E3 2010: Driver: San Francisco announced, first trailer revealed @ Gaming Target

Written by John Scalzo on June 15, 2010

News: And it's coming to the PC, PS3, Wii and Xbox 360 this Fall.

After obtaining the rights to the series in 2006, Ubisoft has finally announced the fifth game in the Driver series, Driver: San Francisco. The game is in development at Ubisoft Reflections for the PC, PlayStation 3, Wii and Xbox 360 under the direction of the creators of the original title. Not only are the original creators back on board, but Driver: San Francisco also brings back Detective and Charles Jericho, the hero and villain from the first three games in the series.

Driver: San Francisco's big contribution to the franchise is the new "Shift" gameplay mechanic. As shown in the game's debut trailer (which you can see below), players can shift between vehicles like a floating ghost to "[always keep] them constantly in the heart of the action."

"In many ways, the Driver franchise defined the action driving genre with its unique blend of intense driving action and iconic locations," said Tony Key, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Ubisoft. "Driver: San Francisco features a thrilling storyline and exciting new gameplay elements that are sure to captivate both long-time fans as well as newcomers to the series."

As promised, here's the game's first trailer: