Project Gotham Racing Trademark Renewed by Microsoft

With Sony revealing the new DriveClub from Evolution Studios, which tries to bring a social gaming infrastructure to a racing simulator, it was only a matter of time before Microsoft prepared the appropriate response.

It turns out that response already happened well in advance with Project Gotham Racing, whose trademark has been renewed by Microsoft this past January. The critically acclaimed racing simulation series has been developed by Bizarre Creations, with the last game on an Xbox console being Project Gotham Racing 4 on the Xbox 360.

Of course, that was more than 5 years ago. Since then, Microsoft has attained more fame and fortune with Turn 10 Studios’ Forza Motorsport series, and the increasing emphasis on Kinect means that we’re seeing less hardcore franchises than before.

Then again, if Forza benefited from the use of Kinect, who’s to say PGR won’t get the same treatment? Let’s see if this means a new game somewhere down the line.