PQube and Bigben Interactive announced today they are getting ready to release Flatout 4: Total Insanity. The racing slash destruction game is going to be here before anyone’s expectations. The game will be coming to the PS4 and Xbox One in March.

The companies have said in their official announcement the newest title is going to be combining the aspects of the series that are much loved, with new gameplay features that will bring the franchise into the current generation of consoles.

“FlatOut 4: Total Insanity is a return to the franchise’s adrenaline-pumping arcade destruction roots. Featuring an exciting blend of white knuckle speed and wild out-of-control racing tracks, FlatOut 4 promises an intense death-defying demolition derby game featuring muscle cars, race cars, trucks and even a rocket boosted ice cream van!,” the company said in its recent release. The following features are said to be in the game:

• 27 customizable cars, including tributes to fan favorites and new additions to the garage.
• 20 Tracks including traditional derby racing, time trials, arenas, assault levels, Carnage levels and much more.
• High speed collisions in fully destructible environments.
• The legendary Stunt Mode: a mix of six new stunts and six re-imagined classic stunts where the driver is flung through the windshield.
• Arena Mode: featuring 3 different game play styles – Death Match, Capture the Flag, Survivor.
• New Assault Mode: use deadly weapons to slow or destroy your opponents!
• Up to 8 players Online Mode and play locally with friends in a series of stunts.

A FlatOut game specifically geared towards the current generation of consoles and technology was announced on Wednesday. The makers of the original game, Strategy First made the announcement thanks to a partnership with Kylotonn Entertainment. This latest entry into the demolition derby and race style game is going to be made available for both the Xbox One and the PS4 as well as the PC.

During the announcement, the company said that this is their most ambitious undertaking in the now long running FlatOut series. Because of this, they want to get the community involved in the process. As of today, there is no explanation as to what that could mean but the firms say they will be telling potential fans of the game how they can get involved soon. One has to wonder whether that community involvement is going to mean there are going to be a number of open betas, or whether some sort of crowdfunding might be in the works.

Crowdfunding through sites like Kickstarter has been a staple in recent years for indie game companies to generate revenue for construction of their games. Most recently, Sony announced Shenmue 3 at this year’s E3 while also announcing they had launched a Kickstarter to fund the game. Stretch goals and other bonuses have been included for those who donate their money towards the development of that project. We don’t know whether that kind of strategy is in the offing for the new FlatOut as details are sketchy. We do know the newest FlatOut is expected sometime next year.

Bugbear Entertainment’s crowd-funded Next Car Game has been making significant progress in the past few months and finally has an official name. It’s now called Wreckfest and the Flatout developer prefaced the announcement by quoting Urban Dictionary:

“Mostly common in racing series such as NASCAR and Formula 1 (aka F1). This happens on some tracks during races where the cars are close together and drivers misjudge how close the cars are. Thus, resulting in one big wreck after another.

“As Wreckfest is all about the madness of colliding cars at breakneck speeds, a term describing the glory of tearing metal is nothing if not apt.”

Wreckfest is available through Steam Early Access and has currently reached Build 6. This includes a new car, better suspension physics, a new track and multiplayer for up to 18 players. What are your thoughts on the new name? Let us know in the comments below and check out the full list of new features in the latest build here.