The latest entry in the Asphalt series, Asphalt 9: Legendsis preparing to release its first ever expansion, Asphalt legends unitewhich opens up a whole new world of play for its drivers.
Once it starts, it will be replaced Asphalt 9: Legends on digital storefronts, while existing players can easily upgrade to the latest version and continue their progress. It will also open doors to all players worldwide with cross-play support and offer some major upgrades under the hood with an improved game engine, UI and Garage, as well as introducing some highly requested features such as a new co-op game mode and an increase in Garage Level cap.
We had the opportunity to meet Asphalt’s Game Manager Ignacio Marin, who took us on a ride through all the exciting things that come your way Asphalt legends unite will be released on July 17, 2024 on Xbox and Windows.
What is Asphalt Legends Unite?
“Asphalt legends unite is not just our first expansion too Asphalt 9: Legends“But it’s also a massive change in mentality,” explains Marin. “Unite is a statement for us because not only does it mean all of our players are coming together and finally playing together, but it also opens up a world of possibilities that we’re excited to explore. Whether it’s the ability to play with friends regardless of platform or the variety of esports options available, Asphalt Legends Unite is a big change for the future franchise.”
These groundbreaking changes come with the introduction of Cross-Play, a first in the Asphalt series, allowing all players to finally compete against each other no matter where they choose to play.
“The launch itself is just the beginning for us,” Marin continues. “Our team has worked hard for over a year, not only working on the new features, but also adapting the way we work together to ensure they can turn their vision into reality. We already have a number of new features and updates that we are currently working on, apart from our usual seasonal events calendar that we will release throughout the year.”
Cross-platform play, a first for the series
“Crossplay has been both our most requested feature and our worst-kept secret,” Marin jokes. “We’ve been working on this for over a year now, as it’s not only our biggest technical update since launch, but also a major step forward in the way teams need to work together.”
Previously, each version of the game was isolated depending on the platform players were using, with some versions also having their own independent seasonal calendar.
“All teams are working hard to ensure all platforms are on a similar starting point and ready for launch Asphalt legends unite, while ensuring our players have a smooth ride when crossplay arrives,” shares Marin. “We’re excited that our players are finally racing together and what new gameplay possibilities are opening up for us.”
Play with the world
“The possibilities that crossplay brings are endless,” explains Marin. “It immediately brings a whole new layer of new opponents to the competition as they can now compete against each other worldwide, opening up new horizons to explore from both a gaming and esports perspective.”
Asphalt legends unite will launch with a new co-op mode in which groups of players compete against each other, with one team taking on the role of law enforcement and the other taking on the role of a team of syndicate drivers trying to escape. They must team up to hunt down the enemy or escape in a daring new mode.
“Our new game mode offers a whole new way to experience the game,” says Marin. “It’s the first chance for players to play together instead of against each other, and we’re already hard at work on a new friends list and private lobby features. A big thank you to our Asphalt content creators who inspired us both and helped us test Private Lobbies over the past year!”
“We also want to expand e-sports,” Marin continues. “This new open ecosystem will provide us with both new opportunities and challenges to explore, such as global competitions, platform or control mode-specific tournaments, and other potential formats. We are already in discussions with some new and exciting partners to explore new racing opportunities for our most dedicated players. One thing is for sure: we will be bringing the live stage finale back in a big way this year, so stay tuned for more news!”
New partnership – Formula E
“We’re so glad it’s back!” exclaims Marin. “Formula E is doing some really interesting and cool things for the racing world and we’re excited to be working with them again and running events alongside their real-world racing.”
Asphalt is once again collaborating with Formula E on a series of events starting on March 28th, coinciding with their own races in Tokyo, Portland and London!
“We’ve been lucky enough to work together in the past on a truly exclusive event where some lucky players had the chance to drive a Formula E car on tarmac,” says Marin. This time everyone has the chance to get behind the wheel and add the car to their garage collection too!”
The first timed Formula E event will take place in time for the Formula E race in Tokyo on March 28th, followed by a second event starting on June 27th alongside the Portland race, and a final event on July 18th , two days before the Formula E race in London. Race participants in these three events can also play the event in Asphalt Legends Unite in the gaming arena set up by Formula E.
Upgrades under the hood
“We don’t call it an expansion lightly,” Marin begins. “Asphalt legends unite is a completely new beginning for us and I think that shows from the moment players start the game.”
Marin is referring to the complete overhaul of the Asphalt experience that players will encounter as soon as they log in Asphalt legends unite
“The game has never looked better, I’m quite amazed by the results,” confides Marin. “It was a real team effort to put this together and the game really benefits from it. The dynamic lighting and effects add a new level of realism, and the art direction ensures a fresh experience. And it couldn’t come at a better time because the new night track we’re releasing looks spectacular with the new lights.”
“We also had to give our players what they wanted, so we completely overhauled the garage to give everyone a brand new space to display their garage collections with huge LED displays, creating a very modern setup,” continues Marin. “And yes, improving our garage also means increasing our maximum garage level cap. Our players have asked us to do this and we are happy to announce that they can take their legend to a new level.”
“And last but not least, we also took some time to completely redesign the game’s main user interface,” explains Marin. “With our increased presence on consoles, we wanted to ensure our menus and overall experience are more accessible for everyone, and in particular introduce optimizations aimed at better controller navigation, while introducing a new aesthetic to celebrate the new expansion. “
Only in the 1stst corridor
“We have just started to really step on the gas,” explains Marin. “The start of Asphalt legends unite will help us establish the starting point so that all of our players are finally on the same starting line. And we plan to continue increasing the pace with new feature updates throughout the year.”
“It’s too early to go into any details,” Marin teases. “But you can expect more news on future plans once we launch. One step at a time! In the meantime, please join our community as we will provide more in-depth insights into our expansion in our Road to Unite series.”
Thanks again to Asphalt’s Game Manager Ignacio Marin for taking the time to answer some of our questions. Search Asphalt legends unitethe expansion too Asphalt 9: Legendswill be released on July 17, 2024 for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Windows.
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