The sequel for the highly-acclaimed racing title Colin McRae: DiRT (PC, Xbox 360, PS3) has finally been officially announced by Codemasters. To find out what you can expect in this newest iteration, head on over to full article.

The developers from Bizarre Creations (Project Gotham Racing) have an ambitious plan in mind: a racing game which can topple the likes of titles such as Call of Duty 5. Considering the niche market racing games have nowadays, this seems like an impossible task to do. However, lead designer Gareth Wilson explains how they plan on tackling this enormous task in their next racing title. More on this after the jump!

Publisher and developer Codemasters would like the public to know that there is a new Motorsport video game currently in the works over at its studios. Expected to arrive in 2008 for PC and "leading consoles", the title will be known as Race Driver One.

But you see, this game is not entirely new. It is actually the third generation of the much-loved racing title from Codemasters. What we are talking about is the TOCA (DTM/V8) Touring Car games that ran from 1997 to 2000. After that, it became known as TOCA (DTM/V8) Race Driver series from 2002 to 2006.

If you want to have an idea how this game will look like, just take note that Race Driver One will be powered by middleware Neon. It is the same brilliant engine behind Colin McRae: DIRT (360, PS3, PC). Codemasters Studios Executive Producer Gavin Raeburn said,

As each generation of gaming formats shifts up a gear, so does this series and Race Driver One is set to evolve the previously headlined TOCA (DTM/V8) titles as much as DIRT has the Colin McRae series. Combining our racing heritage with the Neon engine, Race Driver One will create a world that goes far beyond the traditional boundaries of Motorsport gaming.

Currently, information about this game is quite limited. We just know that the in-game circuits feature locations through Europe, U.S., Japan, as well as other popular areas. There is also a career mode where players can build their own team to rank number one in the world.

Codemasters added lastly that the Neon engine will be enhanced and expanded to deliver new level of visual detail, physics, and car damage system.

When we found this interview between ActionTrip and Codemasters Executive Producer Gavin Raeburn, we wondered if the jolt of riding off-road has gotten him too excited. He made a lot of revelations, filling in the gaps in our information on Colin McRae: DIRT (PS3, Xbox 360, PC). And after all he said, we really want to see if Codemasters can live up to their billing.

Let's get at least one detail straight: multiplayer. The game's "multiplayer mode will allow you to pit yourself in real time against 100 opponents." Yeah, there's also the option to create smaller, more private and intimate games. But the game's been designed to "pool large numbers of players together" in a more or less persistent game (for as long as the rally lasts, perhaps).

This is the first Colin game to feature actual races against multiple opponents, ActionTrip observed (it probably is, at a hundred opponents!).

Outside of online, Codemasters worked up the AI to feel more human. As Gavin observed, there are "less ideas for the ideal racing line," and the AI is written along those lines - or a lack of them: each AI personality in the game is geared towards types of courses or aggression into the turn - those sorts of of things.

Besides the Neon engine, they also got to talk about a bevy of new and wonderful cars that the engine will render, and ultimately wreck (although it's not the graphics and physics engine that wrecks a car... it's sloppy driving). DIRT will feature more cars to throw dirt at, including the very latest rally cars such as the Suzuki Swift and Citroen C4, Unlimited Hill Climbers (quite useful for Pikes Peak), Super Buggies, Pro-4 trucks, European off-road SUVs, and a special, DIRT-exclusive unlockable car.

This is confidence right here. Gavin Raeburn, executive producer of Colin McRae: DIRT, has boldly proclaimed that it will "push next-gen systems in ways we've not yet seen."

We've go some more months to go before the title finally hits retail stores for your Xbox 360, PS3, and PC, but as early as now, Raeburn reassures that DIRT will truly be a significant competition for Motorstorm, which he deems as the best of the launch titles. Although all three versions will pretty much be the same, McRae says that the Xbox 360 version has the edge because of the full utility of its online service.

But not to fret, PS3 and PC fanboys. He says that they "are endeavouring to replicate much of this on the PS3 and PC platforms." Asked as to there are plans for the Wii, he replies that as of now, there aren't any. But, we never say never, of course." It's just that right now, it would be really tedious and will take too much time to develop the game from the ground up just to make it compatible with the Wii's unique controls.

Keep it posted here for more. Raeburn says they do intend to release new trailers for the game soon. You wouldn't want to miss that now, would you?

I've always been a fan of rally games. For me, F1 is too clean a motorsport. Rallying is where it's at. And the Colin McRae series of rally games have always been one of my favorites. Always featuring great visuals, great gameplay and great realism, Colin McRae is almost the de facto rally game on PCs and Consoles.

And imagine my delight when I heard that Colin McRae is extending its franchise with a new game in 2007. Codemasters confirmed that the all-new McRae game, (working title CMR’07), is now in development exclusively for next-generation platforms, and will be available next year.

After a two-year break from the series, Codemasters are back and re-creating a totally reinvigorated McRae experience. The new Colin McRae title will go beyond the series’ point-to-point rallying to deliver the most diverse selection of extreme off-road competitions. Sensational gravel, mud and dirt racing events from the world over will include perilous Hill Climb and collision-packed Rally Cross events. The game will also feature international rallying competitions, with official cars on tracks based on real roads and locations around the globe.

Gavin Raeburn, executive producer at Codemasters said, “The all-new Colin McRae Rally will be a real evolution for the series and offer a massive variety of off-road events, more than any other single-championship rally game has before. It's being designed to offer a totally accessible, high-speed ride for newcomers to the series, yet hardened McRae players will be able to delve under the hood and immerse themselves in the most challenging of competitions.

No exact release date is given, neither are the platforms revealed. But it most probably isn't a console exclusive.