OpFlash, DiRT, GRID sequels on way

By Tom Bramwell Published 27 July, 2010

Plus a "massive" unannounced EGO 2.0 title.

New Operation Flashpoint, DiRT and Race Driver: GRID games are in production, Codemasters has confirmed.

The UK-based developer also teased a "massive" new game based on the latest evolution of its EGO engine technology.

"In Southam it's full steam ahead with the next iteration in our Flashpoint series, as well as the next DiRT and GRID. It'll be interesting to see how it all pans out," senior vice president of production Jamie MacDonald told Develop.

Simulation shooter Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising received a warm but not scorching reception upon its debut last October and hopes will be high that its successor can build on that result.

DiRT 2 scored highly last September while the older GRID, released in May 2008, was a critical darling and first brought us the race-rewind feature that became so useful in subsequent driving games such as Forza Motorsport 3 from Turn 10.

Elsewhere in the interview, MacDonald's colleague, VP of studios Gavin Cheshire, suggested that investment in technology would be critical to the success of the Southam titles and indeed F1 2010, due out this September.

"The next F1 will show where EGO has got to at this stage," he said. "I think people will agree that it has probably got the best weather of any game ever seen. It is very powerful, but is also in an intricate stage right now."

Offering a glimpse of the future, he added: "We are focused on EGO 2.0 at the moment, which will be coming in with a massive title that we can't talk about just yet. That will really keep us cutting-edge." Bring back Dizzy!

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (44) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • SMOM #1 2 years ago

    I'm surprised at a new Flashpoint considering how terrible Dragon Rising was.

  • menage #2 2 years ago

    +1 for originality right there.

    How about something different then cars and guns.

  • a212 #3 2 years ago

    Tom Bramwell - who wrote this article - should have know that following is inaccurate:

    "...while the older GRID, released in May 2008, was a critical darling and first brought us the race-rewind feature that became so useful in subsequent driving games such as Forza Motorsport 3 from Turn 10."

    GRID was NOT the first game that brought race-rewind feature in racing games. Although it is hard to know every racing game outthere, I'm 100% positive that old multiplatform title S.C.A.R. Squadra Corsa Alfa Romeo from Blackbeans games was the first where it was made higly visible in the genre.

    So, kudos to Milestone and Blackbean games for that feature, certanly not Codemasters.

  • Timbercottage #4 2 years ago

    Flashpoint certainly has a lot of potential to be brilliant, just look at the original game, an absolute masterpiece. Maybe change gameplay to be an "RTS view" when you're issuing commands but then zoom down onto the battlefield to partake in regular FPS play? The command system was way too complicated and time consuming to use in Dragon Rising.

  • justice-ste #5 2 years ago

    BMX Simulator 2

  • superdelphinus #6 2 years ago

    dragon rising wasn't "terrible"

  • asharkman #7 2 years ago

    I'm gonna try and not get excited about the new OP flashpoint game.
    The last one was soul-destroying disappointing.
    Edited by 1 at 27/07/10 @ 09:01

  • Caimbeul #8 2 years ago

    Ok, Seeing as nobody has done so I will be the first t to say a big YAY! for Grid 2. Now if they would only allow any car on any track for multiplayer...it is a sin not to and completely ruins multiplayer fun!

    Secondly, I am just getting into Dirt 2 on PC...took me a little while but it is rather good!

  • L0cky #9 2 years ago

    I'll second that yay for GRID 2. Best racing game I'd played in a long time.

  • Diogo_Ribeiro #10 2 years ago

    Dizzy!

  • Tinrib72 #11 2 years ago

    Grid 2 and Dirt 3! Day one purchases. Have heard that Dirt 3 will go back to its rally roots, though to be honest I didnt mind the x-games vibe of Dirt 2. Also helped that I didnt have to lumbered with 'surf dude' as my co-driver on the rally stages in Dirt 2 as that was completely jarring in Dirt 1.

    Looking forward to F1 also.

    Cant comment on Flashpoint as never played it.

  • thesonglessbird #12 2 years ago

    I wish they'd re-release HD versions of their entire 80's/90's 8-bit catalogue.

    If they did to Dizzy what Lucasarts did to Monkey Island, that would be awesome!

  • mb2251 #13 2 years ago

    MicroMachines anyone?

  • dacicus #14 2 years ago

    Flashpoint 2 had a "warm reception" ?! I remember waves of anger from the people that bought it and never saw a proper patch. GRID and Dirt series can't go seriously wrong, unless Codies decides to frag up.

    Really, Codies seriously needs to understand the word "support" regarding their releases. As for Flashpont I stick to the original Flashpoint devs. ARMA2: Operation Arrowhead should keep me busy for a while and satisfy my needs of a more realistic tactical shooter.

  • karaokequeen3 #15 2 years ago

    Can we have a HD remake of TOCA 2? And have Tiff doing the voiceover?

  • Subquest #16 2 years ago

    I preferred Dirt 1 to Dirt 2, the co-driver instructions were better and the straight-up rallying was better, especially championship mode. If they focus more on rallying in Dirt 3, it'll be a guaranteed purchase for me. If only they could lose the horrible saved by the bell accents...

  • Spunkweazle #17 2 years ago

    This can only mean one thing

    CANNON FODDER (in the rain) HD

  • dabazbarhe #18 2 years ago

    @menage Cars is what they have done best for over 10 years. I'de rather they created an exellent car game than something else that is average.

  • metalangel #19 2 years ago

    Flashpoint: DR was nothing short of a travesty. Why the EVER LOVING FUCK would you bother modelling all those vehicles and weapons if you will NEVER get to use them? Or a huge island most of which you will never get to see, not least of all because over half the missions have extremely strict time limits? You couldn't choose your weapons before a mission, the AI would block your shots and stand watching while you bled to death... ArmA2, for its bugs and flaws, at least understands what made the original so great instead of spouting a bunch of weapon serial numbers and thinking that is sufficient.

    I think they've done enough damage to their crediblity both with the quality of the game and the abrupt withdrawal of support after a handful of appalling DLC packs (all of which would have taken approximately 10 minutes to make in the PC version's editor) that the next version will guite deservedly tank (no pun intended, though that's something else you never got to do in the game) no matter what the promise.

  • SwitchBladeUK #20 2 years ago

    Dragon rising was utter wank compared to the original opflashpoint. I was so disappointed. Let's hope they don't fuck up the sequel.

  • Darren #21 2 years ago

    Op Flashpoint sequel, erm, no thanks, the last game plain sucked, but I do want GRID and DiRT sequels, ta!

  • Syrette #22 2 years ago

    Massive title eh? Colour me interested.

    New Dirt will be a day one purchase, possibly GRID too.

  • the_mtfr #23 2 years ago

    Op Flashpoint 3 *and* something massive? So they're admitting right there that they're not bothering on improving Op Flashpoint's massive-ness, what a disappointment.

    I'd love a Spellbound Dizzy remake in the art style and magical feeling of Trine ;)

  • BoffBoff #24 2 years ago

    Dizzy please. Codemasters were the, er, masters of code back in the Amiga days.

    Mmm Treasure Island Dizzy, I can hear the music now....


    To an earlier post: I thought Cannon Fodder was Sensi Software?

  • Mr_Brown #25 2 years ago

    What disapointed me about OFDR was the limitations it put on the console version. Next time they should make a huge island, scatter story and side missions around it and allow players to complete it. Full jump in co op would be nice too. Also a full mission editor for replay value would be nice. I personally think it's possible. They just need yo focus on Co-op play next time around which is where it shines the most IMO.

  • FuzzyDuck #26 2 years ago

    I'd love to see a return of straight up rallying in Dirt 3, but that's not to take away from the immense amount of time and fun i had with 2.

  • Acrid #27 2 years ago

    HD Dizzy collection, you know it makes sense

  • BobsUncle #28 2 years ago

    I thought OF:DR was ok, not great but ok. Didn't play MP so can't comment on that.

    Dirt 2 was pretty awesome though.

  • Syrette #29 2 years ago

    There is a proper WRC mutli-format game on the way, don't forget guys.

  • Placebo #30 2 years ago

    Lolz

  • th3duckst3r #31 2 years ago

    dizzy collection .nuff said

  • peterfll #32 2 years ago

    I heart Dirt2.

  • FWB #33 2 years ago

    OFP3? No interest whatsoever after the dirge that was OFP2. Codies can sod off.

  • Nephirion #34 2 years ago

    Operation Flashpoint 2 was depressing and I agree that Codemasters just make a product and move on with a disturbing lack of product support.

  • JimmyT67 #35 2 years ago

    HD Micromachines online mp plz!!!!!!!

  • Codger81 #36 2 years ago

    Flashpoint indeed have the most room for improvement, and once patched the coop mode wasnt all that bad.

    The best thing that can be said for it is that it could fill a market for people that want Flashpoint/ArmA type games on a console because they can't (or won't) pony up the cash necessary to play those sort of games. Compared to most shooters on consoles it was quite realistic, and I'm sure there's a lot of people who want that kind of experience without having to devote hours to the games.

  • metalangel #37 2 years ago

    @Codger: I'm one of them. Or I was, anyway. They could have set a huge precedent by including a mission editor (however crude) and allowed console players to share missions and extend the longevity of the game (after all, a huge part of the original's enduring appeal was making you own battles)

    But no!, decided greedy Codebastards. Why let people enjoy the game indefinitely for free when we can sell them mission packs! And so they released several derisory packs (ignoring the incredibly buggy nature of the game) and then decided they'd made as much as they were going to and completely pulled all support.

    Did you know there was a petition to have one user-made mission from the PC version, which spawned you and your mates in a base with all the vehicles and weapons to hand, and let you loose to fight across the island which was populated with targets? A last hurrah for console fans who'd never get any more new missions, but at least they'd have this big sandbox to have fun in. It never got ported over. And that's why Codebastards can go piss up a rope.

  • FWB #38 2 years ago

    Cunties ignore the bugs, try to charge for some content that is already in the game and then, when that fails, decide to try and con us with another game, which no doubt will be no improvement on the OFP2 and just a bunch of slightly glorified DLC.

  • TaniumZX #39 2 years ago

    @ justice-ste They did BMX Simulator 2, Advanced Professional Fruit Machine Simulator would be a day one for me tho.

    BTW - Grid 2...NICE!!
    Edited by 1 at 27/07/10 @ 19:57

  • kwesleyb #40 2 years ago

    I cant wait to get Grid 2. Grid 1 online was absolutely addictive, ignoring the idiots who go the wrong way around, ive had some of the best races ever. i'll never forget the painful uncontrollable laughter of witnessing a huge crash caused by a tiny mistake by myself or someone i saw. I have Dirt 2, not too keen on it, but i love the normal rally courses... not played this online. As for the race rewind feature, never used it and never shall...

  • stoopidgreg #41 2 years ago

    they're going to need to do an awful lot of convincing if they think people are going to rush out and buy a new opflash game.

  • ODB_Mongoose #42 2 years ago

    Ahh those arrogant bastards are trying to kill OFP for a second time...nice going

  • Codger81 #43 2 years ago

    Codemasters trying to charge is indeed a fair point, I went searching for the pre-order "exclusive" codes online as I wasn't going to have my arm twisted into it.

    If OFP III provides for map editing, and ideally as stated gave you one sandbox scenario to do as you please - i'll buy it. If not, forget it.

  • DAN.E.B #44 2 years ago

    HD versions of all TOCA and McRae games !
    And kill GRID and DIRT