Wipeout HD On Track

The last time we heard about Wipeout HD it was a 60fps, 1080p remake mashup of the best bits of Wipeout Pulse and Wipeout Pure, both stellar PSP titles.  The game, which features five main modes (Single Race, Time Trial, Speed Lap, Zone Mode and full Tournaments) offers a mix of offline and online gameplay, the latter supporting eight players per race.

Other improvements include Dolby 5.1 surround sound, three new weapons and a new Pilot Assist feature which helps novice players navigate the many tricky chicanes found in the circuits.  Additionally, there is full motion control via the SixAxis, and an integrated Photo Mode to take screenshots of the game at any point which can be saved to the PS3 hard drive and uploaded to friends, much like the option in Pulse.

However, Sony has been quiet on Wipeout HD for some time now, and the game’s absence from E3 has set tongues wagging about just what has happened to the game.  Well, panic not, the game hasn’t been cancelled, it’s just that there’s no specific launch window for the game yet.  A spokesperson for SCEE told us “we don’t have a confirmed release date yet” but we’re assured the game is still coming, and will be released when it’s ready.  In the meantime, if you’re desperate for some brand new PSN gaming, we recommend you check out the brilliant Elefunk, which is now available on the PSN Store.

For more information on Wipeout HD, visit the official site, which maintains a 2008 release date.

Update: Seems like David Reeves knows more, citing “a specific technical problem” with the game.  “I can’t go into details but it is a really, really tricky technical problem that no region has been able to solve at the moment,” he said. “I think it will come out before the end of the year but it is something that was just very difficult to get to grips with.”