From Press Release:
Larkspur, Calif. (May 31, 2023) – Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAT) and Milestone, a leading global racing game developer, today announced Hot Wheels Unleashed™2: Turbocharged. The sequel to the acclaimed Hot Wheels Unleashed™ will be available on October 19, 2023 for PC and consoles. With all-new mechanics, environments, vehicle styles, and game modes, Hot Wheels Unleashed™2: Turbocharged revs the arcade fun up to the next level, taking players to unexplored horizons in their Hot Wheels® gaming experience.
Vehicle Categories, Environments, and Gameplay Mechanics:
Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged will launch with over 130 vehicles, including the debut of motocycles and ATVs. Stock, Powered, and Ultimate vehicle categories will provide varied driving experiences, while players will be able to further customize their driving style using skill points to earn specific perks and assemble their ideal custom build.
Five distinct environments await players in Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged, each with unique racing surfaces that impact vehicle performance for a more dynamic match experience. Vehicles will also interact with objects both on and off the track, making races even more unpredictable as players decide to look for their own shortcuts in races.
Along with the greater diversity of vehicles and environments, which open up more dynamic and strategic racing scenarios, drivers’ skills will be tested with the addition of two new abilities to the Unleashed series – dash and jump. Lateral dashing will allow for tactical sideswipes against opponents, obstacle dodging, and daring overturns until the finish line, while players will also be able to perform dramatic jumps anytime and anywhere. With the press of a button, drivers will have new opportunities to overtake rivals, uncover hidden shortcuts, and discover new track sections. These innovations, alongside the drift and boost features already present in series, ensure that each race offers a unique and thrilling experience while giving players more control over their finishing place every race.
New Game Modes and Online Features:
Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged will feature a variety of new game modes that add a fresh layer of fun and challenges both online and offline, including events that push drivers’ skills to the limit or teach them how to master the art of drifting and avoiding crashes with speed and precision. The fan-favorite, two-player split-screen mode is also back to fuel exciting duels on the couch, while a number of improvements, including the ability to create a party with friends and the addition of cross-play*, will ignite the online multiplayer experience.
An Enhanced, Story-Driven Campaign:
A story-driven career mode starring four original characters is just one more massive addition to Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged. Each character’s background and personality will be presented through animated cutscenes that immerses racers in a captivating narrative, making their journey into the world of Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged truly unforgettable.
Power to the Users:
User-generated content played a critical role in the success of Hot Wheels Unleashed, which boasts over 1 million user-created liveries and four-hundred thousand tracks designed by Hot Wheels fans. The welath of options to unleash players’ creativity is even larger in Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged.
The refined Track Editor will introduce new special modules and features that increase the diversity of player-generated tracks, whereas a Livery Editor update will introduce the Sticker Editor to create, save, and share original patterns and shapes. To ensure everyone can enjoy the creations of their fellow players, all user-generated content will be shareable cross-platform from Day One of Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged.
“We are truly delighted with the enthusiasm shown by the press and players toward the first Hot Wheels Unleashed, which became a global success that reached more than eight million players worldwide,” said Luisa Bixio, Milestone CEO. “Building on the solid foundation that granted us unanimous acclaim. With Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged, we decided to create a brand-new gaming experience to raise the bar for arcade fun even higher. Having a partner like Mattel by our side is a great reason to be proud, and we are ready to race even faster toward new shared goals.”
“Having just celebrated its 55th anniversary, the iconic Hot Wheels brand continues to ignite the challenger spirit in consumers globally across a seemingly endless variety of mediums—especially gaming,” said Mike DeLaet, Global Head of Digital Gaming at Mattel. “Following the enormous success of Hot Wheels Unleashed, we are thrilled to join forces once again with our talented partners at Milestone to bring fans an all-new game with next-level graphics and even bigger thrills.”
Hot Wheels Unleashed™ 2: Turbocharged is available now for pre-order on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam and The Epic Games Store. For more information, visit hotwheelsunleashed.com
*Cross-play not available on Nintendo Switch.
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