After its first week out on the market, Colin McRae: DiRT by Codemasters has hit the half-million mark in global sales. The game's demo has been downloaded more than 500,000 times and the actual sales figures are just a shade behind.

Codemasters CEO Rod Cousens comments "This success with DiRT is a text-book case of our product development, marketing and distribution efforts all working together to ignite consumer interest and drive sales."

Cousens also revealed that almost half of the game's first-week sales were from the United States, and said that the distribution is a sign that the DiRT franchise is catching on internationally.

DiRT is available now for the Microsoft Xbox 360 and the PC. A Sony PlayStation 3 version will be released later this year and is also expected to sell well in the platform.

Colin McRae: DIRT is already out for the Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 3 and the PC but the ad campaign is still going like a well-oiled machine and it carries the same off-road attitude that the actual game has. Take a look:

"Who needs roads when there's DiRT," eh? Nice touch. Simple, straight to the point, and relevant. The gaming industry needs more tag lines like that. It's a spark of genius, really.

If you're not familiar with DiRT, it's a rally-style racer which does all its running without roads on gorgeous terrains with beastly machines and no rules. It's just tons and tons of angry iron pushing, climbing and colliding over mud and gravel to see who reigns supreme amidst the fender-bending mayhem.

Still not sure if you want to get some rally racing with DiRT? Get that indecisiveness off track, as this latest entry to the Colin McRae franchise leaves no space for error - unless you intend to see some spectacular crashes.

If you really need an incentive before picking up one of the best racing titles to date, check out this video review from Gametrailers. Featured are DiRT's different aspects, from the awesome looking cars to the extensive rally experience that the game offers. Definitely a step up for Colin Mcrae, this is not something you want to miss.

Find out why on the embed below.

Codemasters has announced that their highly-octane off-road racing game DiRT is shipping to retail outlets nationwide today. The game is now available for the PC and Xbox 360 gaming platforms. DiRT's PS3 version will follow shortly.

DiRT runs on Neon, Codemasters Studios' new proprietary engine, and features an an extensive range of off road and circuit events that expands on point-to-point rally racing gameplay. Players will encounter Hill Climb events, multiple care races using Dakar-style trucks and Crossover circuits and events from the Championship Off-Road Racing series in the U.S.

A playable Xbox 360 demo of the game is also available for download on the Xbox Live Marketplace. For those who want to try out the PC version, a PC demo can be downloaded from http://www.codemasters.com/dirt.

Ain't nothin' like stepping on the gas and blowing by fools on the asphalt especially if your friends happen to be in those opponent cars. Colin McRae: DiRT allows you to do just that and run a race's sweet moments over and over again to either repeatedly gloat at the competition or to just plain watch how your car goes crazy in a crash.

We can tell you what makes this radial-buster's replay system so special but that would just beat the entire purpose of posting this video. Watch here and let the devs themselves fill you in on what's new:

As you probably know by now, Colin McRae: DiRT has been available since May 29 from most major retailers on a pre-order basis. As a special bonus for getting it while it's hot, the fellas at Codemasters will include an access code in the package to grant you access to 10 hidden cars in the game including a feisty Subaru Impreza. Nice way to lure the motor sport fans in.

It seems that Codemasters, the people responsible for the racing game DiRT (also known as Colin McRae Rally 2007, Colin McRae Rally 6, DiRT: Colin McRae Off-Road EU, Colin McRae: DiRT in the UK ...argh so many names!) is trying their best to convince people to get the game early. At the moment they're using ten unlockable cars and exclusive videos of Travis Pastrana as bait.

Beginning May 29 until DiRT's June launch, people who pre-order the game (at places like BestBuy.com, Amazon.com, GameStop/EB and GameCrazy and other retailers) will be given an access code that should allow you to unlock 10 cars in the game.

Included in that Car package are the following: a Subaru Impreza WRX-RA STI version II, a Toyota Celica GT-FOUR, a Peugeot 205 T16, a Lancia Delta S4, an Icker Jimco buggy, a McMillin Racing Car, a Kamaz 4911, a MAN TGA, a Freightliner Century Class S/T, and a Kenworth T2000.

That code will also let you unlock videos of off-road celebrity Travis Pastrana, but we're thinking that you're all probably more interested in the cars... right? Anyhow, Collin McRae: DiRT is set to be released for the Microsoft Xbox 360, the PC, and the Sony PlayStation 3.

Two new videos of Codemaster's Colin McRae: DiRT gameplay joy headed your way. While not as popular as the flashier racing titles that feature the cutting edge of sport cars, the Colin McRae titles have been pretty much the mainstay for fans looking for some down and dirty rally action. And these videos show how much the series have evolved to next-gen.

The first video, Race The Clock, puts you behind the wheel in a full-out race to beat the old ticker. It's worth noting that the gameplay's as smooth as ever, the scenery lush and realistic as it whips by. Some nifty car damage shown, too - namely your windshield shattering into a billion pieces as you engage in a little high-speed fender bender with the track fence.

The second video, Dusty Trails, is pretty much a multi-angle showcase of Colin McRae eye candy, showing off just how the cars - and the tracks - look gorgeous in their next-gen selves. Again, some furious, pedal-to-the-metal action here as well, not to mention some very tempting opportunities to go off-road.

Colin McRae: DiRT is indeed shaping up to be a solid racing title, and a good-looking one at that for the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC. But don't just take our word for it, watch the videos and see for yourself!

The other video after the jump!

 

And so the dirt-flinging action roars to life as Codemasters launches the Colin McRae: DiRT playable demos. For the Xbox 360 version, you can now get it on Xbox Live, while the PC version, with a multiplayer event, is available from the DiRT website, which you may visit via our Read link below.

For both demo versions, the game opens with a Crossover race in a competition against Colin McRae himself. Get ready to careen through the twists and turns of Avelsbachring, Germany with your Subaru Impreza WRX STI spec Cs. After that, it's off to the Bark River Off Road Raceway in Michigan.

From here, the road forks for the Xbox 360 and PC demo editions. Xbox 360 gamers will be wheeled off to a Hill Climb event with a Mitsubishi Evo IX. Hopefully you'll make it unscathed to the top of the 1000 feet Windy Point in Arizona. The PC gamers, meanwhile, will be off to an all-new multiplayer high as they will be pitted against up to 100 players vying for the top spot on the Sardinian rally stage at Mounte di li Conchi.

The actual game of Colin McRae: DIRT will be skidding to a halt atop retail store shelves on June 15, for both the Xbox 360 and PC version.

Can't get enough of the gritty, dirty, and fast racing action of Colin McRae: DiRT? We've got two more gameplay videos to tide you over until release and both feature some good driving on slippery roads.

Colin McRae: DiRT from Codemasters is really looking to impress with amazing graphics and a good ol' mix of technical and fun racing action (judging from the trailers we've seen so far). The first trailer features one of the harder tracks, a hillside full of turns - maybe enough to make one sick - plus the asphalt's wet. That's really scary at insane speeds. Second one takes us to a desert track with loose soil.

If you want to check out how these tracks will look, check out the videos. Colin McRae: DiRT is slated for a summer release for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC.

The other gameplay video right after the jump!

 

A lot of things have been said about the video game Colin McRae DiRT by Codemasters, but it has never been called ugly. We have a lot of new screenshots for the game, and to be honest, it's still as pretty as when we first laid eyes on it.

The screenshots show the superb modeling of the cars. It's so detailed that the small splatters of mud and grime are visible. The lighting looks just about right and the dust effects are beautiful. Now, take your time looking at the shots because judging from the gameplay videos, you won't really have time to admire the graphics when you're playing the game. Be sure to check out the picture of the car crash sequence, it looks great.

The Xbox 360 and PC versions of Colin McRae DiRT are slated to be released this summer. So far, it looks like the game has it going on in spades. We can't say for certain until it's been released and we've tried out the different cars.

  

More screenshots at full article.