Wipeout spiritual successor Formula Fusion rebranded as Pacer for its release later this year
R8's futuristic racer, Formula Fusion, gets a new name for its PC relaunch and console debut later this year.
Formula Fusion launched on Steam's Early Access aeons ago. Billed as a spiritual successor to Wipeout - a series which got its own relaunch of sorts with the Wipeout Omega Collection on PS4 in 2016 - its since been rebranded as Pacer.
Apparently, this is "a moniker designed to reflect the sheer speed conveyed by its 4K-enabled, 60 frames-per-second gameplay, and one that celebrates its ambitious efforts to bring the anti-gravity racing genre still rooted in its retro past hurtling into the 21st century." Gosh.
As well as a new name, Pacer is getting new features, new game modes, and more to boot.
"This change in gear really does mark the next stage in Pacer’s progress,” said Steve Iles, the Pacer's senior producer. “The game has changed significantly with a ground up re-coding of the core gameplay systems and inclusion of a wealth of new content. We’ve got some big plans for 2019 and we felt that we needed to reflect that with a name that more accurately captured the spirit of the game.”
You can take a look at what it has to offer in the new trailer below.
"For gamers who have been on board ever since we first announced the original game in 2015, this evolution is representative of our ambition to deliver more of what they love," Iles added. "Pacer is the realisation of our original vision, but bigger and bolder.”
Players can look forward to 14 tracks and five vehicles which can all be customised. Here are some of the features Pacer has in store:
- Unique Storm Mode for single player and multiplayer: Life or death in a contracting field of play - the first ever Battle Royale arcade racer
- Spectator Mode: Follow any pilot with Chase, Nose, Orbit or Environment cameras while displaying all race stats
- Highly customizable: Craft, weapons and cosmetics
- Replay Mode: For capturing and sharing amazing action clips and stills
- Online Ranked Mode: Find out how your piloting skills rate against the best in the world
- Online Tournament/Spectator Mode: For easy streaming and encouraging fun events at all levels
- Campaign: Unlock team skins, as well as more challenging tracks and speed classes
- Designers Republic partnership: Graphic designs that influenced a generation in games and music
- OST and SFX: Created by Tim Wright aka CoLD SToRAGE
- In-game VOIP: making in-game chat both easy and fun
- Hosted servers: To level the online playing field and minimize the possibility of cheating
There's no firm release date yet, but Pacer will be launching on consoles - and relaunching on PC - later this year.