With every console launch, Sony can count on a number of its first-party studios to deliver games that showcase the hardware's capabilities. This niche has been filled by several franchises with strong, loyal fanbases. For example, Gran Turismo has been a go-to franchise to illustrate the graphical capabilities of consoles, while God of War highlights what adrenaline-raising gameplay is possible. Since the launch of the PS5, one long-running PlayStation franchise has conspicuously been absent: Wipeout.
Wipeout is a racing series, but anyone who has tried the games will know that they tend to be more than that. It puts players in the cockpit of an anti-gravity ship and has them racing on futuristic racetracks at dizzyingly fast speeds. Wipeout is the franchise that never fails to deliver on colors and thumping soundtracks, so with the PS5, the return of the franchise could provide the ultimate sensory experience.
The Wipeout Experience
Although Wipeout is characterized by high-speed racing, complex racetracks, and fancy vehicles, none of this makes Wipeout different from the plethora of available racing games. Instead, Wipeout brings with it an otherworldly, futuristic aesthetic that has yet to be replicated. Since the first Wipeout released in 1995 for the PlayStation, there have been other titles that tried to capture the feeling, including Thumper, but none have got it quite the same. Racetracks high in the sky make gamers feel like they're always an inch away from death as they slide around borderless corners, and the ships serve to enhance the game's futurist feel. Players speed away in angular, long-nosed vehicles that look like fighter jets. Complementing the visuals is a hard-hitting soundtrack that features techno-beats designed to get players in "the zone."
The best example of this unique "Wipeout experience" is Wipeout 2048, which was originally released for the PS Vita and later ported to PS4 as part of the Wipeout Omega Collection. The game features Zone mode, where players are tasked with minimizing damage to their ship. The flashing, bright colors, pounding soundtrack, and high speeds are enough to overwhelm the senses.
Despite being an arcade racer, Wipeout is an unassumingly difficult game to master. To get an Elite Pass in every event requires sharp reflexes, keen eyes, and a willingness to keep trying until every racetrack is memorized. The game is easy to learn and hard to master, but every moment of the experience is rewarding.
What the PS5 Could Bring to Wipeout
With its 4K gaming capabilities, Wipeout could be more beautiful than ever on PS5 without sacrificing framerates, and the DualSense controller could provide another avenue for the franchise to stimulate the senses. Unlike most games, Wipeout does not feature a single brake button; instead making use of the L2 and R2 buttons to activate brakes on either side of the ship. With the use of the DualSense's adaptive triggers, players would be able to feel the strength of brakes as they drift around hairpin turns. The audio could also be greatly enhanced thanks to the console's Tempest 3D audio engine, helping players feel like they are truly engulfed by the game's hypnotic soundtrack.
Then there is the PS5's upcoming VR headset. Although few details have been confirmed, it is rumored that the device will feature a total resolution of 4000 X 2040 pixels and have a 110-degree field of view. If a new Wipeout game supports VR, as was the case with the Wipeout Omega Collection, it could provide a revolutionary experience.
Although it has been a while since there has been a new Wipeout game on consoles, the franchise is not dead. A mobile game titled Wipeout Rush has been announced, and is scheduled to release in 2022. However, the announcement trailer was met with dislikes on YouTube. This seems to suggest that gamers do not want a mobile game, but instead a full-scale console game. Rumors of a new Wipeout game for PS5 and PSVR 2 have been floating around, but nothing has been confirmed yet. If such a game does see the light of day, it could be a triumphant return the franchise deserves.
Wipeout Rush is set to release on mobile devices in 2022.