Fri, May 22, 2009 | 11:08 BST
FUEL is officially the “biggest console game of all time”
Guinness World Records has recognised Codemasters racer FUEL as having the largest playable environment of any game.
The open-world racer packs 5,560 of US terrain. Apparently, this is the approximate area of Trinidad & Tobago, and larger than Hong Kong, Singapore, St Lucia and the Isle of Man put together. Fancy.
“We knew FUEL was going to be big,” said producer Phil Wright, “but to have this confirmed officially by Guinness World Records justifies our faith in this ground-breaking title.”
Press release after the break. It’s out on June 5.
FUEL™ IS NAMED BIGGEST CONSOLE GAME OF ALL TIME – OFFICIALLY!
5,560 Square Miles: The Largest Playable Environment In A Console Game Recognised By Guinness World Records™
Friday 22nd May/…It covers the approximate area of Trinidad & Tobago, it’s larger than Hong Kong, Singapore, St Lucia and the Isle of Man put together. Innovative open-world racer FUEL™ – launching on June 5th for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft® and a Games For Windows® edition to follow – boasts 5,560 square miles of accessible in-game terrain, making it officially the largest playable environment in a console game ever.
The accolade, presented to FUEL developers Asobo Studio, was confirmed by Guinness World Records, who have verified the record for inclusion in the next Guinness World Records Gamers Edition of the best-selling guide.
Guinness World Records presented Codemasters and Asobo Studio with a certificate that officially documents:
“Largest playable area in a console game: The largest playable environment in a console game is 5,560 square miles (14,400 km²), and is featured in FUEL (Codemasters, 2009). The area features rivers, deserts, forests and mountains and was demonstrated at the offices of Guinness World Records, London, UK, on 20 May 2009.”
“We’ve been very impressed with the technology powering FUEL, and I’m pleased to welcome Asobo and Codemasters into the Guinness World Records Gamer’s Edition,” said Gaz Deaves, Video Games Records Manager for Guinness World Records, “What we’ve seen from FUEL places it right at the cutting edge of the open-world racing genre and really raises the bar for games developers in the future.”
“We knew FUEL was going to be big,” said Phil Wright, Producer, Codemasters, “but to have this confirmed officially by Guinness World Records justifies our faith in this ground-breaking title. No other game comes close to offering the variety of environments, the range of vehicles or the sheer size of FUEL. It’s one of the most innovative racers ever, and we’re thrilled it’s been recognised as the biggest console game of all time.”
To celebrate the award, today Codemasters has released a new video featuring David Dedeine and Sebastian Wloch, two of the co-founders of Asobo Studio, who explain gameplay features and the technical challenge in creating the record-setting FUEL. The video is available from www.fuel-game.com (in the Downloads section).
FUEL’s world is one of staggering size and beauty. To put it into perspective, if players choose to drive from one side of the map to the other, it will take over 3 hours straight. This unprecedented virtual playground offers 19 environmental regions and features some of the most dramatic weather effects ever seen in a racing game. FUEL’s free-roaming nature allows players to pick and choose their route, races and career progression, offering almost limitless ways to play.
FUEL is set to become the ultimate racing sandbox when it launches Friday June 5th localise per territory for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft® with a Games For Windows® LIVE edition to follow. Gain an insight into the creation of the game that sets the new standard in open-world racing by downloading the video at www.fuel-game.com.
* ENDS #
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Posted in: Codemasters, PC, PS3, Racing, Xbox 360
Tags: fuel, Phil Wright
21 comments
#1
Harry
22/05/09, 11:13 am
Of any consoles game.
There are PC games that have it beat. Pick any flight sim.
#2
Gekidami
22/05/09, 11:20 am
Shame its a racing game.
#3
Robster1979
22/05/09, 11:32 am
Big is not always better, is it?
#4
seregrail7
22/05/09, 11:48 am
Their entire marketing campaign has just been “look how large the game world is!”, have they nothing else worth mentioning?
#5
JPickford
22/05/09, 11:55 am
Trans Am on speccy was the whole of the USA
#6
Captain Fruitloop
22/05/09, 12:09 pm
I’m getting flashbacks to this time last year, and “the Haze script is a 1000 pages long!”
Never mind the quality; feel the width.
#7
G1GAHURTZ
22/05/09, 12:16 pm
There is a race in Test Drive Unlimited that goes the entire way around the outside of the whole island, and IIRC if you travel at an average of around 100-110mph it takes just under an hour.
I’m not really interested in anything much bigger than that tbh.
Especially not if it means driving through the same desert looking scenery for hours on end.
#8
Robster1979
22/05/09, 12:19 pm
I remember that route in TDU – an absolute classic
Anything longer is just longer for longers sake imo
#9
Retroid
22/05/09, 12:43 pm
Elite was released on the NES.
I believe that’s got this game beaten!
#10
Dean
22/05/09, 1:08 pm
‘Biggest console game of all time’.
Yawn.. all this ridiculous hyperbole is making me sleepy.
#11
Freek
22/05/09, 1:42 pm
How do they qualify that though?? Mass Effect (for example) has entire galaxys and planets in it.
#12
Whizzo
22/05/09, 1:43 pm
They should be thinking about releasing a demo rather than so many press releases.
#13
polygem
22/05/09, 1:58 pm
my dick is officially the biggest of all time
#14
No_PUDding
22/05/09, 2:23 pm
HAhaha….
Priapus(?) is quaking in his loin cloth.
#15
Goliath
22/05/09, 2:34 pm
I’m from Trinidad and Tobago.
#16
anasui
22/05/09, 3:18 pm
this is some truly appalling shit. I’m appalled, definitely
#17
G1GAHURTZ
22/05/09, 3:25 pm
My dad is from Antigua!
#18
No_PUDding
22/05/09, 3:29 pm
HAHAHAHAHA this anasui guy is superb!
Look at him travelling from story to story, trolling each hardcore game.
#19
Esha
22/05/09, 3:57 pm
Horribly excited by: Driving aimlessly around miles of realistically portrayed post-apocalyptia.
Not terribly excited by: PR posts that try to make me excited for more than the game could deliver.
Games I’ve been most excited about after the fact: Games that PR firms kept their trap shut about (Vampire: Bloodlines, Beyond Good & Evil, Gothic, et cetera).
I don’t think the game deserves trolling, it looks like an absolutely smashing game, but the PR tripe that surrounds decent games is getting old.
#20
anasui
22/05/09, 11:10 pm
Trolling? Moi? Lol mate, dont flip out, I have a 360 y know. Ths PR hyperbole just makes me laugh my ass off, that is
#21
MasterChiefFenix
23/05/09, 6:04 am
SOOOOOOOOOO MUUUUUUUUUCH HYYYYYYYYPE over a boring-looking racing gaem, which seems quite far from the known-for-fun Burnout. Maybe cuz THE PRODUCER’S NAME RHYMES WITH WILL WRIGHT?….right?