wipEout HD developer Studio Liverpool, formerly known as Psygnosis, is being hit by layoffs as projects are canceled and people are being relocated to other studios. One former employee goes as far as to say that almost everybody got the pink slip virtually closing down the entire studio.

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.

WipEout HD Fury Add-on Includes:

• Three New Race Types
  • Eliminator: The fan-favourite mode makes a triumphant return! Use the full arsenal of WipEout® HD’s weaponry to attack other racers and be the first to reach the target score. Score points for damaging and eliminating opponents. We have added a new feature allowing you to flip your ship through 180 degrees to take the fight to your foes head-on.
  • Zone Battle: A twist on the classic Zone mode, Zone Battle adds multiple ships to the Zone tracks for the first time. Compete with up to seven opponents to be the first to reach the Zone target. Using the Zone pads to charge your Zone bar you must then decide whether to fire it to advance up through the Zone levels or absorb to regain valuable lost energy all the while dodging obstacles left by your opponents.
  • Detonator: Detonator mode adds elements of the shoot ‘em-up genre to WipEout HD. The track is strewn with new types of mines and bombs, all you have to do is use the pulse cannon and EMP weapons on board the brand new Detonator ship to take them out. High scores are the name of the game.
    
• 12 New Tracks: A WipEout HD expansion pack wouldn’t be complete with out new race tracks and the Fury pack provides eight for you to enjoy in all race types plus four Zone tracks which are playable in Zone, Zone Battle and Detonator modes.
• 12 New Ships: In addition to the above new race types, each of the 12 WipEout HD teams now has a brand, new, sleek, mean-looking Fury ship. The teams have been hard at work tweaking their new ships giving them slightly enhanced performance.
• New Fury Campaign: Fury features an extensive new single player campaign with 80 events for you to complete.
• Note. All the new game modes and ships will be playable on the original HD tracks simply select them via the Racebox menu or play online!
• 6 New Music Tracks: New music from artists, Spector, The Crystal Method, Gingy, The Touch, Two Fingers and Noisia, all mixed in 5.1 surround sound.
• 13 New Trophies: There are, of course, new trophies to be won. These focus on the new game modes and content.
• New Online Ranks and Badges: We have doubled the number of ranks which are attainable by playing the game online.Haveyou managed to get to rank 50 (Legend V)? Continue the good fight to reach rank 100! There are also a number of new online badges for the new game mode races.
• New Menu Design: To reflect the intense feeling of the new content, a stunning new front-end design has been created. If you prefer the original design, don’t worry, you can switch back to the original at will in the Options menu.

wipEout HD is currently downloadable on the PlayStation Store for $19.99.