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{{Short description|Video game series}}
{{more citations needed|date=January 2010}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Infobox video game series
|title=Driver
|image=Driver series logo.png
|developer={{Unbulleted list|[[Ubisoft Reflections]]|[[Sumo Digital]]}}
|publisher={{Unbulleted list|[[GT Interactive]]|[[Infogrames]]|[[Ubisoft]]}}
|creator=Martin Edmondson<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.giantbomb.com/martin-edmondson/3040-4032/ | title=Martin Edmondson | publisher=[[Giant Bomb]] | access-date=1 March 2014 }}</ref>
|composer={{Unbulleted list|[[Allister Brimble]]|Richard Narco|Rich Aitken|[[Marc Canham (composer)|Marc Canham]]|Andy Gannon|Ed Scorggie}}
|platforms=[[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]], [[Microsoft Windows]], [[Game Boy Color]], [[Classic Mac OS]], [[Game Boy Advance]], [[PlayStation 2]], [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]], [[Wii]], [[PlayStation Portable]], [[PlayStation 3]], [[Xbox 360]], [[macOS]], [[iOS]], [[Android (operating system)|Android]], [[Nintendo 3DS]]
|first release version=''[[Driver (video game)|Driver]]''
|first release date=25 June 1999
|latest release version=''Driver: Speedboat Paradise''
|latest release date=December 2014
|genre=[[Action-adventure]], [[racing game|driving]]
}}
'''''Driver''''' is a [[video game]] series consisting of a mixture of [[action-adventure]] and [[Racing game|driving]] in [[open world]] environments. It is developed by Reflections Interactive (now [[Ubisoft Reflections]]), and originally published by [[GT Interactive]], later by [[Atari SA|Infogrames/Atari]] and then [[Ubisoft]]. Since the series began with [[Driver (video game)|''Driver'']] in 1999, there have been five main installments released of which the latest is ''[[Driver: San Francisco]]'' in 2011, most of which are about a fictional police officer called John Tanner. As of February 2016, the series has sold more than 20 million units worldwide.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Facts & figures |url=https://static9.cdn.ubisoft.com/ubigroupstatic/en-US/global/img/company/Ubisoft%20Facts%20Figures%20February%202016_238554.pdf |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20161009085104/https://static9.cdn.ubisoft.com/ubigroupstatic/en-US/global/img/company/Ubisoft%20Facts%20Figures%20February%202016_238554.pdf |url-status=live |archive-date=2016-10-09 |access-date=2025-09-23 |website=Ubisoft.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Games==
{{VG Series Reviews
| game1 = [[Driver (video game)|Driver]]
| mc1 = (PS1) 87<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/driver/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation |title=''Driver'' Reviews |publisher=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=20 January 2013}}</ref><br>(PC) 79%<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamerankings.com/pc/197162-driver/index.html |title=''Driver'' Reviews |publisher=[[GameRankings]] |access-date=20 January 2013}}</ref>{{efn|[[GameRankings]] score}}<br> (GBC) 75%<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamerankings.com/gbc/914355-driver-you-are-the-wheelman/index.html |title=''Driver: You are the Wheelman'' Reviews |publisher=[[GameRankings]] |access-date=20 January 2013}}</ref>{{efn|[[GameRankings]] score}}
| game2 = [[Driver 2]]
| mc2 = (GBA) 73<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/driver-2-advance/critic-reviews/?platform=game-boy-advance |title=''Driver 2 Advance'' Reviews |publisher=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=20 January 2013}}</ref><br>(PS1) 62<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/driver-2/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation |title=''Driver 2'' Reviews |publisher=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=20 January 2013}}</ref>
| game3 = [[Driver 3]]
| mc3 = (PS2) 57<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/driv3r/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2 |title=''Driv3r'' Reviews |publisher=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=20 January 2013}}</ref><br>(Xbox) 56<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/driv3r/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox |title=''Driv3r'' Reviews |publisher=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=20 January 2013}}</ref><br>(PC) 40<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/driv3r/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=''Driv3r'' Reviews |publisher=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=20 January 2013}}</ref><br>(GBA) 73<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/driv3r/critic-reviews/?platform=game-boy-advance |title=''Driv3r'' Reviews |publisher=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=20 September 2022}}</ref>
| game4 = [[Driver: Parallel Lines]]
| mc4 = (PS2) 69<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/driver-parallel-lines/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2 |title=''Driver: Parallel Lines'' Reviews |publisher=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=20 January 2013}}</ref><br>(Xbox) 69<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/driver-parallel-lines/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox |title=''Driver: Parallel Lines'' Reviews |publisher=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=20 January 2013}}</ref><br>(PC) 61<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/driver-parallel-lines/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=''Driver: Parallel Lines'' Reviews |publisher=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=20 January 2013}}</ref><br>(Wii) 59<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/driver-parallel-lines/critic-reviews/?platform=wii |title=''Driver: Parallel Lines'' Reviews |publisher=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=20 January 2013}}</ref>
| game5 = [[Driver 76]]
| mc5 = (PSP) 57<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/driver-76/critic-reviews/?platform=psp |title=''Driver '76'' Reviews |publisher=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=20 January 2013}}</ref>
| game6 = [[Driver: San Francisco]]
| mc6 = (PC) 80<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/driver-san-francisco/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=''Driver: San Francisco'' Reviews |publisher=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=20 January 2013}}</ref><br>(X360) 80<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/driver-san-francisco/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-360 |title=''Driver: San Francisco'' Reviews |publisher=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=20 January 2013}}</ref><br>(PS3) 79<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/driver-san-francisco/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-3 |title=''Driver: San Francisco'' Reviews |publisher=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=20 January 2013}}</ref><br>(Wii) 64<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/driver-san-francisco/critic-reviews/?platform=wii |title=''Driver: San Francisco'' Reviews |publisher=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=20 January 2013}}</ref>
| game7 = [[Driver: Renegade 3D]]
| mc7 = (3DS) 48<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/driver-renegade/critic-reviews/?platform=3ds |title=''Driver: Renegade'' Reviews |publisher=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=20 January 2013}}</ref>
}}
===''
{{main|Driver (video game)}}
The first game of the ''Driver'' series was released for the PlayStation on 25 June 1999 in Europe and 30 June in the U.S. It was later released in 2000 for [[Game Boy Color]] in April, [[Windows]] in September, [[Macintosh|Mac]] in December, and [[iOS]] in December 2009. In the game, the player controls a former racecar driver turned undercover police detective named John Tanner. It featured a storyline inspired by 1960s/70s car chase movies such as ''[[Bullitt]]'' (1968) and ''[[The Driver]]'' (1978) and based in four real-life cities; [[Miami]], [[San Francisco]], [[Los Angeles]] and [[New York City]]. It was the best selling game of the ''Driver'' series and an evolution of the freedom to explore a city as brought forth in the early ''Grand Theft Auto'' games.
===''Driver
The second installment in the ''Driver'' series was released for the [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]] on 13 November 2000 in the U.S. by [[Infogrames]] (now known as Atari), and later ported to the [[Game Boy Advance]] on 4 October 2002 in the U.S. It featured detective John Tanner once more, along with a new partner, detective Tobias Jones, in four more real-life cities ([[Chicago]], [[Havana]], [[Las Vegas]], and [[Rio de Janeiro]]). It was the first game in the series to feature 2-player modes, curved roads, and the ability to get out of the car at any time (apart from while being in a pursuit from the police) in order to steal another car on the street.
===''Driver
{{main|Driver 3}}
The third installment in the ''Driver'' series was released for the [[PlayStation 2]] and [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]] on 21 June 2004 in the U.S. to generally mixed or poor reviews (despite new features such as the ability to use firearms). The game takes place in [[Miami]], [[Nice]] and [[Istanbul]]. It was subsequently followed by versions for [[Windows]], and [[Game Boy Advance]].<ref>[http://www.gamespot.com/gba/action/driver3/news_6129778.html Driver 3 speeds onto the GBA – Game Boy Advance News at GameSpot<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
===''Driver:
{{main|Driver: Parallel Lines}}
The fourth game in the series, ''[[Driver: Parallel Lines]]'', was released 14 March 2006 for [[PlayStation 2]] and [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]] in the U.S., and 26 June 2007 for [[Windows]] and [[Wii]] in the U.S. Reflections intended ''Parallel Lines'' to "return the series to its roots" by focusing more on driving.
The game differs greatly in other aspects from its predecessors, though, as the story no longer follows undercover police officer Tanner and the game takes place in only one ___location, [[New York City]]. The new main player's name is TK, a criminal rather than a cop. The game includes two time periods, 1978 and 2006, when the main player is sentenced to prison for 28 years and returns in 2006. The game received better reviews, but unlike ''Driver 3'', did not sell particularly well.
{{main|Driver 76}}
''Driver 76'' is a PlayStation Portable game in the ''Driver'' series. Set in New York City in 1976, two years before the events in the first half of ''[[Driver: Parallel Lines]]'', the player takes the role of Ray, TK's friend and a supporting character from ''Parallel Lines''. The game was developed by Sumo Digital and Reflections, and was the first ''Driver'' game published by Ubisoft after they acquired Reflections. It was released on 8 May 2007 in the U.S.
===''Driver: San Francisco''===
{{main|Driver: San Francisco}}
The fifth ''Driver'' game was long rumored to be in production.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2161804/atari-sells-reflections |title=Atari sells Reflections |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090404091700/http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2161804/atari-sells-reflections |archive-date=4 April 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7460359.stm |title= How a computer game is made |access-date=18 June 2008 |publisher= [[BBC]] |date= 18 June 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7460352.stm |title= UK games industry needs brains |access-date=18 June 2008 |publisher= [[BBC]] |date= 18 June 2008 }}</ref> After several years of speculation, Ubisoft unveiled ''Driver: San Francisco'' at [[E3 2010]]. After several delays, it was released in September 2011 along with ''Driver: Renegade 3D''.
The game takes place in one ___location, [[San Francisco]], and follows the series protagonist, Tanner, being in a coma after suffering an accident. Thus, the player controls Tanner during his coma dream.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/14/driver-san-francisco-coming-to-360-ps3-wii-and-pc//|title=Driver: San Francisco coming to 360, PS3, Wii and PC|publisher=Joystiq|date=14 June 2010|access-date=15 June 2010}}</ref> The plot of the Wii version of ''Driver: San Francisco'' is completely different from the other versions, being a prequel to the events of the original ''[[Driver (video game)|Driver]]''.
For the game, developers decided to remove the ability to get out of a car in order to steal another car on the street. Instead, they created a new mechanic called "Shift", enabling the players to shift to any car at any time, aside from a few missions.
The game received generally positive reviews, getting the highest ratings in the whole series after ''Driver''. Like ''Driver 3'', it sold particularly well.
===''Driver: Renegade 3D''===
{{main|Driver: Renegade 3D}}
A [[Nintendo 3DS]] game, ''Driver: Renegade 3D'' follows John Tanner trying to take down the [[New York City]] crime mobs. It was released in September 2011 at the same time as ''Driver: San Francisco'' and takes place between the events of ''Driver'' and ''Driver 2''.
===''Driver: Speedboat Paradise''===
A [[free-to-play]] smartphone game was released on iOS and Android in December 2014. The game, which makes use of [[in-app purchases]], revolves solely around missions on speedboats.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-04-09-driver-speedboat-paradise-is-out-now-on-mobile-devices|title = Driver Speedboat Paradise is out now on mobile devices| newspaper=Eurogamer.net |date = 9 April 2015}}</ref>
==Novels==
''Driver: Nemesis'', a novel written by Alex Sharp, was published in 2010 to coincide with the release of ''[[Driver: San Francisco]]''. The novel is a sequel to ''Driver 2'' and a prequel to the events of ''Driver: San Francisco'', taking place at some point before [[Hurricane Katrina]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Sharp |first=Alex |date=2010 |title=Driver: Nemesis |___location=London |publisher= Transworld Books|page=7 |isbn=9780552163965 }}</ref> The story follows John Tanner's undercover infiltration to a crime network in [[New Orleans]]. It features several characters from the first two games and provides additional backstory for Tanner's life prior to becoming a member of law enforcement.
==Related games==
''[[Driver: Vegas]]'' (released in 2006) and ''[[Driver: L.A. Undercover]]'' (released in 2007) are two mobile games featuring John Tanner. ''Vegas'' features his exploits in [[Las Vegas]] in an attempt to exact revenge on Charles Jericho after ''[[Driver 3]]'', while ''L.A. Undercover'', set two years later, features Tanner's exploits in [[Los Angeles]] to take down the Los Angeles Mafia by working his way up the ladder.
===''C.O.P. The Recruit''===
Ubisoft released ''[[C.O.P. The Recruit]]'' for Nintendo DS on November 3, 2009. It was originally registered under numerous names, one of which being "Driver: The Recruit".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.onelastcontinue.com/7966/e3-2009-cop-the-recruit-drivers-little-brother/|title=E3 2009: C.O.P. The Recruit – Driver's little brother?|work=One Last Continue|date=2 June 2009|access-date=8 November 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091112021500/http://www.onelastcontinue.com/7966/e3-2009-cop-the-recruit-drivers-little-brother/|archive-date=12 November 2009}}</ref>
===''Watch Dogs''===
Ubisoft Montreal had been working on its own sequel in the ''Driver'' series at the same time that Ubisoft Reflections had been developing ''Driver: San Francisco''. Ubisoft Montreal's game had included some elements of hacking the driving environment to the player advantage, such as triggering street lights, as well as being able to swap from driver to driver. When ''Driver: San Francisco'' released in 2011, it did not do well commercially, leading to the ''Driver'' title in development at Ubisoft Montreal to have portions reworked into the first ''[[Watch Dogs (video game)|Watch Dogs]]'' game.<ref name="vg247 watchdog origins">{{cite web| url = https://www.vg247.com/2021/05/24/watch-dogs-driver-connection-cancelled-game/ | title = Inside the Driver game that died so that Watch Dogs could live | first = Jeremy | last= Peel | date = May 24, 2021 | accessdate = May 24, 2021 | work = [[VG247]] }}</ref> Ubisoft Reflections subsequently helped Ubisoft Montreal in building out ''Watch Dogs'' for release, handling most of the driving portions of the game while Ubisoft Montreal handled the details related to on-foot missions and hacking.<ref name="vg247 watchdog origins"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.videogamer.com/xbox360/watch_dogs/news/driver_san_francisco_dev_collaborating_with_ubi_montreal_on_watch_dogs.html|title=Driver: San Francisco dev collaborating with Ubi Montreal on Watch Dogs|date=7 June 2012|access-date=8 January 2014}}</ref> The game's Disrupt engine was originally intended for this ''Driver'' game in development.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://au.ign.com/articles/2013/12/18/ubisoft-watch-dogs-engine-was-originally-built-for-driver|title=Watch Dogs' Engine Was Originally Built for Driver |date=18 December 2013|access-date=8 January 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.ubi.com/watch-dogs-disrupt-engine-multiplayer/|title=The Secrets Behind Watch Dogs' Next Gen Experience|date=10 June 2013|access-date=8 January 2014|archive-date=8 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108021911/http://blog.ubi.com/watch-dogs-disrupt-engine-multiplayer/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Film and television adaptations==
In February 2002, Impact Pictures, the production team of [[Paul W. S. Anderson]] and [[Jeremy Bolt]], had acquired the film and TV rights to adapt ''[[Driver (video game)|Driver]]''. Screenwriters James DeMonaco, Todd Jason Harthan, and [[James Roday Rodriguez]] were developing a script at the time. Impact Pictures had originally intended to produce the film ''Driver'' to coincide with the release of the video game ''[[Driver 3]]''.<ref>{{cite news | first=Brian | last=Linder | url=http://movies.ign.com/articles/385/385790p1.html | title=Games to Film: Infogrames' ''Driver'' Makes Impact | publisher=[[IGN]] | date=3 February 2003 | access-date=18 October 2006 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061208031907/http://movies.ign.com/articles/385/385790p1.html | archive-date=8 December 2006 }}</ref> The following November, Impact Pictures announced its plans to produce a $50 million adaptation of ''Driver'' after wrapping up principal photography on ''[[Resident Evil: Apocalypse]]''.<ref>{{cite news|first=John |last=Gaudiosi |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/new_media/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=2015825 |title=Game filmer keeps on driving |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=3 November 2003 |access-date=18 October 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040919113614/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/new_media/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=2015825 |archive-date=19 September 2004 }}</ref> In April 2006, [[Rogue Pictures]] acquired the film rights to ''Driver'' from Impact Pictures and Constantin Films, the production companies responsible for the ''Resident Evil'' film franchise. [[Roger Avary]] replaced the original screenwriters in writing the script for ''Driver'', as well as directing the film.<ref>{{cite news | author=John Callaham | url=http://www.firingsquad.com/news/newsarticle.asp?searchid=9866 | title=EXCLUSIVE: Roger Avary To Write And Direct ''Driver'' Movie | publisher=FiringSquad | date=19 April 2006 | access-date=13 February 2007 }}</ref>
Prior to January 2007, ''Driver'', having a budget of $48 million, was slated to shoot at Cinespace Studios' MT28 lot in [[Toronto, Ontario]], Canada. Due to a waterfront revitalization project, the studio was forced to move and the film was put on hold.<ref>{{cite news | author=Tim Lai | url=https://www.thestar.com/artsentertainment/article/170444 | title=Film industry flickers as studio closes | publisher=[[Toronto Star]] | date=12 January 2007 | access-date=18 January 2007 }}</ref> In May 2009, the movie script was leaked on the internet.<ref>{{cite news | author=Griffin McElroy | url=http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/23/rumor-partial-script-for-driver-film-adaptation-leaked/ | title=Rumor: Partial script for Driver film adaptation leaked | publisher=[[Joystiq]] | date=23 May 2009 | access-date=26 December 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | author=Ryan Davis | url=http://www.giantbomb.com/news/driver-script-leak-surfaces/1332/ | title=Driver Script Leak Surfaces | publisher=[[Giant Bomb]] | date=27 May 2009 | access-date=26 December 2009 }}</ref>
On 14 September 2021, Ubisoft announced a live-action ''Driver'' series was coming to the new Binge streaming platform, to be produced by [[Allan Ungar]], Vince Talenti and [[Ubisoft Film & Television]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Live-Action Driver Series Coming to Binge|url=https://news.ubisoft.com/en-ca/article/7smQNfXZ0UFKbZ7w6o8sDO/liveaction-driver-series-coming-to-binge|access-date=2021-09-14|website=news.ubisoft.com|language=en-ca}}</ref> It was cancelled shortly after. <ref> {{Cite web|title=Ubisoft fine print reveals small CEO pay bump, a nixed Driver show and more|url=https://www.gamefile.news/p/ubisoft-yves-guillemot-driver-skull-and-bones|website=www.gamefile.news|access-date=12 July 2024}}</ref>
==References==
{{notelist}}
{{reflist}}
{{Driver}}
{{Ubisoft}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Driver (Series)}}
[[Category:Action-adventure games]]
[[Category:Driver (video game series)| ]]
[[Category:Open-world video games]]
[[Category:Organized crime video games]]
[[Category:Ubisoft franchises]]
[[Category:Racing video games]]
[[Category:Video game franchises]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Video game franchises introduced in 1999]]
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