There's an awful lot of 90s nostalgia going around lately. Out of the blue this morning, Koch Media (via subsidiary Milestone) announced a brand new Hot Wheels game for PC and consoles. Titled Hot Wheels Unleashed, it will be speeding on over to pretty much every current and last generation console there is. I'm surprised there's not a mobile port, though maybe that's going to be announced down the line.
The title will be made in collaboration with toy manufacturer Mattel as part of its digital gaming division. In a press release, Andrew Chan (head of Mattel's gaming department) said, "We continue to focus on engaging consumers with our brands through gaming platforms. Hot Wheels is all about encouraging the challenger spirit and Hot Wheels Unleashed brings that mission to life for gamers of all ages. Milestone's expertise in racing game development has enabled us to transform the Hot Wheels brand into a compelling console and PC gaming experience for both current Hot Wheels fans and gamers who may be rediscovering the iconic brand."
Mike Calletti, executive producer at developer Milestone, added, "Like many other team members who worked on the game, I've been playing with Hot Wheels since I was a child, and today I'm still a hungry Hot Wheels fan and collector. This is the reason why we're all so committed in delivering the purest and most authentic Hot Wheels gameplay experience ever in a videogame. We owe it to the Hot Wheels community and to our inner children."
The title was announced alongside a trailer, though there isn't much of what you'd call gameplay. A description makes it read as if the visuals will be taking a more realistic tone so as to replicate the experience of playing with the physical toys. That sounds like a really neat idea, especially since die-cast metal cars could look stellar with ray-tracing.
As for any special features you can look forward to, Koch Media did mention a track editor that players will be able to tinker with. The game sounds a lot like the Micro Machines titles where you'd race through real-world environments, just obviously with Hot Wheels branding.
Source: Koch Media PR