January 28^th, 2004 (12:00am) - SEGA of America has announced the launch of SEGA GT Online exclusively for the Xbox. The first simulation racer on Xbox to offer Xbox Live support, SEGA GT Online allows up to 12 players to compete simultaneously in white knuckle, dead-heat races guaranteed to challenge both their driving skills and their ability to trash talk.

Developed by SEGA WOW with both car enthusiasts and casual gamers in mind, SEGA GT Online is a gear head’s nirvana. With more than 165 rides to choose from, including 40 all-new vehicles, and a pulse-pounding soundtrack of hot up-and-coming Indy bands, SEGA GT Online is a release gamers will be playing for months. And at a value-priced $19.99 (MSRP), Xbox racing fans will be able to add the title to their game library.

"SEGA GT Online represents an extraordinary value for racing fans who desire a huge stable of cars combined with pulse-pounding Indy rock and intense online competition," said Scott A. Steinberg, vice president of entertainment marketing, SEGA of America, Inc. "SEGA WOW has gone full-throttle to leverage Xbox Live capabilities to deliver new and innovative gameplay features such as Navigator mode."

In addition to the new cars, SEGA GT Online offers up new tracks, weather effects, and special time-triggered events. It also capitalizes on the strengths of online play by presenting two innovative new modes never before seen in a racer: Team Battle and Navigator. In both modes, players have to work together to win races as teammates.

Gamers who own a save file from SEGA GT 2002 can select the SEGA GT Online PERK function that allows them to use existing items and unlock all available cars in Quick Battle and Chronicle modes. The SEGA GT Online soundtrack features more than 40 songs from legendary punk rockers New Bomb Turks to today’s hottest up and coming Indy rock bands like Supersuckers, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, The Oranges Band, Lag Wagon, Swinging Utters, and The Real McKenzies. SEGA GT Online is rated "E" for Everyone and is available at retailers nationwide for an MSRP of $19.99.