July 13^th, 2004 (12:00am) - Microsoft has announced that it will publish the Xbox version of OutRun 2 in North America, due to ship to retail stores this October. OutRun2 is the sequel to the famous game that made its first appearance in arcades across the world 17 years ago. With gameplay reminiscent of the steadfast driving game, remixes of the original soundtracks and exclusive Xbox Live- head to head gameplay, OutRun2 stays true to its predecessor while kicking it up a notch.

In development by AM2/SEGA, OutRun2 puts gamers into the Italian leather driver’s seat of eight different Ferraris, from the traditional Testerossa to the highly coveted Ferrari Enzo. Players can speed through several tracks set against spectacular environments inspired by some of the most beautiful locations around the world. Whether players are power-drifting around the desert pyramids and medieval castles or accelerating over high mountains tops, OutRun2’s distinctive and addictive gameplay will appease any racing fan. Gamers of all ages will find the pick-up-and-play controls make the game accessible and fun for everyone, while several of the game’s missions still provide plenty of challenges for more experienced players. Players can also take on up to seven of their buddies over Xbox Live in head-to-head multiplayer challenges in an all-out finish to the end of the course. OutRun2’s Xbox Live features also allow players to compare their times with other drivers on the leader scoreboard or to download the best runs and ghost race against them to improve their skills.