:Wipeout (video game)

File:PSX Wipeout.png

Wipeout is a racing game that is set in 2052, where players compete in the F3600 anti-gravity racing league.{{cite book |last1=Fairclough |first1=Damien |last2=Burcombe |first2=Nick |year=1995 |chapter=Are You Ready? |title=WipEout Manual |type=instruction manual |publisher=Psygnosis |page=1 |id=SCES-00010 }} The game allows the player to pilot one of a selection of craft in races on several different tracks.{{cite book |last1=Fairclough |first1=Damien |last2=Burcombe |first2=Nick |year=1995 |chapter=Championship/Single Race/Time Trial Selection |title=WipEout Manual |type=instruction manual |publisher=Psygnosis |page=8 |id=SCES-00010 }} There are four racing teams to choose from, and two ships for each team. Each ship has its distinct characteristics of acceleration, top speed, mass, and turning radius.{{cite book |last1=Fairclough |first1=Damien |last2=Burcombe |first2=Nick |year=1995 |chapter=Team Selection |title=WipEout Manual |type=instruction manual |publisher=Psygnosis |pages=9–11 |id=SCES-00010 }} By piloting their craft over power-up pads found on the tracks, the player can pick up various weapons and power-ups such as shields, turbo boosts, mines, shock waves, rockets, or missiles. The power-ups allow the player to either protect their craft or disrupt the competitors' craft.{{cite book |last1=Fairclough |first1=Damien |last2=Burcombe |first2=Nick |year=1995 |chapter=Weapons and Power-Ups |title=WipEout Manual |type=instruction manual |publisher=Psygnosis |pages=19–20 |id=SCES-00010 }}

There are seven race tracks in the game, six of them located in futuristic versions of countries such as Canada, the United States and Japan. After all tracks have been completed on the Rapier Championship, a hidden track (Firestar), set on Mars is unlocked.{{cite web|title=Retro Corner: 'WipEout'|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/gaming/levelup/a366543/retro-corner-wipeout.html|website=Digital Spy|date=18 February 2012|access-date=21 August 2014}} Wipeout features a multiplayer mode using the PlayStation Link Cable, allowing two player to race against each other and the six remaining AI competitors. The game also supports the NeGcon, a third-party controller designed by Namco.{{cite book |last1=Fairclough |first1=Damien |last2=Burcombe |first2=Nick |year=1995 |chapter=Options |title=WipEout Manual |type=instruction manual |publisher=Psygnosis |pages=6–7 |id=SCES-00010 |quote="wipEout is fully compatible with Namco's NeGcon which will be automatically detected when you insert the NeGcon into controller port number 1."}}

Wipeout was developed and published by Liverpudlian developer Psygnosis (later known as Studio Liverpool), with production starting in the second half of 1994. According to Lee Carus, one of the artists, Wipeout took 14 months to develop, and the concept began as a conversation between Nick Burcombe and Jim Bowers at a pub in Oxton, Merseyside. Bowers then started on a concept film which was shown around Psygnosis' offices. It proved popular, and Wipeout was approved and production began.{{cite magazine|magazine=Retro Gamer|publisher=Imagine Publishing|location=Bournemouth|issn=1742-3155|title=The Making Of: Wipeout|pages=78–81|issue=35}} An early demo video was shown at the April 1994 European Computer Trade Show (ECTS).{{Cite magazine |date=1994 |title=Sony PS/X im Anflug |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/e/e3/PlayTime_DE_1994-06.pdf |magazine=PlayTime |page=21 |language=German}} The marketing and artwork were designed by Keith Hopwood and The Designers Republic in Sheffield.{{cite web|title=The Designers Republic (Company)|url=http://www.giantbomb.com/the-designers-republic/3010-6360/|website=Giant Bomb|access-date=21 August 2014}} Aimed at a fashionable, club-going, music-buying audience, Keith Hopwood and The Designers Republic created art for the packaging, in-game branding, and other promotional materials. A non-playable CGI film mock-up inspired by the game appeared in the teen cult film Hackers (1995), in which both protagonists play the game in a nightclub.{{cite web|last1=Yin-Pool|first1=Wesley|title=WipEout: The rise and fall of Sony Studio Liverpool|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-03-22-wipeout-the-rise-and-fall-of-sony-studio-liverpool|website=Eurogamer|access-date=1 September 2014|year=2013}}

The team was under pressure, as it consisted of around ten people, and they were on a tight schedule. Carus stated that the code had to be rewritten three quarters of the way through development, and that the team was confident that they could complete the game on time. The vehicle designs were based on Matrix Marauders, a 3D grid-based strategy game whose concept was developed by Bowers and released for the Amiga in 1990.{{cite web|last=Langshaw|first=Mark|title=Retro Corner: 'WipEout' |url=http://www.digitalspy.com/gaming/levelup/a366543/retro-corner-wipeout.html#~oOKh5oQoqV7Vxu |website=Digital Spy|date=18 February 2012|access-date=2 September 2014}} Burcombe, the game's future designer, was inspired to create a racing game using the same types of 'anti-gravity' vehicles from SoftImage's animation of two ships racing. The name "Wipeout" was given to the game during a pub conversation, and was inspired by the instrumental song "Wipe Out" by The Surfaris. Designing the tracks proved to be difficult due to the lack of draw distance possible on the system. Players received completely random weapons, resembling Super Mario Kart in their capability to stall rather than destroy opponents. Burcombe said that Wipeout was influenced by Super Mario Kart more than any other game.

File:WipEout poster (1995).jpg, leftmost in the poster]]

Wipeout gained a significant amount of controversy on its initial release.{{cite web|last1=Clifford-Marsh|first1=Elizabeth|title=Sony pulls controversial in-game ads after player protests|url=http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/article/925270/sony-pulls-controversial-in-game-ads-player-protests|website=marketingmagazine|publisher=Band Republic Group|access-date=14 September 2014}} A marketing campaign created and launched by Keith Hopwood and The Designers Republic included an infamous promotional poster, featuring a bloodstained television and radio presenter Sara Cox, which was accused by some of depicting a drug overdose. Next Generation printed the ad with the blood erased; the magazine staff explained that not only had they been under pressure from newsstand retailers about violent imagery in games magazines, but they themselves felt the blood added nothing to the ad other than shock value.{{cite magazine|title=Letters |magazine=Next Generation|issue=17|publisher=Imagine Media|date=May 1996|page=123}} The poster branded Wipeout "a dangerous game", with Wipeout{{'}}s lead artist Neil Thompson suggesting—and designer Nick Burcome denying—that the "E" in Wipeout stood for ecstasy.

Wipeout was first released alongside the PlayStation in Europe on 29 September 1995.{{Cite news |last=Leys |first=Alex |date=29 September 1995 |title=Wipeout |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/919294657 |access-date=24 July 2024 |work=Derby Evening Telegraph |pages=16 |quote=Out: September 29}} It was the PlayStation's best-selling launch title in Europe.{{cite magazine|last=Hickman |first=Sam |title=The Thrill of the Chase!|magazine=Sega Saturn Magazine|issue=5|publisher=Emap International Limited|date=March 1996|pages=36}} The game was released in the United States in November. The game went to number one in all the format charts, with over 1.5 million units of the franchise having been sold to date throughout Europe and North America.{{cite web|title=PlayStation Sales Showdown – Wipeout|date=28 July 2010 |url=http://uk.ign.com/articles/2010/07/28/playstation-network-sales-showdown-072810|publisher=IGN UK|access-date=29 December 2014}} Wipeout was ported to the Sega Saturn in 1996 by Tantalus Entertainment. Because the company behind the PlayStation, Sony, owned the applicable rights to the last three tracks of the PlayStation version's soundtrack, new music was added for the Saturn version by Rob Lord and Mark Bandola.{{cite magazine|last=Hickman |first=Sam |title=The Thrill of the Chase!|magazine=Sega Saturn Magazine|issue=5 |publisher=Emap International Limited|date=March 1996|pages=43|quote=Although acts such as the Chemical Brothers and Leftfield appear on the Playstation version, Psygnosis have their own in-house music team to create the music for WipEout, but these aren't your usual plinkety music guys.}}{{cite web|last=Genthe|first=Kris |title=Review: WipEout (Saturn)|url=http://implantgames.com/read/393|date=10 August 2009|quote=Psygnosis tweaked things a bit, and added music tracks from Rob Lord & Mark Bandola.}} The Sega Saturn version was released by Sega in North America, despite being a direct competitor of Sony.

The development of Wipeout placed a strong emphasis on its music, which was a key component of the game’s identity. Designer Nick Burcombe recounted how playing Super Mario Kart while listening to heavy techno music inspired the idea of creating a game with high-speed, hovering ships racing through futuristic tracks set to a driving electronic soundtrack. For the game's concept demo movie, the team selected the big beat band The Prodigy's track "No Good (Start the Dance)," with Psygnosis artist Jim Bowers noting that the song was chosen “because of the pace of it really fitting with the action on screen.”{{Cite web |last=Dylan Wray |first=Daniel |date=2024-04-02 |title=Wipeout: The Story of the World's First Rave-Inspired Video Game |url=https://mixmag.net/feature/wipeout-first-rave-inspired-video-game-dance-music-soundtrack-designers-republic-psygnosis |access-date=2024-12-07 |website=Mixmag}}

Composer Tim Wright, also known as CoLD SToRAGE, was brought on to create the game’s music but initially struggled to adapt his synth-pop background to the "future UK" sound of big beat and techno envisioned by the team.{{Cite web |date=2014-04-01 |title=Playstation Classics: The People Behind the Music – Part 2: Tim Wright |url=https://wavepublication.wordpress.com/2014/04/01/playstation-classics-the-people-behind-the-music-part-2-tim-wright/ |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=Wave}} This style, characterised by heavy loops and basslines, breakbeats, big beats, and dramatic builds and drops, was key to evoking the energy of rave culture. To craft this sound, Wright used sample CDs popular among top producers of the time and synthesisers like the Roland JD-800 to produce the heavy, distorted beats and sounds that characterised the game's soundtrack.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nwWpQJFGp8 |title=Wipeout 2097: The Making of an Iconic PlayStation Soundtrack - Noclip Documentary |date=2024-06-11 |last=Noclip - Video Game Documentaries |access-date=2024-12-05 |via=YouTube}} Team members also took him to nightclubs to immerse him in the environment that inspired the game’s aesthetic.

Despite initial reluctance from record companies to work with the gaming industry, Wipeout’s PlayStation version featured music from notable electronic artists including Leftfield, The Chemical Brothers, and Orbital. Burcombe had hoped to commission The Prodigy to compose an original track for the game, but they declined to participate. Instead, Orbital contributed "Wipeout (P.E.T.R.O.L)." These tracks, combined with the game’s visual style, became a central feature and enhanced its appeal to a young, club-going audience.{{Cite web |last=Levin |first=Harry |date=2023-11-22 |title=The Rave & Video Game Legacy of CoLD SToRAGE's wipE'out" Soundtrack |url=https://www.beatportal.com/articles/122239-the-rave-video-game-legacy-of-cold-storages-wipeout-soundtrack |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=Beatportal}}

The game’s advertising reinforced this connection to club culture, depicting players continuing the party atmosphere at home with Wipeout and positioning it as the “afterparty” game.{{Cite web |last=H.J. |first=Jordan |date=2021-10-10 |title=The Controversial WipEout Poster |url=https://www.voletic.com/articles/the-controversial-wipeout-poster/ |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=Voletic}}{{tracklist

| headline = Track listing for European PlayStation version

| extra_column = Performer

| title1 = Data Track

| extra1 = No Artist

| title2 = Cairodrome

| extra2 = CoLD SToRAGE

| length2 = 5:15

| title3 = Cardinal Dancer

| extra3 = CoLD SToRAGE

| length3 = 5:22

| title4 = Cold Comfort

| extra4 = CoLD SToRAGE

| length4 = 5:05

| title5 = DOH-T

| extra5 = CoLD SToRAGE

| length5 = 5:15

| title6 = Messij

| extra6 = CoLD SToRAGE

| length6 = 5:16

| title7 = Operatique

| extra7 = CoLD SToRAGE

| length7 = 5:18

| title8 = Tentative

| extra8 = CoLD SToRAGE

| length8 = 5:26

| title9 = Transvaal

| extra9 = CoLD SToRAGE

| length9 = 5:07

| title10 = Afro Ride

| extra10 = Leftfield

| length10 = 6:26

| title11 = Chemical Beats

| extra11 = The Chemical Brothers

| length11 = 4:52

| title12 = Wipeout (P.E.T.R.O.L)

| extra12 = Orbital

| length12 = 6:15

}}

{{tracklist

| headline = Track listing for North American PlayStation version

| extra_column = Performer

| title1 = Data Track

| extra1 = No Artist

| title2 = Cairodrome

| extra2 = CoLD SToRAGE

| length2 = 5:15

| title3 = Cardinal Dancer

| extra3 = CoLD SToRAGE

| length3 = 5:22

| title4 = Cold Comfort

| extra4 = CoLD SToRAGE

| length4 = 5:05

| title5 = DOH-T

| extra5 = CoLD SToRAGE

| length5 = 5:15

| title6 = Messij

| extra6 = CoLD SToRAGE

| length6 = 5:16

| title7 = Operatique

| extra7 = CoLD SToRAGE

| length7 = 5:18

| title8 = Tentative

| extra8 = CoLD SToRAGE

| length8 = 5:26

| title9 = Transvaal

| extra9 = CoLD SToRAGE

| length9 = 5:07

}}

{{tracklist

| headline = Track listing for European Saturn version

| extra_column = Performer

| title1 = Data Track

| extra1 = No Artist

| title2 = Cairodrome

| extra2 = CoLD SToRAGE

| length2 = 5:15

| title3 = Cardinal Dancer

| extra3 = CoLD SToRAGE

| length3 = 5:22

| title4 = Cold Comfort

| extra4 = CoLD SToRAGE

| length4 = 5:05

| title5 = DOH-T

| extra5 = CoLD SToRAGE

| length5 = 5:15

| title6 = Messij

| extra6 = CoLD SToRAGE

| length6 = 5:16

| title7 = Operatique

| extra7 = CoLD SToRAGE

| length7 = 5:18

| title8 = Tentative

| extra8 = CoLD SToRAGE

| length8 = 5:26

| title9 = Transvaal

| extra9 = CoLD SToRAGE

| length9 = 5:07

| title10 = Brickbat

| extra10 = Rob Lord & Mark Bandola

| length10 = 5:59

| title11 = Planet 9

| extra11 = Rob Lord & Mark Bandola

| length11 = 4:43

| title12 = Poison

| extra12 = Rob Lord & Mark Bandola

| length12 = 5:18

}}

{{tracklist

| headline = Track listing for Wipeout: The Music LP

| extra_column = Performer

| title1 = Afro Ride

| note1 = Afro-Left, 1995

| writer1 = Neil Barnes, Paul Daley, Neil Cole

| extra1 = Leftfield

| length1 = 4:24

| title2 = Chemical Beats

| note2 = from Exit Planet Dust, 1995

| writer2 = Tom Rowlands, Ed Simons

| extra2 = Chemical Brothers

| length2 = 4:50

| title3 = Blue Monday (Hardfloor Mix)

| note3 = from Blue Monday-95, 1995

| writer3 = Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris, Gillian Gilbert

| extra3 = New Order

| length3 = 8:34

| title4 = The Age of Love (Jam & Spoon Mix)

| writer4 = Bruno Sanchioni, Giuseppe Cherchia

| extra4 = Age of Love

| length4 = 6:45

| title5 = Wipeout (P.E.T.R.O.L)

| note5 = from In Sides, 1996

| writer5 = P & P Hartnoll

| extra5 = Orbital

| length5 = 6:15

| title6 = One Love (Edit)

| note6 = from Music for the Jilted Generation, 1994

| writer6 = Liam Howlett

| extra6 = The Prodigy

| length6 = 3:53

| title7 = La Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh) (Dust Brothers Mix)

| note7 = from Gold Against the Soul, 1993

| writer7 = Nicky Wire, Richey James

| extra7 = Manic Street Preachers

| length7 = 6:13

| title8 = When (K-Klass Pharmacy Mix)

| writer8 = Lucia Holm, Paul Carnell

| extra8 = Sunscreem

| length8 = 8:39

| title9 = Good Enough (Geminis Psychosis Mix)

| writer9 = L. Cittadini, M. Braghieri

| extra9 = B.B. feat Angie Brown

| length9 = 8:54

| title10 = Circus Bells (Hardfloor Remix)

| writer10 = R. Armani

| extra10 = Robert Armani

| length10 = 8:58

| title11 = Captain Dread

| note11 = from Second Light, 1995

| writer11 = G. Roberts, Irvine, McGlynn

| extra11 = Dreadzone

| length11 = 5:24

| title12 = Transamazonia (Deep Dish Rockit Express Dub Mix)

| writer12 = Colin Angus, Richard West

| extra12 = The Shamen

| length12 = 4:21

}}

{{Video game reviews

| CVG = 96% (PS1){{cite magazine |title=The Computer and Video Games Christmas Buyers Guide |magazine=Computer and Video Games |publisher=EMAP |issue=170 (January 1996) |date=10 December 1995 |pages=8–9 |url=https://archive.org/details/Computer_and_Video_Games_Issue_170_1996-01_EMAP_Images_GB/page/n7/mode/2up}}

| Edge = {{Rating|8|10}} (PS1)

| EGM = 7.125/10 (SAT)

| IGN = 8/10 (PS1)

| NGen = {{rating|5|5}} (PS1)
{{rating|4|5}} (SAT)

| rev1 = Maximum

| rev1Score = {{rating|5|5}} (PS1)
{{rating|4|5}} (SAT)

| Allgame = {{Rating|3.5|5}} (PS1){{cite web |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=2359&tab=review |title=Wipeout - Review |website=Allgame |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115004111/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=2359&tab=review |archive-date=15 November 2014 |url-status=dead}}

| rev2 = CD Player

| rev2Score = 8/10 (PS1){{Cite journal |date=January 1996 |title=Wipeout Review |url=https://archive.org/details/CDPlayer0196/page/n53/mode/2up |journal=CD Player |language=German |access-date=April 13, 2022}}

| Fam = 30/40 (PS1)https://web.archive.org/web/20130627175348/https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=11827
31/40 (SAT){{cite web | url=https://retoro.g-player.com/segasatern/action/race.html | title=セガサターンレースゲーム一覧 }}

}}

Upon release, the game was critically acclaimed. IGN staff praised the game for its originality and unique techno soundtrack, but criticised the difficulty with manoeuvring the vehicles and also the difficulty of the game itself, stating that "there aren't nearly enough competitors" and that the player would have "[pulled] ahead of the other racers with no problem".{{cite web|title=Wipeout review|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/1996/11/27/wipeout|website=IGN|access-date=6 August 2014|date=26 November 1996}} Edge cited that it was hard to criticise "such a beautifully realised and well-produced game which [exploited] the PlayStation's power so well", but did show similar concerns over the game's longevity regarding its "reliance on track-based power-ups" that would "limit Wipeout's lifespan" in comparison to Super Mario Kart.{{cite web|title=Wipeout Review – Edge Online|date=24 August 1995|url=http://www.edge-online.com/review/wipeout-review/|website=Edge Online|publisher=Edge UK|access-date=21 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130621052809/http://www.edge-online.com/review/wipeout-review/|archive-date=21 June 2013}} GamePro gave the PlayStation version a rave review, predicting that "Wipeout's taut action and grueling courses will lure many diehard racing fans to this new system." They particularly praised the challenging gameplay and precise controls. They said the fact that multiplayer is only through the PlayStation Link Cable is the game's one major flaw, since the PlayStation still had a low installed base at this point and thus this would not be an option for most players.{{cite magazine|title=ProReview: Wipeout|magazine=GamePro|issue=86|publisher=IDG|date=November 1995|page=52}} A reviewer for Next Generation applauded the stylish and detailed visuals, the "heart-pounding soundtrack", and particularly the exhilarating feel of the racing. He commented that the controls have a potentially frustrating learning curve but are worth mastering, and deemed the game "A new high-water mark".{{cite journal|title=Classic |journal=Next Generation|issue=11|publisher=Imagine Media|date=November 1995|page=169}} Maximum opined that of all the games in the PlayStation's European launch line-up, "not one title can match up to the awesome nature of Psygnosis' WipeOut. It's an amazing spectacle to behold, it sounds absolutely fantastic and it's the best playing racing game yet beheld on a next generation super console." Making particular note of the lack of pop-up, the coherent style and concept, the soundtrack, the unlockable Rapier mode, and the PAL optimisation,{{cite journal|title=Maximum Reviews: Wipeout|journal=Maximum: The Video Game Magazine|issue=1|publisher=Emap International Limited|date=October 1995|pages=148–9}} they gave it their "Maximum Game of the Month" award.{{cite journal|title=The Essential Buyers Guide|journal=Maximum: The Video Game Magazine|issue=1|publisher=Emap International Limited|date=October 1995|page=141}}

The later Saturn version also received generally positive reviews, though most critics agreed that it was inferior to the PlayStation version. In Sega Saturn Magazine, Rad Automatic praised the large number of tracks and the distinctive flavour of each one, and remarked that the gameplay is very easy to get into but provides more than enough challenge. He criticised it as not being as good as the PlayStation version, though he noted that none of the shortcomings impact the gameplay.{{cite journal|last=Automatic |first=Rad |title=Review: Wipeout|journal=Sega Saturn Magazine|issue=6|publisher=Emap International Limited|date=April 1996|pages=70–71}} The four reviewers from Electronic Gaming Monthly similarly praised the number and variety of tracks along with the strong challenge the game presented, and were much more approving of the graphics than Sega Saturn Magazine, describing them as "vibrant" and "gorgeous".{{cite magazine|title=Review Crew: Wipeout|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|issue=84|publisher=Ziff Davis|date=July 1996|page=35}} A Next Generation critic said that while the graphics are slightly less sharp and the controls feel different, the Saturn version is essentially the same game as the PlayStation version.{{cite magazine|title=A Close Call |magazine=Next Generation|issue=19|publisher=Imagine Media |date=July 1996|page=78}} Both Air Hendrix of GamePro and a reviewer for Maximum argued that the Saturn version is noticeably not as polished as the PlayStation version but still excellent in absolute terms, making it a pointless purchase for PlayStation owners but recommended for Saturn-only players.{{cite magazine|title=ProReview: Wipeout|magazine=GamePro|issue=94|publisher=IDG|date=July 1996|page=68}}{{cite journal|title=Maximum Reviews: Wipeout|journal=Maximum: The Video Game Magazine|issue=5 |publisher=Emap International Limited|date=April 1996|page=148}} In 1996, GamesMaster ranked the PlayStation version 41st on their "Top 100 Games of All Time."{{Cite journal |date=July 1996 |title=Top 100 Games of All Time |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/c/cf/GamesMaster_UK_044.pdf |journal=GamesMaster |issue=44 |pages=76}}

The game's initial success led to Psygnosis developing several sequels which would later become part of the Wipeout franchise. A direct sequel, Wipeout 2097, was released for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn in 1996, which was met with positive reviews, especially aimed towards the vastly improved game engine and new physics the game offered.{{cite web | url=http://www.edge-online.com/features/making-wipeout/ | title=The Making Of: Wipeout | publisher=Future plc | work=Edge | date=24 February 2013 | access-date=14 February 2017 | author=Edge staff writers|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510073124/http://www.edge-online.com/features/making-wipeout/|archive-date=10 May 2013}} A Nintendo 64 spin-off, Wipeout 64, was released in 1998 and was met with considerable praise from critics, but was noted to be too similar to the original Wipeout.{{cite web|title=Wipeout 64 overview and ranking|url=http://www.nintendojo.com/archives/reviews/N64/view_item.php?961776000 |website=Nintendojo|access-date=25 August 2014}}

Wipeout has been described as being synonymous with Sony's debut gaming hardware and as an early showcase for 3D graphics in console gaming.{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2014-20-years-of-playstation-the-making-of-wipeout|title=20 years of PlayStation: the making of WipEout|last=Leadbetter |first=Richard |date=4 December 2014|work=Eurogamer|publisher=Gamer Network|access-date=11 December 2014}} It has since been re-released as a downloadable game for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable via the PlayStation Network in 2007,{{cite web|date=10 March 2007|last=Black|first=Jared|url=http://psp.vggen.com/news/news.php?id=4182|publisher=VGGen|title=News – WipEout Races to PSP via PS3|access-date=30 December 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091028210317/http://psp.vggen.com/news/news.php?id=4182|archive-date=28 October 2009}}{{cite web|date=15 June 2007|url=http://threespeech.com/blog/2007/06/ps-store-release-dates-confirmation/|title=PS Store Release Dates Confirmation|publisher=Three Speech: Semi-Official PlayStation Blog|access-date=30 December 2014 |archive-date=3 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140503194004/http://threespeech.com/blog/2007/06/ps-store-release-dates-confirmation/|url-status=dead}} and then in 2011 on Xperia Play via the PlayStation Pocket service.{{Cite web |last=Silversides |first=Nick |date=13 July 2011 |title=WipEout Now Available On The Xperia PLAY |url=https://www.theaveragegamer.com/2011/07/13/wipeout-now-available-on-the-xperia-play/ |access-date=2024-07-24 |website=The Average Gamer |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=McFerran |first=Damien |date=14 July 2011 |title=WipEout |url=https://www.pocketgamer.com/wipeout/wipeout-xperia-play-review/ |access-date=25 July 2024 |website=Pocket Gamer |language=en}}

The game's soundtrack and musical sensibility is credited with exposing millions to underground club and rave music and inaugurating a new era of music in video games.{{cite web |last1=Levin |first1=Harry |title=The Rave & Video Game Legacy of CoLD SToRAGE's wipE'out" Soundtrack |url=https://www.beatportal.com/features/the-rave-video-game-legacy-of-cold-storages-wipeout-soundtrack/ |website=Beatportal |access-date=12 January 2024 |date=22 November 2023}} In 2021, Mat Ombler wrote that the game "brought the nightclub experience into bedrooms and living rooms across the globe."{{cite news |last1=Ombler |first1=Mat |title='Tony Hawk's Pro Skater' Exposed Millions to Punk. 'Wipeout' Did the Same for Rave |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/xgxj7w/tony-hawks-pro-skater-exposed-millions-to-punk-wipeout-did-the-same-for-dance-music |access-date=12 January 2024 |work=Vice Magazine |date=29 September 2021}} Writer Adam Ismail described Wipeout as a "cultural force," a game "where the music and visual style were as crucial—if not, arguably more so—than the physical experience of actually playing it."{{cite news |last1=Ismail |first1=Adam |title=Wipeout, the Coolest Racing Game of the '90s, Is Playable in Your Browser Right Now: Wipeout wasn't just a racing game—it was a cultural landmark for cutting edge art and music |url=https://www.thedrive.com/news/playstation-wipeout-coolest-racing-game-of-90s-is-playable-in-browser-now |access-date=12 January 2024 |work=The Drive |date=15 August 2023}} In 2023, CoLD SToRAGE's soundtrack was remastered, rereleased, and pressed onto vinyl for the first time, with added remixes from contemporary electronic artists such as Kode9 and μ-Ziq.{{cite web |last1=Jarman |first1=Casey |title=How CoLD SToRAGE's "Wipeout" Score Steered Video Game Music Into the Millennium |url=https://daily.bandcamp.com/features/cold-storage-wipeout-the-zero-gravity-collection-interview |website=Bandcamp Daily |access-date=12 January 2024 |date=21 November 2023}} The soundtrack, especially its use of tracks by popular contemporary artists, has been credited with prompting gaming developers to allot greater importance to the music in their games.{{cite magazine |title=The Future Sound of Game Music |magazine=Next Generation|issue=24 |publisher=Imagine Media|date=December 1996|page=85|quote=Videogames and contemporary music have now officially met, shaken hands, and declared their respect for each other. This is good news for gamers as, post-Wipeout, developers have finally realized that the right music can be used to enrich the gaming experience.}}

Wipeout's visual identity, graphic design, logos, and typography made by The Designers Republic have been credited as a significant achievement in both game and design history.{{cite web |last1=Morley |first1=Pete |title=On how the Designers Republic sculpted childhoods |date=19 June 2018 |url=https://typeface.agency/on-how-the-designers-republic-sculpted-childhoods/ |access-date=12 January 2024}}{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Graham |title=WipEout Logo History 1995-2017, Making of the Wipeout Logo Design Plus Various In-game Graphics by Designers Republic and Fans |url=https://imjustcreative.com/wipeout-logo-history/2023/01/18 |website=Smithographic |date=18 January 2023 |publisher=The Logo Smith |access-date=12 January 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Tucker |first1=Emma |title=An oral history of Wipeout |url=https://www.creativereview.co.uk/an-oral-history-of-wipeout/ |access-date=12 January 2024 |work=Creative Review |date=11 June 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Plunkett |first1=Luke |title=The Making Of Wipeout's Logo, An All-Time Classic |url=https://www.kotaku.com.au/2019/04/the-making-of-wipeouts-logo-an-all-time-classic/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423115953/https://www.kotaku.com.au/2019/04/the-making-of-wipeouts-logo-an-all-time-classic/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=23 April 2019 |access-date=12 January 2024 |work=Kotaku |date=23 April 2019}} In 2016, game journalist Luke Plunkett wrote "the visual influence the game has had is staggering" and "its bright, neo-Tokyo style still being admired today (you can see echoes of it in everything from Mass Effect to Mario Kart 8 to Destiny)."{{cite news |last1=Plunkett |first1=Luke |title=WipeOut Was One Of The Coolest Games Ever Made |url=https://kotaku.com/wipeout-had-some-of-gamings-coolest-branding-1783707474 |access-date=12 January 2024 |work=Kotaku |date=14 July 2016}} In 2023, an art book entitled WipEout: Futurism was announced to be published in 2024, focused on commemorating the game's artistic and graphic style.{{cite news |last1=Plunkett |first1=Luke |title=New Book Reminds Us That WipeOut Remains The Coolest Video Game Ever Released |url=https://aftermath.site/new-book-reminds-us-that-wipeout-remains-the-coolest-video-game-ever-released |access-date=12 January 2024 |work=Aftermath |date=22 November 2023}}{{cite news |last1=Gardner |first1=Matt |title='WipEout: Futurism' Promises Perfect Book For Pioneering Racing Game |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattgardner1/2023/11/21/wipeout-futurism-promises-a-beautiful-book-for-a-stunning-cult-game/ |access-date=12 January 2024 |work=Forbes |date=21 November 2023}}

The source code for the PlayStation and the Windows versions of the game was leaked on 27 March, 2022 by the video game preservation group Forest of Illusion.{{cite web |last1=Murray |first1=Sean |title=Source Code For The Original Wipeout Released |url=https://www.thegamer.com/wipeout-source-code-released/ |website=TheGamer |publisher=Valnet Inc. |access-date=25 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220328124859/https://www.thegamer.com/wipeout-source-code-released/ |archive-date=28 March 2022 |date=22 March 2022 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last1=Wright |first1=Steven |title=PlayStation classic Wipeout source code released by archivists |url=https://nc.inputmag.com/gaming/playstation-classic-wipeout-source-code-released-archivists |website=Input |publisher=Bustle Digital Group |access-date=25 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230825134532/https://nc.inputmag.com/gaming/playstation-classic-wipeout-source-code-released-archivists |archive-date=25 August 2023 |date=29 March 2022 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last1=Banerjee |first1=Sampad |title=Original PS1 WipEout's Source Code Released Online by Game Preservationists |url=https://gamingbolt.com/original-ps1-wipeouts-source-code-released-online-by-game-preservationists |website=GamingBolt |access-date=25 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706004802/https://gamingbolt.com/original-ps1-wipeouts-source-code-released-online-by-game-preservationists |archive-date=6 July 2022 |date=30 March 2022 |url-status=live}} Based on this leaked code, there were two source ports by enthusiasts: WipeOut Phantom Edition for Microsoft Windows, which is closed source{{cite web |last1=Jarvis |first1=Matt |title=WipeOut Phantom Edition finally gives the PlayStation racing classic the PC remaster it deserves, thanks to one fan |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/wipeout-phantom-edition-finally-gives-the-playstation-racing-classic-the-pc-remaster-it-deserves-thanks-to-one-fan |website=Rock, Paper, Shotgun |publisher=Gamer Network |access-date=25 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720070745/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/wipeout-phantom-edition-finally-gives-the-playstation-racing-classic-the-pc-remaster-it-deserves-thanks-to-one-fan |archive-date=20 July 2023 |date=17 July 2023 |url-status=live}} and wipEout Rewrite for Windows, macOS, Linux and WebAssembly by Dominic Szablewski, which is source-available.{{cite web |last1=Purdy |first1=Kevin |title=Leaked Wipeout source code leads to near-total rewrite and remaster |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2023/08/developer-rewrites-original-wipeout-from-abysmal-leaked-windows-source/ |website=Ars Technica |publisher=Condé Nast |access-date=25 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230825003906/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2023/08/developer-rewrites-original-wipeout-from-abysmal-leaked-windows-source/ |archive-date=25 August 2023 |date=24 August 2023 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last1=Middler |first1=Jordan |title=A new fan-made port of Wipeout can be played in a web browser |url=https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/a-new-fan-made-port-of-wipeout-can-be-played-in-a-web-browser/ |website=Video Games Chronicle |publisher=Gamer Network |access-date=25 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230813100250/https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/a-new-fan-made-port-of-wipeout-can-be-played-in-a-web-browser/ |archive-date=13 August 2023 |date=10 August 2023 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last1=Dinsdale |first1=Ryan |title=Wipeout Fan Ports Classic Game to PC, Tells PlayStation to Shut It Down and Make a Real Remaster |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/wipeout-fan-ports-classic-game-to-pc-tells-playstation-to-shut-it-down-and-make-a-real-remaster |website=IGN |publisher=Ziff Davis |access-date=25 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230814130139/https://www.ign.com/articles/wipeout-fan-ports-classic-game-to-pc-tells-playstation-to-shut-it-down-and-make-a-real-remaster |archive-date=14 August 2023 |date=11 August 2023 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last1=Gach |first1=Ethan |title=Fan Ports PlayStation Classic, Dares Sony To Shut Him Down And Make Its Own |url=https://kotaku.com/sony-playstation-wipeout-remaster-free-pc-port-ps-plus-1850728999 |website=Kotaku |publisher=G/O Media |access-date=25 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230819074722/https://kotaku.com/sony-playstation-wipeout-remaster-free-pc-port-ps-plus-1850728999 |archive-date=19 August 2023 |date=11 August 2023 |url-status=live}}

{{notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

;Video game

• [http://www.mobygames.com/game/wipeout Wipeout] at MobyGames
• {{official website|https://web.archive.org/web/19961022191554/http://www.psygnosis.com/games/wipeout.html}} (archived)

;Soundtrack

• [http://www.discogs.com/release/71245 European PlayStation edition] at Discogs
• [http://www.discogs.com/release/739228 North American PlayStation "Greatest Hits" reissue] at Discogs
• [http://www.discogs.com/release/374217 Sega Saturn edition] at Discogs
• [https://www.discogs.com/Various-wipEout-The-Music/release/12591 Wipeout: The Music LP] at Discogs
• [https://coldstorage.bandcamp.com/album/slipstream-volume-one Listen to Wipeout music tracks by CoLD SToRAGE] on Bandcamp

{{Wipeout series|state=expanded}}

{{Psygnosis}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1995 video games

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Category:DOS games

Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games

Category:PlayStation (console) games

Category:Racing video games

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Category:Sega Saturn games

Category:Video games scored by Tim Wright (Welsh musician)

Category:Video games developed in the United Kingdom

Category:Video games set in the 2050s

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Category:Wipeout (video game series)

Category:Psygnosis games