Rumours and speculation have begun to spread around the web that one of the assumed launch titles for Xbox 360 will not be in actual fact a launch title at all. A report on Xbox community site Talk Xbox has described a recent visit to EA and mentioned that, "…everyone there at EAX Canada doesn’t expect PGR3 to make launch…Microsoft has apparently been giving EA all the help they can give with getting Most Wanted out at launch (which they are on track to do), and they wouldn’t be doing that as much as they are if they had their own racing game ready for launch. Also, PGR3 is very ambitious, and from what they’ve seen it won’t make launch."

Whilst this is certainly hearsay at this stage with the Microsoft mantra “we [Microsoft] can’t comment on rumour and speculation” ringing in our ears, if Project Gotham Racing 3 turns out to miss the Xbox 360 launch it will mean that the next-gen console will be relying on third-party titles as well as Kameo and Perfect Dark Zero from recently underachieving Microsoft Game Studios developer, Rare.

With no Halo 3 to form a launch pad for the system this year, and the prospect of PGR3 coming in a second wave of Xbox 360 titles (which will include the highly anticipated Gears of War – also a Microsoft Game Studios title) the weight of responsibility on Rare’s shoulders is not to be underestimated. Having said that the developer has an illustrious history so if the rumour does turn out to be correct, Rare are sure to rise to the challenge (we hope).

We’ll have more news on the situation in the coming weeks…