Burnout Revenge arrives on Windows and Linux 20 years after its Xbox 360 debut

Burnout Revenge is now playable on PC. More than 20 years after its original console debut, Criterion Games’ arcade racer has received a native Windows and Linux release, complete with its familiar mix of high-speed driving, spectacular crashes and ruthless racing. The new release is based on the Xbox 360 edition of Burnout Revenge, which arrived in 2006 with improved visuals and extra features. It brings the original game to modern computers through a dedicated launcher, removing the need to run a traditional Xbox 360 emulator. There’s one catch. You’ll need your own copy of the original game files to play, since the download doesn’t include the complete game. It’s a native PC conversion rather than an official remaster from Electronic Arts, so don’t expect new tracks, redesigned vehicles or a complete graphical overhaul.

Burnout Revenge was never your typical racing game

Criterion Games released Burnout Revenge for PlayStation 2 and the original Xbox in September 2005, following the success of Burnout 3: Takedown. The Xbox 360 edition arrived in March 2006, introducing improved visuals and refinements for Microsoft’s newer console. Burnout Revenge doesn’t ask you to drive carefully. It rewards aggressive driving, dangerous overtakes and sending rival vehicles into walls at ridiculous speeds.

The game introduced traffic checking, a mechanic allowing players to ram smaller vehicles travelling in the same direction and send them crashing into other cars. Traffic becomes another weapon, turning an ordinary overtake into an opportunity to eliminate a rival racer. It’s a racing game where causing trouble pays.

The tracks feature city streets, industrial areas and open highways, with alternative routes and shortcuts giving drivers opportunities to gain an advantage. Boost plays a central role, encouraging players to maintain speed and take risks rather than settle for a clean race.

It’s not only about crossing the finish line

Burnout Revenge features a selection of racing events built around different objectives, with players progressing through the game by completing challenges, earning better rankings and gaining access to new vehicles and locations. Road Rage events focus on taking down rival racers before time runs out. Traffic Attack challenges players to cause as much damage as possible by smashing ordinary vehicles into surrounding traffic.

Crash mode takes a different approach. Players launch their vehicles into busy intersections and attempt to cause the largest pile-up possible, earning points for damaged vehicles and the resulting destruction. Traditional races and time trials provide a change of pace, though aggressive driving remains central to the experience. You can win races through speed, but removing opponents from the road is often part of the plan. The Xbox 360 edition retained these familiar modes and introduced visual improvements over its earlier console counterparts, making it the version used for the new PC release.

How does Burnout Revenge work on Windows and Linux?

The new release provides separate launcher packages for Windows and 64-bit Linux computers. Once you’ve prepared the required game files, you can launch Burnout Revenge directly on your PC without running a conventional Xbox 360 emulator.

Players need files from a compatible US Xbox 360 copy of Burnout Revenge. The launcher accepts a disc image, an archive containing the original files or an extracted game directory, with an import process preparing the content for PC. The release supports Vulkan graphics, so you’ll need a compatible graphics card and suitable drivers. Downloadable content can be imported through the launcher, too.

It’s worth keeping expectations sensible. This is the first launcher release, and performance or compatibility could differ between computers. The original game remains the basis of the experience, with no promise of extra content or new graphical features.

Burnout Revenge has a new home on PC

Burnout Revenge originally launched on PlayStation 2, Xbox and Xbox 360, without receiving an official Windows or Linux edition. The new native release brings the Xbox 360 game to both PC platforms through a dedicated launcher.

For players interested in the original game, the attraction is straightforward. Its collection of aggressive racing events, vehicle takedowns and traffic-filled tracks can now be played directly on modern computers. There’s no new campaign or redesigned racing system here. It’s the Xbox 360 version of Burnout Revenge, now running on Windows and Linux.

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