Capcom revs up MotoGP license

SAN FRANCISCO--During last night's Capcom Gamers' Day, attendees were entertained by a pair of trapeze artists. However, some of the night's biggest news was made by daredevils of a different kind--the motorcyclists of the MotoGP circuit, which consists of 18 international high-speed races.

Shortly before the buff acrobats took to the air above the event, Capcom executive vice president and American and European software publishing head Mark Beaumont announced that Capcom had struck a deal for "PlayStation format rights" for MotoGP. Previously, Namco owned the rights to make PlayStation MotoGP games, the most recent being last June's MotoGP 4 (PlayStation 2) and last September's MotoGP (PlayStation Portable).

The first Capcom MotoGP game will be MotoGP '07, which will ship for the PlayStation 2 this fall in North America and Europe. "[We want] to broaden Capcom's portfolio, to really expand the things that appeal on a global basis," Jack Symon, Capcom's director of brand marketing, told GameSpot. "The MotoGP brand is hugely popular in Europe, it's starting to gain momentum in the US. There was a need there to get the PlayStation 2 title out, and we were able to work with them to get the license."

However, the PS2 MotoGP '07 should not be confused for the Xbox 360 MotoGP '07, which is being published by THQ, holder of the Xbox 360 and PC MotoGP licenses. When asked if Capcom plans to acquire those licenses, Symon declined to comment, saying, "We've only announced the PlayStation rights." He also wouldn't say if a new PlayStation 3 or PSP MotoGP game was in the works.