GameShout have news that Namco Bandai Games America Inc. are bringing the first officially licensed World Rally Championship game to the Sony PSP.

“We are excited to bring one of the most popular rally racing franchises to the handheld market,” said Business Director at NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc., Jeff Lujan. “WRC offers the most exhilarating rally racing experience available for the PSP system.”

Slated for a March 2006 release, this game by Namco will have the weight of being officially licensed behind it, whioch may or may not work in its favour. Sometimes being officially licensed gives developers an easy way to turn a game round and get it to market, because the marketing machine behind the brand can propel a game to the top of the charts through sheer advertising pressure, without the product actually being any good. Look at the many film tie-ins for proof that a brand can sell a game even when its a poor offering.

On the other hand, official licensing can give a developer the contacts and data needed to turn a mediocre product into a fantastic game, and is incentive enough for the product to be thoroughly developed before being launched. Hopefully Namco will take this opportunity to impressive the gaming community with a licensed game that fulfills the PSP’s potential.