Disney And Black Rock Enter Combat Racing Segment

Disney-owned Black Rock Studio is developing Split/Second, a new multiplatform "action racing" game planned for release early next year. Split/Second is in development for PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. Set "within the world of a hyper-competitive reality television show," the game features destructible map elements and action events as well as its core racing mechanics. Black Rock is playing up the spectacle of the game: "We’re creating huge memorable moments on par with the biggest blockbuster action films," said game director Nick Baynes alongside the announcement. "Action racing has captured the imagination of video game fans worldwide and we’re going to redefine that experience with Split/Second." The genre has seen fewer entries in recent years than it once did, with Criterion Games' Burnout series a rare modern widely-acclaimed example. Early glimpses of Split/Second have drawn comparisons to Criterion's efforts, and it is likely Disney hopes to compete for that audience. This is the second driving game collaboration between Disney and Brighton, England-based Black Rock, following last year's well-received off-road racer Pure. Black Rock was previously known as Climax Racing before being acquired by Disney in 2006. Disney Interactive Studios has indicated its goal to develop and publish more in-house material, rather than license Disney properties to external firms. To that end, it has acquired several studios in the last few years, and Split/Second represents that latest of its ongoing attempts to generate wholly-owned IP.