Looks like we're getting a new racing game courtesy of The Lego Company and 2K Games, with a full reveal right around the corner.
Announced via Twitter by Lego's official account, the short-but-sweet teaser tells us the Lego racing game is coming soon. Don't get too excited just yet, though, as the full reveal isn't happening until March 23. Still, that's just a couple of days' worth of pondering what this Lego Racers spiritual successor will look and play like.
Platforms haven't been announced yet, but it's easy to imagine the game, rumored to be named Lego 2K Drive, will land on all modern consoles including PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch as well as last-gen systems and PC (thanks, Destructoid).
We are not supposed to say anything 😉 but tune in for March 23rd pic.twitter.com/i0NUiF3bqGMarch 20, 2023
Building a better racer
I'm all for a new, promising kart racing experience to enter the space. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is endlessly fantastic, but its dominance has left the subgenre feeling a little barren. In recent years, we've had solid competitors in Team Sonic Racing and Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled, but none have been able to capture the magic quite like Nintendo.
That said, Lego's pedigree in the genre is notable. 1999's Lego Racers is, to this day, fondly remembered for its inventive track design, quirky sense of humor, and the ability to build your own kart from Lego bricks entirely from scratch. The brand pulled out of the pit stop back in 2019 with the Lego Speed Champions DLC for Forza Horizon 4. And while an excellent diversion, certainly left me wanting more.
I'm sincerely hoping Lego's new racer can recapture the spirit of that first Lego Racers game. There's still nothing quite like it, and having an updated experience on modern hardware has the potential to be a big success. It'll likely have no trouble pulling in younger audiences, but hopefully those with fond memories of that turn-of-the-century racer will be well served here, too.
Could the game appear on our best racing games list? The potential is certainly there. Let's just hope it isn't hamstrung by ancillary business models like battle passes, card packs and the like, as the 2K brand is wont to do with its sports titles.
