The PlayStation Blog lifted the curtain on the server backend infrastructure for its upcoming title, “Warhawk,” that is entirely powered by 90 rack mounted PlayStation 3 consoles. These 90 PlayStation 3 servers make up the primary racked server environment for this upcoming PS3 title.

Warhawk is the first PS3 title to feature what is being called IGS (Integrated Server Environment) that allows players to host games on their local PS3 console, rather than having to connect to Sony’s online gaming environment. The advantages are clear: it allows players that are closer together (in the same city) to take advantage of that fact through lower latency (due to the fact that they are closer together and normally require fewer “hops” to connect to each other). The IGS also allows teams to host a server for its practice games, something that is normally found only in PC gaming titles that do not use a centralized server model.

Sony will use the 90 rack mounted PlayStation 3 systems to host the backend infrastructure for the ranked server games to provide rank and weapons upgrades as a player progresses through the Warhawk game. Sony is also in the process of building additional Warhawk clusters that will be located in additional data centers around the world to support Warhawk players around the world.

Considering that each Warhawk cluster similar to this will cost in excess of US$45,000 in PS3 consoles at the current pricing, they had better hope that this game is successful. Warhawk has been best described as a Sci-Fi shooter that features aerial combat, infantry and ground assault vehicles. Set for release on August 28th, the initial buzz for Warhawk has been mostly positive.

Read more about Warhawk here.