Bizarre Creations finished with PGR4, hands DLC duties to Microsoft

by Jason Dobson { May 9th 2008 at 2:00AM }

Downloadable content is a prized nugget we all not-so-secretly hope awaits us after taking any game home, but like the midday sun on a carton of fresh milk, it also has us spoiled. However, with Bizarre Creations now parking its ride in Activision's garage, the developer stated that it's closing the books on last year's Project Gotham Racing 4, adding that it will not be releasing any more new content for the stylish Xbox 360 racer.

According to a recent post on Bizarre Creation's official forums by a dev calling himself "Ben," the studio has washed its hands of the game. "Bizarre Creations won't be adding anything more to PGR4 in the future," he wrote. "We've completed the hand-over to Microsoft, so any further add-ons will come from them and not us I'm afraid." The news probably wouldn't sting so much had the last update not been so incredibly cool, leaving us now waiting to see what else the British studio has up its racing sleeves.

Tags: activision, bizarre-creations, bizarrecreations, dlc, downloadable-content, downloadablecontent, microsoft, pgr4, project-gotham-racin..., project-gotham-racing, projectgothamracing, projectgothamracing4

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

zap @ May 9th 2008 2:20AM

I hope Microsoft gives the franchise to a developer who actually cares about their customers. PGR series has been on a really disappointing downward spiral since the utterly astonishing, near perfect PGR 2.

PGR 4 was ruined by design issues such as ridiculous collision physics in online play. It was an issue in PGR 3 but fixed in a later patch to some extent... only to reappear in PGR 4!

They also decided to basically get rid of Kudos in the later series - a Kudos racer without the Kudos! PGR 2 is still played by some crazies because of the excellent online play AND Kudos.

They had it all in PGR 2 and threw everything away in the sequels.

embassy @ May 9th 2008 3:43AM

i totally disagree,

PGR 2 tried too hard to be Gran turismo with too much variety in the car lineup. SUVs? no thank you.

while each game may have had its issues, PRG has only gotten better with each installment. 4 was a crowning acheivement and a fine swan song for Bizarre.

I do hope the series will be in good hands.

FOXHOUND @ May 9th 2008 7:48AM

GT had SUVs? I thought it was just MIDNIGHT CLUB running that angle(which they were just for show, I wouldn't race with them, personally)...

NATO_Duke @ May 9th 2008 10:24AM

PGR2 had suv's, and that was weak. Besides that, I think the whole kudos system is lame as hell. It really needs to be re-thought.

Maverick Saturn @ May 9th 2008 10:56AM

I think PGR has a good position, but I agree, I wasn't impressed with collision elements, I loved the graphics and gameplay, but the idea of speeding at 100+mph and crashing only to get a dent, NOT JUST THAT, a dent on the back of the car when you crashed the front, seemed somewhat bizzare. Probs explains the name of the company, lol

Anyway, I can only assume PGR5 is next? Maybe?

rv @ May 9th 2008 11:56AM

I had lots of fun w/ pgr2 back in the day, but never got it agin. 3 and 4 both got lost in the crowd.

pickassoreborn @ May 9th 2008 5:10AM

"Bizarre Creation's official forums by a dev calling himself "Ben,"

That'll be the guy whose been working with the Bizarre community for a couple of years now. Do you guys actually do any research at all? You make him sound like some kind of fake with those quotation marks - I'm sure he'd appreciate that.

This place is getting more Kotaku-esque every day.

michas_pi @ May 9th 2008 6:42AM

I lol'd at your comment and whole-heartedly concur.

Matt B @ May 9th 2008 9:28AM

*holds hand over mouth*

embassy @ May 9th 2008 2:14PM

you can't expect a blog as popular as joystiq to keep tabs on every single game's/developer's messageboard. especially the messageboard of a franchise that (unfortunately) isn't mega popular.

Chase @ May 9th 2008 5:11AM

*waits for Acclaim to announce Project Gotham Racing: Aerosmith X*

*AKA the sequel to Revolution X*

rv @ May 9th 2008 11:58AM

Also, pgr cart racing
. .
____
\__/

voodoo_craig @ May 9th 2008 6:44AM

So that's the end of that then, I can't see Microsoft bothering making any DLC for it, too much effort to get a new team up to scratch.

Let's hope Bizzare's deal with Beelzebub doesn't affect the quality of their future games.

Sam @ May 9th 2008 7:16AM

Wasn't there conjecture about Turn10 doing the next PGR?

tcc3 @ May 9th 2008 8:46AM

I dont see how they would have time, not and keep doing Forza too.

I'll miss PGR, but then I have missed it since PGR2.

Gotham and Rallysport, you will be missed. (sniff)

Rususeruru @ May 9th 2008 7:24AM

thank you Bizarre for making a truly enjoyable arcade style racing series.

Well boys the headstone is in place and the casket underground time to move on to Forza 3!

baby sea tuna @ May 9th 2008 9:13AM

PGR4 is definitely one of those games I plan on getting when they drop the price to $30.

NATO_Duke @ May 9th 2008 10:26AM

I think its a pretty solid game. I was expecting to be a little disappointed with it, but its generally a fun racer thats worth grabbing.

Ordeith @ May 9th 2008 10:35AM

pst.... Our local Target was clearancing PGR 4 out of the stores for $17ea.

Maybe other Targets are doing this as well?

nick @ May 9th 2008 10:31AM

PGR4 is just one of those forgotten games. And it was met with indifference-- although I suspect Bizarre being acquired by Activision played a role. I remember thinking at the time, it's unlikely we're ever going to see PGR5, if and so, not from the same developer.

It's funny, I had no idea there was free and inexpensive DLC for PGR4. Must have missed that story.

Anyway, I know I found another game a week or so after release, and never picked up PGR4 again. Oddly, when I discovered Forza 2, I couldn't put it down.

embassy @ May 9th 2008 10:48AM

i dunno i could never get into forza like i did the pgr series. forxa just has no soul on the track. the menu system and intro screen trick you, cuz none of that slick presentation is translated into the racing but the driving model is the most accurate in the biz. pgr is almost the exact opposite. it oozed with style and personality and was just a tad arcadey but still fun to drive.

really if someone can find a way to blend the two that would be the greatest racing game of all time. style and presentation of pgr, with the performance, detail, and accuracy of forza.