Wipeout source code released by Forest of Illusion to the public

Alicia Graves March 28, 2022

Forest of Illusion, a preservation archival group, announced yesterday that they had released the source code for Wipeout, the futuristic racing game set in 2052. Originally released in 1995 on the PlayStation and MS-DOS, Wipeout was later ported to the SEGA Saturn in 1996. The game was a launch game for the PlayStation in Europe. In 2007, it was included as part of the PlayStation Network.

Wipeout was an interesting mixture of racing in anti-gravity tracks with futuristic racers that gave the player a peek into what the world might look like in 2052, and club music. Psygnosis, developer and publisher behind Wipeout, were very clever in marketing the game to an older audience, one who might hit the dance clubs on the weekend, instead of couch gaming. Teaming up with The Designers Republic, a design company known for its outspoken and flashy work, Wipeout had a fantastic visual flair. GTA would get the same treatment from The Designers Republic a few years later.

Drawing in a new crowd

Adding in EDM tracks from non-mainstream artists, including CoLD SToRAGE, Orbital, and The Chemical Brothers, gave the soundtrack the beats needed to reel in that older audience. The result was Wipeout becoming a game played in clubs, and a whole line of club wear.

The cult classic film “Hackers” featured the beta form of the game. As a result, PlayStation took notice and ultimately bought the studio.

Unfortunately, after PlayStation had moved into the PS2 era, Wipeout and its first sequels died out. In its place, a franchise was born. The games now number in the double digits. The latest release in the series was the Wipeout Omega Collection for the PS4 in 2017.

Therefore, the release of the original source code is a first step in preserving Wipeout for possible future redevelopment. However, Forest of Illusion noted on their website that “it is currently unknown if these sources are fully buildable.”

For those interested in the source code, it is downloadable on Forest of Illusion’s website.