Codemasters to make Formula One Games.

According to [Formula One.com]  Codemasters has bought the rights to create vidoe games based on Formula 1 racing.   With it’s world-wide agreement, Codemaster studios will create and develop games for consoles, handhelds, and PC’s.

Rod Cousens, chief executive officer of Codemasters, had this to say

“Formula One is ambitious in expanding its reach with more circuits planned beyond recent additions in the Middle East and China. It is also ambitious in expanding its reach via technology. The digital communities that computer and video gaming creates will play a key role in further growing the Formula One audience and connecting them globally,”

“As a world-leading creator of driving games, this alliance with Formula One is the jewel in Codemasters’ racing crown and creates an undisputed segment champion. Formula One has gone with the best, the segment leader. It has gone to the home of the EGO Engine for quality; it has gone to the company that can host Formula One Online, to the company that is streaking away from the pack.”

“Codemasters’ success and recent innovations in the racing game space makes the company more than appropriately tuned for the challenge,” said Chris Deering, chairman, Codemasters. “The combination of Formula One’s new momentum of expansion and Codemasters’ contemporary technology and past experience is the breaking of a new dawn for the sport, on the track and on the HD game screen.”

The worldwide deal provides Codemasters with rights to feature all Grand Prix circuits, Formula One teams, cars, and driver likenesses.

Codemasters expects the first game based on the FIA Formula One World Championship to launch in 2009.