Spencer from Siliconera snapped the above pic, and while it doesn't actually show the date clearly (it's the fuzzy bit of text next to the Sega logo), we'll take his word for it. January being only a week away and all, that means the longest you'll be waiting for 2009's driftiest arcade racer is five weeks!

Outrun Online Arcade Zooms Into January [Siliconera]

Called OutRun Online Arcade, Sumo are on development duties, with the game due to hit both Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network in "early 2009". The game brings the handling and sexy minigames of the 2003 version to the courses of the original, with a dash of HD thrown in for good measure.

No mention of price just yet, but it'll support up to six players online.

The last entry, OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast, hit the PlayStation 2, PSP, Xbox and Windows PCs. Whatever OutRun Online Arcade is — we see no mention of it in our web snooping — we hope it showers us with magical sound.

OutRun Online Arcade [OFLC]

In Jeffery's defense, the man isn't in human resources. And no one wants a second visit from Sega of Japan's correction ninja squad. They'll cut ya.

Jeffery: Yu Suzuki Still With Sega As 'Creative Officer' [Gamasutra]

Perhaps no longer. You can grab an official record this coming Thursday if you live in, or can get to, Brooklyn, N.Y. — and have mad skills in one of five classic arcade games. Guinness World Records is hosting a competition to coincide with the release of its inagural Gamers' Edition.

The five titles up for grabs:

• Fastest Time to Beat Five Boards on Ms. Pac Man
• Fastest Time to Beat Five Boards on Tapper
• Highest Out-Run Score
• Highest Ghosts 'n Goblins Score
• Highest Donkey Kong Score Without Using the Hammer

I like how the records are some feat within the play of the regular game — except for Ghosts 'n Goblins, which is so goddamn impossible that just getting the all time highest score is badass enough. Arcade-History.com says the record is 811,000 points. Good luck with that.

A news release advises that "the public at large is invited to try their hand at the joystick of destiny," provided you're 21 or over and have an ID. (Barcade is, well, a bar.) The event is 7:30 pm Thursday, April 10, and the location is 388 Union Ave., Brooklyn, NY.

Mega arcade chain GameWorks is testing out a couple of pretty neat new(ish) arcade machine. Las Vegas, Detroit and Chicago will be the first locations in the country to get the new OutRun 2 SP SDX Driving machines and the Vegas location is also receiving a Virtual Bowling by Brunswick machine.

OutRun 2 SP SDX Driving sounds like a pretty cool concept. The racer comes with a 50-inch screen and full motion as well as a new style of multiplayer gaming. In the game, two players sit side-by-side in a single cabinet that comes with two steering wheels, brake and gas pedals. The control of the car on the course is determined by whichever player is the better driver. As soon as one of the players hits a wall or crashes, control switches to the other gamer. This happens throughout the game.

The game also comes equipped with a bulletin board for tracking rankings during gameplay and cameras which transmit players onto a monitor. The new OutRun comes with the previous game's 10 cars (F40, F50, Enzo, 360 Spider, Testarossa, 288 GTO, Dino 246 GTS and 365 GTS/4 Daytona) and introduces two new models- the 250 GTO and 512 BB. The only new gameplay element the press release mentions is that you can now slipstream while racing. This sounds like a lot of fun.

I also like the idea of the Virtual Bowling by Brunswick machines. To play you roll a full-sized bowling ball down a shortened lane which detected the speed and direction of the ball as it "enters the virtual world" and shows you how many pins you knocked down. That sounds like something I'm going to have to check out.

Hit the jump for the full press release including details about UFO Catchers, which I personally hate because I totally suck at them. Brian Crecente

SEGA ENTERTAINMENT U.S.A., INC. TO ADD NEW ENTERTAINMENT TO ITS CASUAL DINING BRAND, GAMEWORKS

Glendale, CA- May 25, 2007 - Sega Entertainment U.S.A., Inc's. (SEUI), casual dining brand, GameWorks, will install three different, and very original, gaming attractions to the entertainment mix at its 14 GameWorks locations. The company has added 3 units of the newly released OutRun 2 SP SDX Driving attraction to their Las Vegas, Detroit and Chicago venues, install 84 Sega UFO Catchers throughout the companies US locations and is testing Virtual Bowling by Brunswick as an attraction in Las Vegas.

OUTRUN 2 SP SDX
OutRun 2 SP SDX is a virtual driving experience, combining the exhilaration of the classic OutRun 2 SP game series, with a thrilling 50" big screen cabinet and a full-motion shared driving experience. "We continue to upgrade our
entertainment experience to appeal to a broad audience - everyone who drives or wants to drive. OutRun2 SP SDX is a game the public has been waiting for," said Ben Kitay, President, COO, SEUI. "OutRun SP SDX is the newest offering from our parent company SEGA, so we are excited to be the first location in the US where guests can try the game. Premiering these new game experiences only strengthens our commitment to offering the newest and best gaming attractions in the world."

OutRun 2 SP SDX is a very unique game. In traditional racing games, one player drives the car. In the new version, two players are seated in the car and each has their own steering wheel, break and accelerator. The control of the game is determined by how well a driver maneuvers the course - once they hit a wall or crash, control will immediately shifts to the second player. This will happen for the entire length of the game, and during stage changes as well, sometimes changing player control 6-7 times. Players can easily check their rankings in the middle of the race, through the electrical bulletin board attached to the game. CCD cameras are also installed at each cabinet to take pictures of players, and are then aired on a large monitor. The new edition has 10 cars available for driver selection (F40, F50, Enzo, 360 Spider, Testarossa, 288 GTO, Dino 246 GTS and 365 GTS/4 Daytona) and introduces two new models- the 250 GTO and 512 BB. New advanced playing features include the "slipstream technique", where players can enter another cars slipstream to increase their own speed.

SEGA UFO CATCHERS
First introduced in Japan in 1985, UFO Catchers have become a staple in Japanese culture. The crane type game provides a high level of excitement, and guests odds of walking away with a high end prize are much better than the old-school crane games found in bowling alleys and arcades.

"We've made it easier to win a prize in our UFO catchers - our goal is for the guests to experience the excitement of winning," Kitay said. "We want them to feel they can spend two or three dollars and possibly walk away with the prize they really wanted. We want them to find the game exciting and a great value for their money - which will increase repeat play."

GameWorks will be receiving 84 new units of the SEGA UFO Catcher. In 2006, SEUI tested the UFO Catchers in 7 GameWorks venues with a total of 72 units. The demand for more units was immediate, and guests found the skill-game entertaining and the prize selection unmatched by traditional redemption prizes. Wal-Mart also has the SEGA UFO Catchers in several of its US stores.

VIRTUAL BOWLING by Brunswick
In addition to operating 2 traditional, 10 lane bowling concepts within GameWorks at the Long Beach, CA and Minneapolis, MN locations, SEUI will test the new Virtual Bowling by Brunswick attraction in its GameWorks Las Vegas location.

From Brunswick, Virtual Bowling combines the popularity of traditional bowling with today's high-tech video and simulation attractions. Complete with realistic sounds, bowlers roll a full-sized ball down a shortened lane, where sensors detect the speed and direction of the ball as it enters the virtual world. "Virtual Bowling is perfect for GameWorks in Las Vegas," said Kitay. "It is new and exciting, and it is yet another point-of difference that keeps us in is front of the others in the casual dining and entertainment category in Las Vegas."

Keep in mind, this is the official Euro site, so if you're in North America, don't even bother registering for that arcade cabinet contest. But for our friends across the pond, go nuts and good luck.

The PSP, PC, PS2, and Xbox racing goodness ships in March '06, so start clearing your calendar.

OutRun 2006 Coast 2 Coast Website [Sega]