Asphalt Legends Unite Celebrates 20 Years with Epic Portal Track (And Teases Future Crossovers)

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As a die-hard fan of the Asphalt series, I’ve witnessed its incredible growth since its inception back in 2004. This franchise has always kept that initial rush of arcade excitement alive, and the latest addition, “Asphalt Legends Unite,” is no exception – it pushes the boundaries even further while staying true to its roots.

To celebrate this monumental 20th anniversary, Gameloft Barcelona is pulling out all the stops and honoring the franchise’s rich history in a way that truly sets it apart. I had the privilege of chatting with Arnaud Benefice, Marketing Director at Gameloft Barcelona, about the exciting milestone and celebrations.

Among other things, we discussed an epic track that seamlessly blends three iconic tracks from the franchise’s past. We also touched on some major collaborations for “Asphalt Legends Unite” and even got a sneak peek at what’s in store for the future!

After seven years on the market, the game “Asphalt Legends” – the latest installment in the series – continues to expand with new content and features requested by fans. According to Benefice, the game has evolved significantly over time, starting with basic systems but now offering cooperative modes, team-based modes such as criminals versus security, chase scenarios, gauntlet mode (five consecutive races), and various play options. Essentially, Asphalt Legends has grown by adding multiple gameplay modes and options.

Benefice mentioned, “We’re constantly exploring new possibilities for the game. The question we ask ourselves is, ‘What’s the next feature we can introduce?’ Our players have been requesting the chase mode, the cops and robbers mode for years now. We felt it was time to give it a try. When we transitioned from Asphalt 9 to Asphalt Legends Unite with Unite, we saw an ideal opportunity. The core of Legends Unite was cross-play and cross-platform compatibility, enabling everyone to play together. That’s where this feature fits perfectly.

A Track Like No Other

When marking significant anniversaries such as 20 years, it’s essential to make the celebration grand, and the Asphalt team certainly took this to an extraordinary level. Instead of merely refurbishing a single track or even multiple tracks, they opted for something more ambitious: merging several tracks into one massive track. However, they didn’t stop there; they added an innovative twist by incorporating teleports into the design.

When creating a new level in the game, we typically brainstorm ideas for a theme first before focusing on the specific locations. For example, if we want a track that involves jumping between buildings, then we might think of a city like Chicago with its rooftop landscapes. However, our current project aims to highlight our past achievements by incorporating elements from previous titles, establishing a sense of continuity, and demonstrating our history effectively.

During our brainstorming sessions, we came up with numerous concepts. One idea was to resurrect an older track, much like how Mario Kart features some classic tracks from the Nintendo 64 era. However, in our realistic game, incorporating a pixelated style seemed odd and inconsistent with the car models, as Benefice explained. After much deliberation, we arrived at a rather audacious idea that initially seemed unfeasible to us.

Benefice proposed, “Let’s merge three tracks into one and place teleporters between them for an exciting experience.” The team considered this idea, looking at the developers with intrigued expressions. They began brainstorming and came up with the concept of a single track that would incorporate sections from various environments linked through portals enabling teleportation from one part to another. Each section could originate from different games in the franchise.

In essence, we’ve taken the San Diego track from Asphalt 8 and carried it over, keeping its original layout. Since Asphalt 8 is more than a decade old, the visuals have been updated. However, the core experience remains the same. Players who were around at that time can rediscover this experience on a revamped San Diego track. This track takes you through the harbor, refinery areas, and even has a thrilling jump over a bridge and through containers. Interestingly, in one section, you’ll suddenly find yourself in Cairo, which is one of our favorite tracks from Asphalt 9, currently in the game.

In this update, the popular stretch of the track is back but with some new twists to keep things exciting. Benefice explained, “We’re not just revisiting Cairo; we’ve shifted the sun, giving it a whole new feel. Think of Cairo as midday, bright and intense, while now it’s more like a sunset, offering a different atmosphere.” As you progress, you find yourself transported from Cairo to LA, passing through a scene reminiscent of Terminator 2. This is a classic track from Asphalt 6, but the twist is that you can jump between trucks from Asphalt 8 to Asphalt 9 and back to Asphalt 6, all within the same track, without losing speed or momentum. It’s like jumping off an aircraft carrier and landing at top speed, and every time we discuss this, it just gets cooler, so we decided to go for it.”

Furthermore, not only have they added more, but they’ve also revived the initial game that sparked this adventure, making it accessible for everyone to enjoy as it’s now playable directly in a web browser.

As a game enthusiast, I’m super excited to share some thrilling news! To celebrate our 20th anniversary, we’re not just throwing a party, but also showering you with goodies! It’s going to be a treasure trove of rewards, from freebies to daily bonuses and joining incentives. And that’s not all, we’re bringing back the classic Asphalt Urban GT!

Now, So, buckle up, it’s time to gear up for an epic ride!

Big Time Collaborations (And More Are Coming)

The Asphalt series has been forging significant collaborations recently, such as with LEGO and Sonic the Hedgehog. Interestingly, the collaboration with LEGO turned out to be a fortunate occurrence, and the results, as demonstrated by their initial releases, have added an exciting new dimension to the game, with more collaborative content expected soon.

As a dedicated fan, I’m thrilled to share that our collaborations have been reaching new heights recently. One of these partnerships, with LEGO, has been particularly significant and enduring. We’ve already launched three projects together, but there are two more on the horizon that have been officially announced! The response has been fantastic so far, leading us to consider potential further expansions. It’s not just about adding a decal or some customizations; this collaboration is a full-fledged endeavor that promises to bring something truly unique to the table.

Benefice stated, “The vehicle is genuinely a LEGO car. It disassembles upon collisions, which was unexpected but fitting since we intentionally designed it that way. We even had a conversation with someone from the LEGO team, discovering our designs aligned perfectly with their LEGO Technics line, modeled after hypercars. This revelation has been incredibly exhilarating!

At first, the player response was a mix of astonishment, some skepticism, but also immense enthusiasm. Many players are thrilled at the prospect of constructing the car in real life and experiencing it within the game. The combination of these elements is engaging and appealing.

Indeed, Sonic turned out to be quite serendipitous as we happened to converse with SEGA last year about our future projects,” Benefice explained. “At the time, we were considering venturing into the video game realm, and Sonic seemed like a fitting choice, given his speed and status as the fastest creature alive. Interestingly enough, 2025 was earmarked as the year of racing for Sonic. Working with this iconic franchise has been an exhilarating experience. Moreover, we have a team member who is a die-hard Sonic fan, which certainly facilitated our collaboration.

We carefully chose music tracks that seemed suitable for each character and vehicle. For instance, we debated whether Amy would be more fitting in a Lamborghini or a Porsche. Ultimately, we found the perfect match, and it has been extremely successful among our regular fans. Not only that, but it’s also been warmly welcomed by the Sonic fan community, which we discovered to be very open and welcoming.” – Benefice stated.

Regarding future plans, we’re hinting at an exciting team-up from our IP department for Halloween, and there’s more anime in the pipeline too, though the specifics aren’t clear just yet. In other words, we’re eager to bring you more of these collaborations. At present, we have two projects underway, one of which will be a special treat for Halloween. As for the details of the IP, I can’t reveal them yet, but it will have a horror theme. Additionally, we’ll be venturing back into the anime realm later this year.

For additional details, head over to the official website linked below. Dive into the latest track and all the celebratory events for Asphalt Legends’ 20th anniversary, now accessible on Nintendo Switch (including Switch Lite), PlayStation 5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Steam, iOS, Android, Epic Games Store, and more platforms.

[Official Website Link]

https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/ps5-playstation-games-xbox-spider-man-port/embed/#

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2025-08-08 03:10