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[IbizaPocholo]

The Project Gotham Racing series hasn’t been heard from in many years. The latest entry in the series was a fairly early release for the Xbox 360 and, after that, it’s been pretty much dead. But why is that? Why would a racing series that garnered such a loyal fanbase suddenly vanish as it did? What the hell happened to Project Gotham Racing?

 

[Northeastmonk]

I loved gettting Kudos in PGR. I had it for the original Xbox. One of the few racing games I liked.

 

[Senua]

The Project Gotham Racing series hasn’t been heard from in many years. The latest entry in the series was a fairly early release for the Xbox 360 and, after that, it’s been pretty much dead. But why is that? Why would a racing series that garnered such a loyal fanbase suddenly vanish as it did? What the hell happened to Project Gotham Racing?

It stopped selling enough to warrant more games duh.

 

[Foamy]

Technological progression happened.

 

[YOU PC BRO?!]

What the hell happened to Metropolis Street Racer?

 

[tommycronin]

It was selling too much so they had to halt production of more and Forza.

 

[Iced Arcade]

Googled "what happened to PGR"

"Discontinuation. In September 2007, after being bought by Activision, Bizarre Creations announced that PGR4 would be the last game produced for Microsoft. ... As no new PGR games were released in the 2010s, and Bizarre Creations was shuttered by Activision in 2011, the franchise is presumed to be discontinued."

 

[Certinty]

Microsoft really should have bought Bizarre, they could have easily made any sort of top tier racing game if MIcrosoft didn’t want to keep at it with PGR.

Still can’t believe how Activision fucked up with them, especially after how great Blur was.

 

[digoutyoursoul]

I wanted Playground to take a Horizon break and do their version of PGR. Straight up non open world arcade, multiplayer, perhaps do a remaster of the best parts of the previous games for 40 bucks/Gamepass.

 

[Dane]

Forza came in and Activision bought Bizarre and shut it down years later, and after that Forza Horizon was released.

 

[Diddy X]

MS focused on Forza.

 

[truth411]

Drive Club was effectively its Spiritual successor.

 

[hybrid_birth]

I loved gettting Kudos in PGR. I had it for the original Xbox. One of the few racing games I liked.

Me too. I don't play racing games. But pgr was fun. And the ability to play songs in game from your hard drive was a neat idea at the time. I remember ripping all my cds on the Xbox hard drive and playing them.

Simpler times.

 

[TriSuit666]

Drive Club was effectively its Spiritual successor.

No, that would be Blur.

The more logical question would be 'What happened to Blur?'

 

[ReBurn]

Activision killed the development shop

 

[truth411]

No, that would be Blur.

The more logical question would be 'What happened to Blur?'

Both Drive Club and Blur had many of the same developers. But Drive Club was more like PGR than Blur.

 

[bender]

Excellent series even if you include MSR. It peaked with PGR2 but 3 & 4 were also great. It's too bad Microsoft jettisoned the series. Blur is completely underrated too. I think some of their DNA lives on with Playground.

 

[wipeout364]

 

[outsida]

My sweet sweet PGR

 

[YCoCg]

Bizarre creations were killed, that's what happened.

 

[Evil Calvin]

What the hell happened to Metropolis Street Racer?

They went on to make PGR

 

[Evil Calvin]

I bought this and the official racing wheel and pedals when this came out on the Dreamcast. Still have it!

 

[Evil Calvin]

Microsoft really should have bought Bizarre, they could have easily made any sort of top tier racing game if MIcrosoft didn’t want to keep at it with PGR.

Still can’t believe how Activision fucked up with them, especially after how great Blur was.

Wish Blur was backwards compatible on XB1.

 

[Senua]

Drive Club was effectively its Spiritual successor.

Yea it was basically PGR without the fun.

 

[AeonGaidenRaiden]

Very simple, the studio dissolved just like Evolution did after Driveclub. If they were still a studio of course there would be a new PGR.

 

[Digity]

What the hell happened to Metropolis Street Racer?

What the hell happened to Midtown Madness?

 

[Romulus]

You could ask that about a dozen exclusive on Xbox. They're just gone.

 

[Rusty Shackelford]

IIRC,Playground has some of Blizzard's developers.

 

[Breakage]

MSR's intro is one of my favourite racing game intros:

 

[Gamer79]

The Project Gotham Racing series hasn’t been heard from in many years. The latest entry in the series was a fairly early release for the Xbox 360 and, after that, it’s been pretty much dead. But why is that? Why would a racing series that garnered such a loyal fanbase suddenly vanish as it did? What the hell happened to Project Gotham Racing?

Great series but microsoft shelved it.

 

[Gamer79]

 

[Iced Arcade]

Anyone remember when Sony used a 360 PGR imagine for Gran Turismo the god damn license plate was gold.

PGR image used in PS3 ad - AGAIN

An ad to win a PS3 and KIA car used an image of the Xbox 360-exclusive Project Gotham Racing

www.gamesradar.com

 

[Havoc2049]

MSR/PGR is my favorite racing series of all time. Online racing in Project Gotham Racing 2 was amazing.

Project Gotham Racing: Ferrari Edition on the Zune HD was also pretty sick as well.

 

[Allforce]

Something REALLY satisfying about those clicking sounds as you rack up Kudos. Surprised nobody has really utilized that again since these games.

 

[OutRun88]

PGR4 has to be one of my most beloved games. I still think it looks and plays fantastic.

Their follow up game Blur was another gem. Kudos to the developers on their amazing games (pun Intended). I wish we still had them around.

 

[Fox Mulder]

the rights never left MS.

who knows how big the franchise could have become if Bizarre Creations didn’t get bought by Activision. MS could have made another as Forza Horizon didn’t come out until 2012.

 

[THE DUCK]

I remember really great times with these games. I'd happily settle for a remaster package and pay $80.

 

[bender]

I still remember EB Games breaking street date on PGR2 (remember those orange "don't not sell before xyz date stickers?) a week or so early. The custom soundtrack integration in PGR2 is still unmatched and was a game changer. The early days of Xbox Live were great. I had a regular crew that played a few times a week and after racing we'd cool down with Cat and Mouse games on Nürburgring. KGB Corner is one of my favorite courses in a racer ever.

 

[Jibran#one]

Eventually morphed into forza horizon in my opinion I dont think the way they released motorsport and horizon games every year last gen had a place for pgr and fh 4 is by far the best driving game of last gen

 

[Potato Chip PRO]

Actually most important is... Where's Midtown madness!?

 

[MarkMe2525]

Googled "what happened to PGR"

"Discontinuation. In September 2007, after being bought by Activision, Bizarre Creations announced that PGR4 would be the last game produced for Microsoft. ... As no new PGR games were released in the 2010s, and Bizarre Creations was shuttered by Activision in 2011, the franchise is presumed to be discontinued."

End of thread

 

[TwiztidElf]

Microsoft and Activision happened.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the developer lineage is Lucid Games - So, yes Destruction AllStars on PS5.
And I also believe many members ended up at Sumo Digital, so also Sonic Kart Racing games and Hotshot Racing.
There might be one or two other studios that also picked up talent, but I'm not sure.

 

[lame gag1990]

Activision.

 

[GardenOfAbbylon]

Going by the name of the game, problem appears to be the glaring lack of Batman.

(I kid i kid)

 

[Flintty]

Shame it got put down. Would be nice if MS could headhunt some of the previous Devs and set up a small studio to make another Forza spin-off in the style of PGR.

 

[intbal]

Probably only of interest to PGR fans.



It's a shame they didn't think to package this up and include it as another mode in the game.

Apologies for the mild necro. It was either this or a thread from 2004.

 

[Sanepar]

The same fate of all great fp games Xbox360 had.

 

[Apocryphon]

Something REALLY satisfying about those clicking sounds as you rack up Kudos. Surprised nobody has really utilized that again since these games.

GRID did something similar:

 

[REDRZA MWS]

My favorite racing series period. The Xbox 360 iteration was pure gaming bliss.

 

[Kokoloko85]

What the hell happened to Metropolis Street Racer?

Thats what I came to say.
I thought MSR and PGR team members joined or became the Forza teams?