AMA Superbike Title Announced from New Developer

Motorsport Simulations, a new company founded by online gaming veteran Bob McCarthy, formally announced its existence today, as well as plans to release a number of titles in 1999.

The Las Colinas, Texas-based company is dedicated to creating high-fidelity racing simulations. Although all of its titles will be available as single-player standalone games at the retail shelves, the company is also looking to capitalize on its online expertise.

“I come from the online world,” said McCarthy in a Gamecenter interview. An avid Air Warrior fan, McCarthy is a nine-year veteran of Internet networking and online gaming. In the early ’90s, he helped found Concentric Networks, an Internet service provider that in the early days had a gaming emphasis.

After Concentric, McCarthy served as chairman of Interactive Creations, which published the online air combat game WarBirds.

With his newest venture, McCarthy said he is looking to create a “Motorsport company that builds simulations of racing.” Motorsport Simulations’ first project is AMA Superbike, a 3D motorcycle racing game.

McCarthy said that he’s assembled some of the best art and code people he could find, including several former WarBirds veterans and two physicists. The company is developing a new graphics engine and physics model as well.

The key to extending the gameplay experience, according to McCarthy, will be the online world. “We don’t want to be a 90-day wonder on the shelves,” he said. McCarthy said he wants to build a dedicated racing community, one in which “the racing is almost in some way secondary to the actual socialization.”

AMA Superbike is scheduled for release in the summer; however, McCarthy said an online version will be available roughly 60 days prior to the actual release.

Further announcements regarding the company’s upcoming product line are expected shortly.

Press release:

“MOTORSIMS BRINGS AUTHENTIC RACING ACTION TO THE PC”
Internet Gaming Veteran Bob McCarthy Launches New Venture Dedicated To Creating Authentic Motorsport Entertainment For Racing Enthusiasts

Las Colinas, TX (January 26, 1999) — Bob McCarthy, a nine-year veteran of Internet networking and online gaming, today announced the launch of Motorsims a new company dedicated to creating state-of-the-art racing simulations. Motorsims plans to release a number of titles in 1999. All products will be published by Motorsims as single-player standalone games at retail, and online racing arenas via Motorsims internet racing community. The online product, which will use proprietary client server technology to run multiple racing arenas, will launch this Spring. The standalone racing product is due to hit retail shelves this summer.

“My goal at Motorsims is to bring the motorsport enthusiast the thrills, excitement and challenges of an authentic racing experience via their PC,” comments Motorsims chairman and founder Bob McCarthy. “Weve built a team that combines a love of motorsports with a true understanding of what makes a great simulation. Theres a massive audience for motorsports, and we want to bring their favorite motorsport events home to their computer, and ultimately get them racing online.”

Company founder Bob McCarthy was the chairman of Interactive Creations, the publisher of the popular online aviation simulation Warbirds, and prior to that, McCarthy was a founder of Concentric Networks. He brings to Motorsims a wealth of experience and understanding of simulations and the online gaming market. He is joined at Motorsims by a team of motorsport enthusiasts and specialists in their fields – including a number of former Warbirds veterans, such as Stephen Wilkinson as VP of Development, and Matt Jessick, a former aerospaceengineer who heads the company’s physics group.

“Given our company name, there should be no doubt as to our focus,” notes McCarthy. “We intend to be the leading source of motorsport entertainment for computer gamers and racing fans. We understand what the hard-core simulation fan is looking for, and we intend to give it to them. We also intend to make our products accessible to the casual player via options such as training modes.”

Motorsims is involved in a number of partnerships with leading personalities and governing bodies in the world of racing. Several announcements are pending in this area, and will be announced in the upcoming months.

About Motorsims

Headquartered in Las Colinas, TX, Motorsims was founded by Bob McCarthy. The company offers motorsports enthusiasts the opportunity to experience authentic competitive motorsports racing through first-class computer simulations. Motorsims has alliances with a number of leading personalities in the racing world, including Pat Patterson (publisher of the authoritative facts-and-figures guidebook “Pat Pattersons Guide To Racing”), and AMA racer Dave Despain.