Pirelli and Ken Block at the controls of new video game

Jan. 1, 2020

Racer Ken Block and Pirelli have teamed up with video game company Codemasters ?to bring the pavement pounding thrills of Gymkhana to the small screen? with a new driving game called DiRT 3.

Racer Ken Block and Pirelli have teamed up with video game company Codemasters “to bring the pavement pounding thrills of Gymkhana to the small screen” with a new driving game called DiRT 3.

The introduction of Gymkhana Mode to the upcoming DiRT 3 brings the sport popularized by Block to gamers who can now mimic his Gymkhana driving style in addition to the traditional rally racing format that the previous installments included, according to Rafael Navarro III, Pirelli’s director of communications and motorsports.

Block’s Gymkhana viral video series has garnered more than 90 million views online.

The release of Gymkhana THREE Part 2 in 2010 featured the Ford Fiesta Gymkhana car fitted with Pirelli’s P Zero tires. For the new game, Block was able to lend his expertise to the Codemasters Racing Studio as a technical consultant during the development of the game, helping create an experience that embraces the free spirit of Block’s Gymkhana driving style.

“I can remember being in Japan in the 1990’s when the first rally arcade game was introduced, playing it and thinking how cool it was that there was finally a game out for my favorite type of racing,” Block says. “Now, I’m actually in the epitome of rally racing video games. It’s awesome. The thing that makes DiRT 3’s Gymkhana Mode so revolutionary is that it’s the first time where a game isn’t demanding I drive a specific way, it lets me hoon around the way I want. It’s something I’ve always wanted to be able to do in a video game.”

“DiRT 3 is an extraordinary game that lets gamers give it all they have in developing their own winning driving style,” says Navarro.

“Pirelli has a storied history in rallying. We are active in over 20 rally championships worldwide,” he continues, “and have led the way in series from the World Rally Championship to Rally America, Citroen Racing Championship to the X Games and Gymkhana. Being involved in the development of DiRT 3 along with Ken Block is an important step in introducing our brand to more and more potential drivers in the marketplace.”

DiRT 3 is the first driving simulator that doesn’t put an emphasis on everyone driving the same, repetitive lines over and over again. Instead, the focus is on how well one can imitate Gymkhana himself as each player navigates his/her way through Gymkhana Mode’s DC Compound, sliding, jumping and rotating to satisfaction in Block’s own Gymkhana THREE Ford Fiesta fitted with P Zero Trofeo tires.

Users will have access to a selection of other vehicles with which to Gymkhana, along with the ability to play in split- screen mode or online against friends in either a trick-format freestyle mode, or an open joyride mode.

There will also be levels that feature competition events similar to Block’s own Gymkhana Grid competitions and an ability for players to create their own in-game footage highlight reels, similar to the Dirt3 Gymkhana Mode trailer released by Codemasters.

DiRT 3 is slated for release in the spring. Block’s Gymkhana THREE Part 2; Ultimate Playground: l’Autodrome was launched online here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TshFWSsrn8.

For more information, visit www.us.pirelli.com.