It’s a race gamer’s ultimate fantasy: to compete against someone like Michael Schumacher. That fantasy will become reality when the Dutch firm of iOpener BV releases its real-time racing game, which pits gamers against real Formula 1 drivers. “We install a satellite receiver in a racing car to determine the location and speed of the car during a race. We then use this data in a game so that gamers can compete online and in real time,” explains Andy Lurling of iOpener BV. The European Space Agency (ESA) is playing a prominent role in the game, because the company will be using the Galileo satellite navigation system. Although the game is not due to be released until 2008, the prospects are already promising. “We’ve had enthusiastic responses from game producers, the racing world and from gamers, of course. They’re calling it the next generation in real-time online gaming,” says Lurling.

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