HUGE NEWS -- Patch tomorrow + price drop!

[Psyonix-Dave]

I wanted you guys to hear it first. This press release goes out tomorrow...

Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars’ Holiday Update
Psyonix Studios Delivers the Goods This Holiday Season

El Segundo, Calif. – December 18, 2008 - Psyonix Studios announced today that Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars, the action-packed game with the insanely long name has received a five-dollar price break and is now available for download on the PlayStation®Network on the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system at the steal-of-a-deal price of $9.99.

In addition to receiving a generous price break, Psyonix Studios has also released the latest multi-feature update that only adds to the overall gaming fun-factor and experience associated with SARPBC.

Features included in this update:
1. New “Cosmic” arena
2. Improved performance in network games
3. A server browser has been added during matchmaking
4. Players can now view leaderboards during matchmaking
5. News updates appear on the online page
6. Meters added to evaluate players' connection speed
7. Headsets can be plugged-in or swapped during gameplay

At absolutely no cost to the player “Cosmic,” the newly added arena, presents a brand-new challenge to Battle-Cars combatants by integrating quarter-pipe ramps that lead up to each of the goals. Gamers will be graced with the majestic view of deep-space as the arena orbits a beautiful yet mysterious uncharted planet. Like other SARPBC arenas, “Cosmic” places the focus on teamwork and communication, but never lets fun fall in second place.
SARPBC features unique rocket-powered cars with incredible physics-based maneuverability, including the ability to rocket into the air or accelerate at supersonic speeds on the ground by racing over boost strips, obtaining boost capsules or by performing a rapid succession of acrobatic flips. While in the air, cars can roll, flip, jump, dodge or spin in a freestyle fashion. In the team-based soccer game, players maneuver their vehicles to perform breathtaking saves, awe-inspiring shots and of course achieve supersonic speeds that literally turn your opponents into scrap metal. These abilities, combined with the players' own creativity and skill create a unique and thrilling experience every time.

"We really wanted to give back to our growing community for the holidays,” said Dave Hagewood, Founder/Development Director of Psyonix Studios. “We've added the most requested features, lowered the price of the game and added a free new arena. You get more Battle-Cars for your gaming buck!"

Wide-ranging community involvement is supported through team and league play, as well as extensive and thorough statistical tracking, rankings and rewards for individuals and teams, including support for PLAYSTATION®3 system trophies. The game features three single player modes as well as team and league matches and scrimmage matches online. Using the full featured in-game video editor, players have the ability to save, upload and share their amazing triumphs and hysterical battle-car antics to their PLAYSTATION®3 system harddrive or upload clips directly to YouTube™.

Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars is available now for only $9.99. A free trial version of the game, featuring both online and offline gameplay, is also available on the PlayStation®Network.
For more information please visit http://www.battle-cars.com.


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About Psyonix Studios:
Psyonix develops game software for major gaming platforms including PC and next-generation consoles. In addition to developing our own games, Psyonix also provides outsourcing services for licensees and publishers of Unreal Engine based game software.
For more information, visit http://www.psyonix.com.

“PlayStation”, “PLAYSTATION”, “PS” Family logo are registered trademarks
of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

[Yingerman Supersonic]

YAY!!!

[Gibbs Aerialistic]

AWESOMEEEEEEEEEEEE

[Psyonix-Jerad]

For those who dont like reading large amounts of text, this is for you:

General:
- A new map, Cosmic, is available for online and offline play
- Added Online News display to propagate information directly to players via an in-game interface
- Matches will automatically transition to the next map in the rotation after the game ends instead of remaining on the same map forever
- Custom Music Soundtracks will no longer restart at the beginning of the playlist on map transition
- Replays can now be deleted
- Various other bug fixes

Online:
- Reduced the impact of latency on gameplay to improve overall playability of online matches
- Added a Server Browser that is viewable while matchmaking to allow players greater flexibility in finding online matches
- Added Connection Quality status indicators throughout the Online interface
- Matchmaking map preferences are now just preferences instead of "hard" filters. Map choice is still considered when searching for a game but if no matching servers can be found after a short period you will be placed in the best server available, regardless of its map.

Voice:
- Improved headset detection and headset insertion and removal handling

Upgrade Notes:

- Due to the significant changes to the network stream, your recorded replays will no longer be able to be opened, and you will be forced to delete them. Please be sure to do any recording/processing of them before downloading the patch!

For anyone curious, the update will appear in the form of a patch that will be downloaded when the game is launched. If you choose to download the patch, you will be updated to the newest version. If you decline, you will be signed out of PSN and you will not be able to play online until you update.

[animekunai Expeditious]

WWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TheRogainHoTrain Supersonic]

WHOA! Best news all week! THANKS PSYONIX!

[Avatard Rocket-Powered]

Awesome, I can't wait to lag less and check out this new map. Any screen shots available?

[Huffheinz Acrobatic]

Right on!!! That's great news! I think the $10 price tag will help to recruit new players as well. Thanks Psyonix!

[RazgrizInferno Supersonic]

^^^ Well, I think those obnoxiously happy celebratory posts above mine sum up my post quite nicely.

And just in case they don't:

W00T!!!W00T!!!W00T!!!W00T!!!W00T!!!

[MakaiOokami Supersonic]

I love this game a lot. Hardly anyone on my friends list has the game. I freakin love it.

I have an issue though...

Not to sound ungrateful, but why did you guys release the patch now?

1. Tons of great games everyone has a backlog
2. Busy Busy Busy holiday season.
3. So much competition every week.
4. (most importantly) No game launch from Home? I mean I was wanting to come on here and request Home Launching because that's such a simple thing to do. I wanted to be able to go up to people in Home and be like "Anyone want to play Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket Powered Battle Cars?" and then just launch a game session. So much easier than doing anything else. I would have gladly waited a month for this content if it had Home Launching stuff.

Like I said I don't want to sound ungrateful but I really don't think now was the best time. Playstation Nation Podcast was what got me wanting this game in the first place and I'm so glad they told me to pick it up, I brag on how insanely fun this game is all the time. Unfortuantely you didn't put the proper disclaimer on the Demo (Warning this game requires about 4-6 hours to really start to get the hang of the basic techniques. The enjoyability of this game will be limited until when it starts to click)

Also unfortunately everyone I know owns a 360 but I don't. No one lives close enough to play my PS3 so... I can't show them how awesome it is....

I think now I'm just rambling and I don't want to sound ungrateful, this patch will definitely make me want to start firing up this game on a more regular basis now that the major issues I had are taken care of... I just think programming to make the game In Home Launching would have been easier than redoing so much with the online coding, as well as made it more viable within Home... How many times do you want to quit Home, Play Battle-Cars, Launch Home, etc...

Anyway I look forward to playing more often (the 4 games I had that were so lagged I couldn't even drive properly kinda kept me away from the game)

[Slydragon Rocket-Powered]

Cool, I hope everyone hears that it's cheaper and buys it.

[DuckWC Acrobatic]

At the same time of Crash Commando haha...

Thanks man for the patch, it will be a pleasure to replay to the online game and to kick your ass

[atomstore Supersonic]

Great news! I've been waiting forever for this. What a great treat to end finals week with! I just called my roommates and told they about the patch, we've never been so excited.

What time will the patch be available? I'm guessing it will come along with the rest of the updates in the PlayStation Store?

[Psyonix-Jerad]

Feature lock on this update was over a month ago, but Game launching support is something I want for the next update.

Game launching support is not quite trivial to implement. There are legal issues with displaying startup logos and various warnings, not to mention the fact that we had more important things to deal with at the time. The 2 months that have passed since the game were out have been spent on the EU version, and getting all of the changes in. The game is very different now, you'll see it tomorrow.

We are also planning more updates, and that can start pretty soon.

[Psyonix-Jerad]

Not sure about time, but I think we are hoping for it to be as early in the day as we can. Not sure, though. This update will not be on the store, it will appear in the form of a patch that you download when you launch the game. Suddenly it will just be there. It's about 54MB, so it should be pretty quick.

[Gibbs Aerialistic]

home launching would be pointless...hell home is pointless right now this patch is needed way more then home launching

[Huffheinz Acrobatic]

home launching would be pointless...hell home is pointless right now this patch is needed way more then home launching

Totally agree...don't hold up ANYTHING for Home, it's totally pointless at the moment. Don't get me wrong...there's lots of potential...but still totally pointless at the moment.

In response to an earlier post by Makai:
I think that the timing for this patch and price drop are perfect. You're going to get a lot of folks at home over the holidays with friends looking for a game to play together on PS3...there is no better multiplayer game on PS3 than SARPBC...even kids love it. The new price point is going to make it even more attractive for those kiddies who are going to open up PSN gift cards on Xmas morning. Yeah, there are a lot of other games out there right now, but not for $10, or with trophies, or with such great playability for single player and split screen multiplayer.

Thank you Psyonix folks for continuing to support and expand this little title that so many of us love so much.

[Captain Fury Supersonic]

This is very big news, you should make a blog post on the Playstation Blog to let people know.

glad to see a fix about the lag...its the reason why I stoped playing the game online.

(so watch out the Captain will be back )

[Gibbs Aerialistic]

Do you guys have an estimated time when this will be up?

[lankyunibrow Supersonic]

Oh man. Work is going to feel so long today. I have to convince people to play Battle-Cars with me at lunch. Somehow the studio must own its own copy.

I cannot wait to play around with all the changes.