DiRT Showdown is due out on PS3 in May 2012, and is brought to you by the same team that brought you the other titles in the award-winning DiRT series. The game combines pick-up-and-play controls with electrifying events, frenzied crowds, and stunning graphics to deliver high-octane, dive in and drive thrills straight from the first event. The game’s going to feature three main disciplines built around the pillars of speed, style and destruction. To help illustrate what I’m talking about, here’s a broad breakdown of the three disciplines in question.

No holds barred racing events: Trade paint and use nitrous to blast past rivals in DiRT Showdown’s racing modes. Courses are littered with obstacles, pinch points, multiple-routes and ramps to deliver adrenaline-fuelled racing across spectacular courses, where players are encouraged to do whatever it takes to get over the finish line in first place.

Bone-crunching Demolition Derby Events: (My personal favorite!) Crash, smash, and bash your way through a range of demolition derby events, pushing our stunning damage engine to its spectacular limits.

Edge of Control Hoonigan Events: A new accessible trick mechanic lets you go wild in free-roaming, freestyle stunt parks. Gymkhana has been taken to the next level in our Joyride compounds flooded with obstacles and challenges. Hoon your car around trick runs, competitive stunt events and exploration challenges.

When designing DiRT Showdown the team researched in great detail what players look for most in racing games. What the team discovered is the things that a lot of racers look for is the rush of going at high speed, pulling off slick and stylish moves, and the thrill of the crash and the resultant destruction on your car. To give gamers what they want in DiRT Showdown, we’re offering Race modes, Hoonigan modes and Demolition Derby modes. However these modes don’t run in isolation from one another, we want you to feel as though you’re part of an action sports extravaganza, putting on the best show in town. We’ve taken to calling it a ‘Theatre of Racing’, with YOU as the star driver and main attraction.

Well I hope that’s informed you a little regarding what DiRT Showdown is all about, and I’ll be back at some point in the near future to let you know more about the game. However if anyone has any questions then please just let me know in the comments. Where possible I’ll try to reply, but obviously at this stage in the games development I won’t be able to answer everything about the game!

Finally, if you like what you saw and want to follow the development of the game more closely and get access to exclusive DiRT Showdown related competitions and giveaways, then you can either ‘like’ us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

Here at Codemasters we’re working hard on Operation Flashpoint Red River. In Red River players embark on a full expeditionary campaign set in the remote and beautiful country of Tajikistan, bordered by China and Afghanistan. A fictional conflict with contemporary geopolitical themes unfolding over three distinct acts, presenting unique challenges which can be experienced in both single player and co-operatively by up to four players online. Dispensing with corny heroics, corridor gun-play and unrealistic set pieces, players deploy real life tactics in a range of new scenarios and against new enemies.

Whether you enjoy sitting down and playing through a compelling storyline, or brutally pushing through the enemy insurgents in a bit of co-op, it’s always satisfying seeing that little popup that lets you know you’ve just unlocked a Trophy. Trophies are your badge of honour, given for performing your best, proof of just how good you are at any given game. So who better to give them a clever name than you, the players! We’d like to get the PlayStation community to put their thinking caps on and name one of our Trophies. The winner not only gets the bragging rights behind the name, but also wins an exclusive t-shirt and a copy of Operation Flashpoint Red River at launch.

Taking part is simple! First think of a cool name for the following Trophy:

“Destroy an enemy vehicle with the FIM-92 Anti Aircraft Weapon”

Then, just head over to the Red River Facebook page and leave a comment with your suggestions before the 17th November. Sion Lenton, Creative Director on Red River, will be sifting through your comments for the most imaginative names, so start thinking! We can’t wait to see what you come up with!

Make sure you don’t miss out on the latest Operation Flashpoint Red River news by following us on Twitter and Facebook.