Zoom Good news for Formula One gaming fans...

Formula One has reached a new video game licensing deal, with the British company Codemasters, gaming websites reported on Friday.

The news follows reports earlier this week that said Bernie Ecclestone was at odds with F1's previous game developer, Sony Computer Entertainment, who last produced an official title for the Playstation 3 last year.

The gaming websites on Friday said Codemasters has already begun development of its first official F1 game, which will be available on multiple gaming platforms in 2009.

"This alliance with Formula One is the jewel in Codemasters' racing crown," CEO Rod Cousens is quoted as saying.

Codemasters Statement:
Codemasters, developer and publisher of award-winning racing video games, has secured the exclusive video game rights to FORMULA 1 it was announced today. In a worldwide licensing agreement with Formula One Administration Limited, Codemasters will develop a new generation of the multi-million selling FORMULA 1 game franchise across multiple platforms.

Codemasters Studios, creators of genre-leading racing titles Colin McRae: DiRT and Race Driver: GRID, will lead the design and development of official FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP games for home console, handheld and PC gaming formats.

“FORMULA 1 is ambitious in expanding its reach with more circuits planned beyond recent additions in the Middle East and China. It is also ambitious in expanding its reach via technology. The digital communities that computer and video gaming creates will play a key role in further growing the FORMULA 1 audience and connecting them globally,” said Rod Cousens, chief executive officer, Codemasters. “As a world-leading creator of driving games, this alliance with FORMULA 1 is the jewel in Codemasters’ racing crown and creates an undisputed segment champion. FORMULA 1 has gone with the best, the segment leader. It has gone to the home of the EGO Engine for quality; it has gone to the company that can host FORMULA 1 Online, to the company that is streaking away from the pack.”

“Codemasters’ success and recent innovations in the racing game space makes the company more than appropriately tuned for the challenge,” said Chris Deering, chairman, Codemasters. “The combination of FORMULA 1’s new momentum of expansion and Codemasters’ contemporary technology and past experience is the breaking of a new dawn for the sport, on the track and on the HD game screen.”