MotoGP 10/11 takes starting line March 15

The 2011 MotoGP championship season begins in Qatar on March 20, and Capcom today confirmed that racing enthusiasts will be able to play along at home from the very start. The publisher has announced a March 15 North American release date for the PlayStation 3 edition of the game.

Capcom made no mention of the Xbox 360 edition of the game, which had previously been given a March release window. As of press time, the publisher hadn't responded to GameSpot's request for comment.

For this year's MotoGP installment, developer Monumental has implemented a new handling system, as well as targeted the game's physics system. The studio has also added a new player-assist feature, which can be customized to allow for a more simulation or arcade riding experience. Capcom emphasized that the player-assist function can be tweaked in a variety of ways or completely shut off to provide the most realistic riding.

Many of the same modes from MotoGP 09/10 are being carried over to the new game, but Monumental is implementing a handful of new features. Namely, Career mode now features co-op play, allowing for local split-screen. The game also features Championship and Time Trial modes, as well as a suite of online racing features that accommodate up to 20, and Capcom will begin providing current updates for MotoGP 10/11 shortly after the championship season kicks off.

For more on MotoGP 10/11, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.