Microsoft celebrates launch with price drop for the Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel.

Igniting the driving spirit in gamers and car enthusiasts alike, “Forza Motorsport® 2” will speed onto Australian retail shelves from Thursday 14 June, accompanied for a limited time by a “Forza Motorsport 2” Xbox 360TM Console bundle and a price drop for the Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel.

Tuned and developed in conjunction with the Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel, “Forza Motorsport 2” supports true force feedback, shifting gears in the racing simulation genre so that gamers feel every bump in the road and every jolt of acceleration as they take the corners on 12 of the most renowned tracks on the globe. With the game running at an astounding 60 frames per second, authentic simulation physics and rumble functionality with the Xbox 360 Wireless Controller, “Forza Motorsport 2” offers incredible realism and depth to fuel all your racing fantasies.

Launching on the same day and available for a limited time, racing fans can take home the “Forza Motorsport 2” Xbox 360 Console bundle, featuring an Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and a copy of “Forza Motorsport 2”, for $699.95 RRP. Additionally, the Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel will be available for just $149.95 RRP until 31 July, a saving of $50 off the recommended retail price. And for even more racing value, the Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel comes packed with a copy of “Project Gotham Racing® 3”.

From the creative minds at Turn 10TM Studios, “Forza Motorsport 2” offers something for every type of racing and car enthusiast, from optional driving assists for the novice to tuning and customisation options for the serious car aficionado. Thanks to Xbox LIVE®, players can share and sell their custom creations on the “Forza Motorsport 2” online Auction House and experience an impressively accurate simulation, putting their performance-tuned rides to the test against the best the online world has to offer.

“Forza Motorsport 2” will be widely available at retailers nationwide from 14 June for $99.95 RRP. A limited tin box Collectors Edition, featuring three additional cars and a “Making of…” book, is also available from 14 June for $109.95 RRP.

New gameplay experiences include:

* Collect, upgrade and tune hundreds of cars. From sport compacts to purpose- built race cars, ”Forza Motorsport 2” offers more than 300 cars from more than 50 of the world’s leading manufacturers including Ferrari, Porsche, Nissan, VW, GM and Lamborghini. Players can take their car to the garage and install alternative engines, suspension kits, bolt-on superchargers, brakes, rims, racing slicks and more. Dial-in advanced suspension settings, tyre pressure and gear ratios.
* Experience uncompromising physics simulation.Top automotive engineers, professional race car drivers and experienced programmers teamed up to create an incredibly deep and realistic racing simulator experience. Cars incur dramatic damage and wear, which affects vehicle performance. Advanced tyre and suspension models that respond to heat and pressure changes as well as weight transfer and aerodynamic load are just a few examples of how “Forza Motorsport 2” lets the gamer play both crew chief and driver.
* Master real-world tracks from around the world.From the famously challenging Nurburgring Nordschleife to the green hills of Tuscany, race on meticulously designed tracks with a superb sense of speed and realism. “Forza Motorsport 2” features 47 ribbons across 12 environments, including real-world licensed circuits such as Mugello, Suzuka, and Sebring.
* Create and share a masterpiece with the world.Players can express their inner artist in the paint and upgrade shops with near endless visual personalisation options. They can customise the shape of their car by combining different licensed rims, performance parts and aftermarket body kits, and create unique paint schemes using millions of paint and decal options. Then racers can hit the track and take in-game pictures of their creation in the “Forza Motorsport 2” photo-mode, or sell their work of art to a fellow racing fan in the Xbox LIVE community for in-game credits using the Forza Motorsport 2 Auction House.
* Literally feel the road just like a professional driver.Through rumble in the Xbox 360 Wireless Controller, players will feel uncompromising responsiveness to every acceleration, downshift and turn, making the racing experience as true to life as possible. With the latest rumble, force feedback and wireless technologies, form and function are placed into high-speed gaming motion, letting racers feel every bump around the turns at famous tracks such as Sebring Raceway as well as the differences in handling and stability in each and every car they drive.
* Compete in a vibrant online community. Gamers can take their personalised car onto Xbox LIVE for some intense online wheel-to-wheel racing.* They have the option to compete in private online seasons with friends or large public tournaments in the seamlessly integrated Xbox LIVE career. They can earn in-game credits and even complete single- player career objectives while racing over Xbox LIVE, or sit back and watch the best racers from around the world complete on “Forza Motorsport 2” TV.

Originally from XBox