web browser, this means that no installation will take place and it will run off the cloud. Despite being free-to-play we almost certainly expect there to be in-game purchases available.

In the game you will be able to race on all the circuits from the 2011 FIA Formula 1 World Championship, also as you would expect all the cars from your favorite teams will feature in the game, in fact if you check out this trailer you will see just how much attention to detail has gone into them, they are all instantly recognisable.

What’s interesting about this game is the fact that it is heavily based on management, rather than just racing, the aim is to ultimately win the championship, but creating a team, hiring staff, expanding your HQ and spending credits on things like wind tunnels will play a big part in your success. We can also confirm that there will be multiplayer races along with custom cars and tracks.

As you can see the game looks pretty interesting, we just hope that in-game purchases aren’t too important as other developers have often made games impossible to win without investing some of your hard-earned cash into the game, which somewhat negates the main point of a free-to-play game.

Will you be playing F1 Online?

More About: Codemasters, F1 Online, formula 1

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When DiRT 3 was released in early 2010 it was the first in the series to drop the Colin McRae name, now we are hearing that the next game will be called DiRT Showdown and will be an arcade-style spinoff where it will be based on destruction as well as racing.

If you weren’t gaming in the late ’90s you probably know nothing about a couple of demolition derby games which Ubisoft developed back in the days when they were known as Reflections Interactive. These were called Destruction Derby and Destruction Derby 2, it looks like DiRT Showdown will be quite a lot like these title, however obviously we expect mouthwatering visuals and a huge emphasis on multiplayer game modes.

This recent GameSpot article is a great read if you want to find out all about this upcoming title, apparently you should expect simpler handling and plenty of stunts. Game modes include Smash Hunters, Trick Rush, Head 2 Head, Lap Attack, Eliminator, Domination, Rampage, Hard Target and King of the Ring. Also there is a mission-based mode called JoyRide and an emphasis on social features, this will include the ability to challenge your friends and view leaderboards.

As you would expect the tracks have been designed to promote destruction, so expect tight corners and plenty of ramps, as for vehicles there will be lots of options at your disposal including cars, buggies, trucks ans even hearses. Check out the video below for a sneak peak, you can clearly see that it should arrive in May 2012, also it is worth noting that DiRT 4 will go back to the realistic rally racing gameplay when it arrives.

Do you like the look of DiRT Showdown?

More About: Codemasters, Colin McRae, DiRT Showdown

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As with the announcement of the game’s UK release date, Codemasters has also launched a video showcasing some of the in-game graphics and gameplay to commemorate the arrival of the game. The video that was launched with the announcement only teased parts of the gameplay, which was broken up with bulletins of what the games key features included.

The launch trailer which can be viewed below reveals a lot more than the first did without interruptions from writing across the screen. Again it shows the game being played on the actual 3DS, where it is revealed that both screens serve a dual purpose. The bottom screen is used for navigation, showing players where they are on the map and what bends are coming up and the top screen features the main racing gameplay.

Here is a reminder of what some of the key features of the game are. Firstly there are the multiplayer mode options which include co-operative career mode for two players and head to head time trial modes and a Grand Prix mode which both support up to four players. Challenge modes, time trials, Grand Prix and full seasons are also available for single players. CVG also notes that F1 2011 will be among the launch titles for the PS Vita which is expected to arrive in Japan next month.

Will you be getting F1 2011 for the 3DS to play on the go?

More About: Codemasters, F1 2011, nintendo

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At the moment the game is only available on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC but today we have news that will please those gamers who like to play on the go as Codemasters has released a trailer that reveals the release date for the Nintendo 3DS version of the game. As CVG explains it is a work in progress gameplay movie that teases some of the gameplay you can expect from the version.

The video also reveals that the 3DS version will feature 60 quick-fire challenges, four player online play, and the circuits, stars and cars from this year’s F1 season as the home console version does except players will also be able to experience it in 3D. From the clip we can see that the dual screen of the Nintendo handheld comes in handy as the second screen acts as a circuit map allowing players to see their location on it and the turns ahead.

F1 2011 will be available on the 3DS on November 25th. A PlayStation Vita version of the game is also expected to be available when the system launches this year on December 17th. In the meantime check out the video clip below and see some of the amazing gameplay that will feature on the handheld versions for yourself. What do you think? Will you be getting the 3DS version of the game so you can compete on the go?

More About: Codemasters, F1 2011, nintendo

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When you start a new championship it is a very daunting task, as you have to start with a low-budget team in order to start your career. Do not think that you have it easy at the back of the field it’s much harder. The reason for this is the fact that you will almost certainly be at the back on the starting grid, and then you have to try and make it round the first corner, without going into the back of anyone.

There are a number of driver’s aids that can be turned on in the game, and we would recommend that you do so if you are new to the game. The aid that gives you the biggest advantage is the racing line, as it lets you know where to stick your car on the track, as well as warning when you need to break and then get back on the throttle.

However, you have much more going on in the cockpit this year compared to the 2010 version of the game. The first is KERS, which will give you an extra 85hp when you need it, but you will only have a limited amount of KERS, just until you start a new lap. Another thing that you need to do while driving down the straight is to activate your DRS; this reduces the amount of drag on your car and aids overtaking.

However, the biggest challenge will be to manage your tires, as the compounds being used do not last as long as they did last year. So you can see that just getting the Formula One car round the track is a huge job, much tougher than Forza 4. It is for this reason that you need to make sure that you are up to the challenge.

More About: Codemasters, F1 2011

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The latest version of DiRT added more events, routes and locations than the previous games and the addition of snow was really welcomed. So you know that this game is still a good buy even if it was released around 3 months ago, and what better way to get the game than with a promotion that gives you DiRT 3 for nothing.

You may have seen the promotion offered by AMD (graphics card manufacturer) and Codemasters, which meant if you needed a graphics card and bought one of AMD’s, you’ll also get a free copy of Dirt 3. This freebie was given via a code that let you download the game for free, but it seems hundreds of people may have a free game without buying the graphics card.

Kotaku reports that Codemasters had reserved around 3 million codes for use with this promotion, and these were left on their webservers in an unsecured manner. Even though Kotaku later reported that they could only see 250,000 copies of DiRT 3 in a file, if they’re correct then some of these would have been accessed by users and maybe even downloaded.

At the time of writing we don’t know the full impact of this leak of free DiRT 3 codes, but commenters are reporting that they had friends offering free codes for the game and some of them had activated the codes without knowing where they came from.

Let us know if you’ve heard about these free codes, although we do expect Steam to take some sort of action in the coming hours and days.

More About: Codemasters, Dirt 3

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Now we have even more good news for those of you that want to know more about the game, as Codemasters has just revealed the very first details for Bodycount’s multiplayer modes. According to a recent article by David Scammell over at gamerzines.com, the game will include a two-player wave-based co-op mode and 12-player deathmatch modes.

Competitive multiplayer will provide players with the option for both deathmatch and team deathmatch games, and will enable players to tear up the environment as either Network Operatives or Target Troopers. The maps will uniquely change during the course of a game, as players begin tearing up the environments in order to get to their enemies.

Not only will players have the ability to shred cover spots so they can eliminate their opponents, they will also be able to create lines of sight or peek holes and even blast through escape routes. Bodycount’s co-op mode on the other hand sounds similar to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3’s upcoming Spec Ops Survival mode, with players being challenged to survive waves of incoming enemies.

In order to stay alive, players will have to collect Intel, and rack up creative kills and combat chains. Intel can be used to either unlock abilities and upgrade, or be left as bait to draw out enemies. When talking about the game’s multiplayer, game director Andy Wilson said that it is like being in a building made up of shreddable interior walls.

Andy explained that even over the course of a 10-minute deathmatch, the combat range could change entirely as the environment begins to degrade and lines of sight start opening up across multiple rooms. Andy also noted that the developer has deliberately steered clear of persistent perks in the upcoming Bodycount game as well.

The reason for this is because they want people to be able to pick the Bodycount game up and play it online at any point, without having to worry about finding loads of elites ruling the servers. Are you looking forward to the Bodycount game?

More About: Codemasters, Microsoft Windows

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Games developer Codemasters who are responsible for hit games such as F1 2010 and DiRT 3, have taken down their website following the attack last week. The developer has warned users to change passwords according to John Leyden of The Register.

The company has also confirmed the hackers managed to steal user’s personal information following the hack. The breach saw the hackers gain access to the Codemasters CodeM database, code redemption pages, and EStore. Information stolen by the hackers included usernames, email addresses, dates of birth, passwords, IP addresses, phone numbers, and Xbox Live Gamertags.

Luckily credit card details are managed and stored by an external payment provider and are unaffected. The developer has said that its website “will remain offline for the foreseeable future“. Customers have been sent emails by Codemasters warning them of the situation.

Have you been affected by the Codemasters security breach?

More About: Codemasters

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As Mike Schramm over at joystiq.com recently noted, the Colin McRae Vision Charity Pack DLC is now available to purchase for both the Xbox Live and Games for Windows versions of the Dirt 3 game. The PlayStation 3 version will be available as soon as the PlayStation Store is back online.

The new pack – which costs 160 Microsoft Points / $2 – will enable players to drive a Ford Escort Mk II, the iconic 1970s Rally car that was famously driven by Colin McRae. The pack also includes five different liveries. The developer says this is just the start of a few weeks worth of DLC packs.

The Colin McRae Vision Charity raises funds for worthwhile causes all across the world in Colin McRae’s name. To mark the recent release of the Colin McRae Vision Charity Pack DLC, Codemasters has also unveiled the final Dirt 3 developer diary, which can be found over on YouTube.

Have you downloaded the new Dirt 3 DLC yet?

More About: Codemasters, Dirt 3, Microsoft Windows

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Rally driving games have always been a bit of a tough one really, as you need to spend plenty of time with the game in order to improve your skills. Here lies the problem, more often than not they get boring and you tend to just give up on them too early. With DiRT 3 you need to give it all the time that you can, only then will you get to see just how much fun it can be, as well as looking at the beautiful detail. Just do not take your eye of the road for too long, as it will come back and bite you hard.

IGN has given a review of the Xbox 360 version of DiRT 3, and said that it offers a magnificent racing experience. One thing that did need an improvement was the garage; we had best look out for that in DiRT 4. The full list of trophies can be found in our recent article here.

PlayStation Magazine was also impressed with the game, and a score of 9 out of 10 proves just that. They said that Codemasters did a great job by concentrating on the rallying, something that its predecessors failed to do. OPM also called the game impeccable and the Official Xbox Magazine seems to agree with this assessment by also giving the game a 9 out of 10. If you manage to have a spare $300, then you could take possession of the Collector’s Edition of DiRT 3.

Do you think that DiRT 3 is almost impeccable?

More About: Codemasters, Dirt 3

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