There's a new Forza Horizon 4 expansion on the way, and it's about to make everything awesome. The LEGO Speed Champions expansion was announced during Microsoft's Xbox E3 presentation. It'll bring plastic brick versions of racing and sports cars to the game, as well as destructible LEGO brick environments. It also features mini-figures as drivers and audience members. The whole thing is reminiscent of the N64 classic, LEGO Racers.
As an expansion to Forza Horizon 4, LEGO Speed Champions does require the base game to play. However, those who own the Ultimate Edition of the game, or bought the Forza Expansion Pass/Ultimate Add-Ons Bundle, will automatically be in on the LEGO fun. Whatever camp you belong to, you can start driving LEGO cars on June 13th. The trailer gives a taste of the cars and locations.
This actually isn't the first time LEGO bricks and racing games have been brought together. Gamers of the Nintendo 64 era probably remember LEGO Racers, a game that had Mario Kart mechanics and customizable cars. Players could make their own racer using figure parts based on pirates, knights, space, and other themes. They could also construct their own cars, unlocking more themed brick sets by winning grand prixs.
Nostalgic memories of making nonsensical LEGO cars is the first thing that came to this writer's mind when Microsoft dropped the trailer for LEGO Speed Champions. Sadly, the Forza expansion probably won't have such customization elements. The official description of the content instead boasts LEGO versions of real cars, "including the McLaren Senna, Ferrari F40 Competizione, and 1967 Mini Cooper S Rally."
Then again, there is also a part in the description that says you can "amass your own Brick Collection and construct a Master Builder's House." And there is also the end of the trailer where a LEGO car pulls up to a house just as it pops into existence, implying a player is building it.
We won't have to wait long to see just how much of the LEGO experience this expansion provides, seeing as it comes out this Thursday. We can only cross our fingers for a healthy amount of customization, and thank Microsoft for including at least one whimsical thing in a presentation full of guns and hyped-up music.