Driver: San Francisco is putting on the brakes. Ubisoft has released word through the game's official Twitter feed that the mission-based racing game has been delayed until September 6, a week after its previously announced August 30 launch date. The delay is specific to North America, and the game's debut in other territories has not been affected.

　　No speeding tickets for this one. In a follow-up tweet, the publisher explained the cause for the delay was not due to a need for extra development time. According to Ubisoft, "The delay has to do with shipping considerations and getting the best exposure in NA, not production of the game." Driver's old release date, August 30, is also the launch date for EA Sports' Madden NFL 12, which may receive a boost given the fact that the football season will actually take place this year. There had been concern about whether the season would start on time until a labor dispute and work stoppage was resolved earlier this week.

　　Last night, the same Twitter account also confirmed that the PC version of Driver: San Francisco will require a constant Internet connection, even for single-player modes. That's something of an about-face for the publisher, which has gone back and forth on the controversial digital rights management tactic. Afterdenial-of-service attacks rendered Assassin's Creed II and Silent Hunter 5 unplayable for legitimate customers last year, Ubisoft relaxed its stand on the issue, removing the requirement from some titles and not including it at all with others.

　　Developed by Ubisoft Reflections, Driver: San Francisco will be the first game in the series released under Ubisoft's auspices since the publisher acquired the franchise from Atari in 2006. The game is set to launch for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, and Mac. A Wii edition has also been announced.

　　Driver: San Francisco will be a throwback to previous installments in the franchise, featuring a matchup between original protagonist John Tanner and Driver 2 antagonist Charles Jericho. In terms of plot, Tanner, a hard-boiled detective behind the wheel of a 1970s-era Shelby GT500, is on the hunt for Jericho, and the two engage in vehicular duels on the streets of the titular hilly California city.

　　The game will include more than 100 licensed vehicles, all of which are subject to damage. The game will also feature a supernatural element as Tanner is pursuing his mark from the confines of a coma. Tanner's situation impacts gameplay, as players will be able to pause time to hop to a new vehicle on the fly, as well as get a bird's-eye view of the city to jump to various locations.

　　For more information, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.

　　You need a javascript enabled browser to watch videos.

　　Click To Unmute

　　Driver: San Francisco - Shift Developer Diary Video

　　Tears Of The Kingdom Is A Technological Marvel

　　Resident Evil 4 Is A Perfect RemakeHow Alan Wake II Made Me Face My Fear of Horror GamesGameSpot's Top 10 Games of 2023Thompson: The Pop Culture Icon’s Strange Legacy - LoadoutFirearms Expert’s FAVORITE Weapons Of 2023State Of Gaming Handhelds In 2023Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth - Official Ichiban Kasuga Character Spotlight TrailerHow Lies of P Cracked the Souls GenreLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealth - Official Chitose Fujinomiya Character Spotlight TrailerLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealth - Official Eric Tomizawa Character Spotlight TrailerLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealth - Official Kazuma Kiryu Character Spotlight Trailer

　　Share

　　LinkEmbed

　　Size:640 × 360480 × 270

　　Start at: End at: Autoplay Loop

　　Want us to remember this setting for all your devices?

　　Sign up or Sign in now!

　　Please use a html5 video capable browser to watch videos.

　　This video has an invalid file format.

　　00:00:00

　　HTML5

　　Auto HD High Low

　　Report a problem

　　Sorry, but you can't access this content!

Please enter your date of birth to view this video

　　By clicking 'enter', you agree to GameSpot's

　　Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

　　enter