A new era for Asphalt is about to begin. Gameloft has announced Asphalt Legends Unite, a new expansion to Asphalt 9: Legends that will bring the popular arcade racing series to PlayStation home consoles for the first time in the franchise’s 20-year history.
Asphalt Legends Unite announced for PlayStation 5
Asphalt is one of the most popular and enduring arcade racing series on mobile thanks to its fast-paced racing, over-the-top stunts, and vast selection of licensed supercars.
Although Asphalt 9: Legends was ported to Xbox and Nintendo Switch, PlayStation players were left out. That’s about to change, with Asphalt Legends Unite marking the franchise’s debut on PS4 and PS5.
This isn’t the first time Asphalt has raced onto PlayStation, with Asphalt Urban GT 2 (2007) and Asphalt Injection (2011) released on the PSP and PS Vita handhelds respectively.
“The new meeting point for Asphalt drivers”
Arriving on 17 July, Asphalt Legends Unite will bring improved graphics, a new co-op mode, and cross-play support. The rebrand of Asphalt 9 will see Legends Unite “become the new meeting point for Asphalt drivers.”
Gameloft promises a new level of visual fidelity. An improved game engine will bring dynamic lighting for the first time in the series, with headlights reflecting on surfaces and the road in real-time. On PS5, Asphalt Legends Unite will run at 120 fps, with optional TouchDrive assisted driving. Presumably, the PS5 version will be free-to-play with optional in-game purchases like the other versions.
Asphalt Legends Unite will feature over 250 hypercars from manufacturers such as Ferrari, Porsche and Lamborghini, which can be shown off in a redesigned garage. In addition, Asphalt Legends Unite will introduce a new co-op chase mode where groups of five players will chase down three Syndicate drivers in intense races. A new Singapore track will see players race at night inside an amusement park.
With support for up to eight players online, cross-play will enable players to race each other on console, PC, or Mac. Progress will be automatically synchronised, so you can start playing on one platform and continue on another.
For returning players, progress in Asphalt 9 will be automatically transferred to Asphalt Unite. Alongside online multiplayer, up to four players can race in local split-screen.
Release date
Asphalt Legends Unite is racing onto PC, Mac, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch on 17 July.
Asphalt began as a mobile arcade racer 20 years ago. Now, Gameloft seemingly wants it to become the definitive arcade racer on every platform.
Will you be taking Asphalt Legends Unite for a spin? Let us know in the comments below.
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