PSN exclusive ‘Days of Thunder’ coming soon

Paramount, NASCAR, SCEA and Piranha Games have all collaborated to announce Days of Thunder: NASCAR Edition, a stock-car racing title set to release exclusively on the PlayStation Network for the PlayStation 3 this summer.

You’ll be able to go head-to-head against NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers, including the likes of Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, Ryan Newman and Tony Stewart, as well as those well-known drivers from the Paramount movie, “Days of Thunder.” Boasting multiple single-player and online multiplayer modes, this one should definitely feel like a full and robust experience. You’ll be part of Rowdy Burns’ team as the newest rookie on the scene and as you progress, you’ll be able to upgrade your car and even “drop the hammer” for that crucial boost of speed.

Burns will be voiced by the actor from the movie, Michael Rooker (you may also remember him from “Mallrats” and “Cliffhanger”), which is a nice little touch. In all, there will be a total of 12 NASCAR-sanctioned tracks, including Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. The interesting part about the press release might be this:

“With artificial intelligence tailored to match each film character and NASCAR driver, players will experience each driver’s personality, driving style and maneuvers. For example, players will need to watch out for Cole Trickle’s reckless, aggressive driving, Rowdy Burns’ ruthless, veteran skills and Russ Wheeler’s hot head.”

That actually sounds pretty darn cool. Added Rob Dyer, senior vice president of publisher relations for SCEA:

“With more than 38 million users worldwide, PlayStation fans are turning to PlayStation Network more than ever for unique downloadable games. Offering a robust multiplayer racing experience, Days of Thunder: NASCAR Edition is a great example of exclusive content that can only be found on PlayStation Network.”

The single-player will have four different modes – Quick Race, Time Trial, Career, and Derby Mode (dole out as much damage as possible) – and the multiplayer aspect will allow for up to 12 people to compete online together. It’ll be interesting to see how such a project works as a downloadable title; it’s definitely one we’d expect to be quite large, so… Stay tuned for more details as they arise.