GameSpy: Would it have been possible to run such a tournament without Microsoft's well-established Xbox Live? Do you feel that the PS3's upcoming online player-matching system will allow for similar events?
Pickford: Microsoft have definitely set the bar with Xbox Live by providing us with a huge framework to base our ideas. At present, no one really knows Sony's complete online strategy, but they will obviously have to match it in order to get the same kind of advanced implementation of new ideas from developers.
GameSpy: It goes without saying that you're going to be working on a Project Gotham Racing 4 -- the fans wouldn't stand for anything else! Looking back at PGR3, what would you say are the most important features that you'd concentrate on including or revamping in a sequel?
Pickford: Haha -- well, it's up to you to work out whether or not we would be crazy enough to continue the trend! ;-) However, at this point we're in what we call the "Post-Game Phase" -- we look back at the work we've done, look at the online community and how people are playing. This helps us understand what people like, what people want to tweak and where we want to go next as a company.

It's way too early to think beyond that, I'm afraid. :)
Nissan NISMO R34GT-R Z-Tune and Ferrari 612 Scaglietti from the new PGR3 Speed Pack.

GameSpy: On a completely different topic, I'd like to ask you about the future of Geometry Wars. This little mini-game turned out to take on a life of its own, and has become a smash hit in its own right, becoming the most popular Xbox Live Arcade game and attracting a horde of fans. To what can you attribute the game's appeal and success, and what do you feel can be done to improve upon the experience in a future iteration of the game?
Pickford: The game's appeal is in its simplicity and its incredible graphics. Again, with the success of Geometry Wars we're obviously looking at what to do for the future on Xbox Live Arcade, but if we wanted to evolve a game from an already great state, well, that takes a lot of time and careful thought.

Much more than that we can't really go into, but we are extremely happy with the way Geometry Wars has captured the imaginations of so many people -- it can only be a good thing for the games industry if these smaller, more focused games can merit the same attention as the big budget AAA titles.
GameSpy: Thanks a bunch for your time, Chris. See you at E3!