Wipeout (video game series)

Wipeout (stylised as wipE′out″ or WipEout) is a series of futuristic anti-gravity racing video games created by Psygnosis (later known as Studio Liverpool). Sony Interactive Entertainment owns the series and publishes most of the games.

The series is characterised by its fast-paced gameplay, cutting-edge 3D visuals that maximise the resolution capabilities of the game's console, and its association with electronic dance music, particularly big beat-infused techno and trance. This includes collaborations with prominent electronic artists such as The Chemical Brothers, The Prodigy, Leftfield, Orbital, Underworld, Fluke, and the in-house composer CoLD SToRAGE. Additionally, the series’ graphic design identity—crafted by The Designers Republic for the first three games—helped establish its signature futuristic rave aesthetic.

The concept of Wipeout was first discussed during a pub conversation, when a Psygnosis staff member, Jim Bowers, envisioned creating a futuristic racing game which featured anti-gravity ships. Some game design elements were influenced by Matrix Marauders, a 1990 Amiga game developed by the same Liverpool-based studio. A beta version of Wipeout appeared in the cult film Hackers, in which the protagonists are shown playing the game in a nightclub. This appearance is cited as a catalyst for Sony's acquisition of Psygnosis in the months following the release of Hackers.

The Wipeout franchise has been well received by critics, with Wipeout 2097 in particular being listed among the PlayStation's best games. Wipeout 2048 was the last game to be developed by Studio Liverpool prior to their closure in August 2012. The series was later given a remaster called Wipeout Omega Collection, which released in 2017.