Vin Diesel’s The Wheelman is screeching onto PC, 360 and PS3 this autumn, and it’s the game that Midway believes will help the firm improve its sales performance in Europe.

Development duties for the title are being shared between Midway Newcastle and Vin Diesel’s Washington-based Tigon Studios, and Europe is also leading the way in terms of marketing. With the game set in Barcelona, the publisher believes the title will have a truly global appeal.

“Midway has increased its commercial footprint in Europe, and there is an ongoing agenda to improve the European contribution to the group,” said Midway’s European marketing director Leonie Manshanden. “Games like The Wheelman, and good games in general, have a built-in global appeal.”

Midway’s expectations for the title are high, with a strong TV presence featuring Vin Diesel planned, along with a three-month print campaign in specialist and lifestyle media, strong national press presence, outdoor events and ‘hard-hitting’ in-store promotions.

“Expectations are high for The Wheelman, both internally and externally,” continued Manshanden.

“Reactions from all our European partners have been extremely positive. One of the key reasons for this is undoubtedly Vin Diesel's involvement. Aside from being a huge box office attraction in the action genre, he also knows games.”