Prepare for embarrassing money-shots as you get hit by a drain beam.

A sticking out tongue is a sure-fire indication of concentration, while a furrowed brow is a sign of frustration. In Wipeout 2048's multiplayer mode, Sony's aiming to use your game face as an image of triumph or humiliation.

“We support up to eight players online. When you begin the race on PS Vita, the game takes a photo of your face,” assistant producer Michael Pulst said on the PlayStation Blog.

“At the end of the race, your face gets beamed to all the other players – kind of a glory moment.”

The feature's not new — Burnout Paradise did a similar thing on PS3 — but PlayStation Vita's cross-platform functionality ups the ante.

“Not only will PS Vita players be able to play 2048 with other PS Vita players, they will be able to play Wipeout HD against PS3 players using Wipeout HD tracks and ships. And the number of PS Vitas and PS3s doesn’t matter for crossplay. It can be seven PS3s and one PS Vita, seven PS Vitas and one PS3, or any number in between,” Pulst explained.

But Wipeout 2048's ambitious feature-set doesn't stop there. Sony's also confirmed that the game will sport gyroscopic and touch screen controls — though traditional schemes will still be available for purists.

“You can tilt to the left or right to steer. I like steering this way at times, particularly in the cockpit camera view. We also support the rear touchscreen for acceleration, while the front touchscreen is used for firing and regaining ship energy.”

Sony's yet to date Wipeout 2048 for Western audiences, but we expect it will launch alongside the system itself in North America and Europe. Sony pushed the game back to January in Japan earlier today.

[source vg247.com]