Tomorrow, April 8, 2009, the v1.30 free update for WipEout HD will be available for download, introducing a selection of new multiplayer features to the anti-gravity racer.

Online Ranking

With over 50 ranks to progress through, there will be a new edge to online racing in WipEout HD. Your finishing position, speed class and the rank of your opponents will determine how many ranking points you are awarded as you strive to go from a Wipeout Trainee to a Wipeout Legend!

Podium Screen & Online Badges

• A new podium screen will now display the top three finishers after each online race or tournament.
• Regardless of whether you finish in the Top Three or not, every player has the chance of being awarded an ‘online badge’ in recognition of how they performed in the race.
• There are 33 badges in total, examples of which are displayed here.

Connect easily with your friends

Game invites have now been introduced to WipEout HD to make it easy for you to invite your friends to join your game or for them to invite you! In addition, you will also be informed of any friends with an active online game and have the ability to join that game instantly!

Watch races in progress

If a race has started before you have had chance to join it, Spectator mode will allow you to watch that race. Within spectator mode, you can choose from four camera angles and select which ship to watch. After the race has been completed, you will be taken back to the lobby with the other players so you can compete with them in the next race.

Additional Options

Lastly, to provide more variety when setting up an online race, WipEout HD has added a few additional options:

• HUD Weapon Hints on/off.
• Opponents - Choose to create a Public, Friends-only or Invite-only game.
• Barrel Rolls on/off
• Pilot Assist Allowed on/off
• Number of laps (max 20)

Get ready to race at blazing speeds and experience adrenaline-filled, anti-gravity racing action in full-1080p High Definition (HD) running at a breathtaking 60-frames-per-second on PS3. Coming to the PlayStation Store soon, wipEout HD is set to redefine anti-gravity combat racing.

Featuring a selection of the best tracks taken from previous versions of the wipEout franchise, wipEout HD offers meticulously crafted and fully reworked tracks that showcase the processing power of PS3. And for the first time, players will have the option to navigate their ships utilizing the SIXAXIS wireless controller’s motion sensing technology.

Additionally, players will be able to take on the best competition from around the world in online multiplayer modes as up to eight players will be able to compete against each other in a range of online races. And to keep the adrenaline flowing, wipEout HD will include nine tracks from wipEout Pulse soundtrack, all remixed in 5.1 Dolby surround including artists like Kraftwerk, Booka Shade and Noisia.

Features :

• Get ready to experience wipEout in full-HD 1080p resolution at 60-frames-per-second. Greater processing power of PS3 enables more immersive visuals and sound effects in wipEout HD, heightening the speed within the stunningly beautiful environments.
• wipEout HD provides full support of the SIXAXIS wireless controller to give the player a variety of choices and depth of control unseen in any previous iteration of wipEout.
• A selection of the best tracks taken from previous wipEout titles, meticulously crafted and fully reworked from the ground-up to showcase the full-HD resolution.
  • Vineta K – On the southern shores of Makana Island, the circuit at Vineta K snakes in and out of the ocean and across the beaches. The highlights of this 4.4km track include spectacular underwater tunnels and cutting-edge architecture along the waterfront.
  • Chenghou Project –The feature-packed circuit at Chenghou Project weaves its way around the offices and corporate buildings of Makana Island's business district. The 4.8 km track contains a tricky inverse-cambered spiral and culminates in a long jump into the tunnelled entry of the final chicane.
  • Sebenco Climb – The 4.8 km Sebenco Climb track is cut into the hillsides of Makana's Sebenco mountain range. It features a steep traverse up the snowy mountainside, followed by a breathtaking plunge into an icy tunnel carved through the very heart of the mountain. The final section takes pilots through a challengingly tight chicane before they swing back onto the grid.
  • Sol 2 – The 4.4 km Sol 2 circuit hangs suspended in the clouds high above Makana Island. Consisting of a series of fast-flowing, occasionally open-sided corners linked by sweeping straights, the combination of harsh sunlight and blind summits ensure that Sol 2 is a test of nerve for every speed class.
  • Ubermall – In the heart of Makana Island's commercial zone is Ubermall, a 4.6 km circuit built into a vast shopping centre. The latter half of the track contains a brief split which rejoins into a narrow hill, followed by an outdoor park section that leads swiftly to the finish.
  • Anulpha Pass – The 5 km Anulpha Pass track is located in a custom-built entertainment arena on the east side of Makana Island. Although the track looks deceptively simple from above, the undulations of the track surface and narrow skill-cut are enough to keep any racer on their toes.
  • Moa Therma – The immense man-made complex of Moa Therma is located just off the northern coast of Sicily, with around a third of the track surface built using mag-strip technology. The centrepiece of this 5.3 km circuit is the gigantic horizontal loop which sits just above sea level.
  • Metropia – The 4.7 km Metropia circuit weaves its way between the skyscrapers and traffic control towers that dominate the Kyoto skyline. Glass-bottomed track surfaces and a stunning vertical mag-strip drop into the depths of the city are just two of the highlights of this popular track.
• wipEout HD features eight teams from wipEout Pulse, including: Feisar, Assegai, AG-Systems, Qirex, Piranha, Triakis, Goteki45 and EG-X.
• Get help navigating your way around the HD circuits with the new Pilot assist feature.
• wipEout HD features five race modes, including: Single Race, Tournament, Time Trial, Speed Lap and Zone Mode.
• wipEout HD offers three difficulty levels; adjustable independent of speed class.
• Up to eight players will be able to compete against each other in a range of online races, across several game modes.
• Extra game content will be made available to download and plug directly into the main game, including extra teams and ships, extra tracks and additional events for the race campaign mode.
• During any race, pause the game and select the Photo Mode option. You can choose which ship will be the focus of the camera, and adjust the camera angle, zoom level, and so on. Images are saved to your HDD.
• Choose from a wide range of weapons including missiles, rockets, mines and the brand new leech beam.
• Post your best lap times and race records in game (for both offline and online modes) and compare them against other wipEout players across the globe.
• Feel the beat with 9 fully licensed music tracks, all remixed in Dolby 5.1 surround sound for an even more intense game experience.
• As if that wasn't enough, wipEout HD also supports 'Custom Play lists': playback your own music using play lists created in the PS3 XMB (Xross Media Bar).

Available exclusively by download on the PlayStation Store, wipEout HD will be available on September 25 for just $19.99.