MotorStorm is a racing video game series developed by Evolution Studios, BigBig Studios, Virtuos and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. The titles were off-road racing games featuring different types of vehicles with their own strengths and weaknesses and tracks with different terrains which may either hinder the vehicles' handling or improve it. The central premise of the series was a gathering of off-road racing enthusiasts for an event entitled the "MotorStorm Festival". Participants in the MotorStorm Festival are not limited to their vehicle choice for any event and cut-throat racing is encouraged. Races allow for any combination of vehicles to be used together in a single event. Sony closed Evolution Studios on 22 March 2016 and retained ownership of the MotorStorm intellectual property. In April 2016, Codemasters hired most of the Evolution staff as an additional development team.