Lego 2K Drive: release date on PS5, Xbox and Switch, spiritual successor to Lego Racers racing game explained

Lego has had a presence in video games since the early 1990s, with titles like Lego Island and Lego Chess. However, it wasn’t until the release of Lego Star Wars in 2005 that the franchise really took off in the gaming world.

The game was a huge success, combining the popular Star Wars franchise with the fun and creative building blocks of Lego. Since then, Lego has released numerous video games covering a wide range of genres.

But while the Lego games have included various types of vehicles, such as planes, helicopters, and boats, racing games have not been a primary focus.

One possible reason for this is that racing games require a level of realism that may be difficult to achieve with the blocky, cartoonish graphics of Lego games. Additionally, racing games often rely on licensed vehicles and brands, which can be expensive to acquire.

But that’s all set to change with Lego 2K Drive, which while not the first dedicated Lego racing game - 1999’s Lego Racers allowed players to build and race their own vehicles and was successful enough to spawn a sequel - it is the first title to primarily focus on the act of driving vehicles at speed in over 20 years.

Here is everything you need to know about it.

What is Lego 2K Drive?

Lego 2K Drive is the first fruit of a brand new multi-title partnership between the Danish toy company and American video game publisher 2K Games. It’s an open-world racing game developed by seasoned studio Visual Concepts - responsible for the most recent entries in the NBA 2K and WWE 2K series.

In 2019, the Lego Speed Champions add-on for Forza Horizon 4 was released, adding a new Lego-themed island to the game and featuring Lego-inspired versions of the game’s cars and environments alongside new challenges and events.

It offered a fun and playful twist on the Forza Horizon experience, blending the world of Lego with the excitement of racing games, and it appears as if 2K is taking inspiration from the add-on’s success, and building on what worked, blending it with Mario Kart’s entertaining handling, weapons and power-ups.

In the new game, players drive around the large open environment of “Bricklandia”, discovering new races, objectives and missions as they go, all in the hopes of one day taking home the prized Sky Cup Trophy.

There are several distinctive biome zones to explore, each filled with minigames, challenges, collectibles, and objects to demolish, alongside well-known cars from real-world Lego themes including City, Creator, Speed Champions, and more.

The races themselves are fast-paced, off-the-wall experiences that play out on a variety of tracks, on which players can utilise special power-up skills that can change their position in the race at the touch of a button.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Lego racing game without the ability for players to create their own vehicles that suit their preferences, and over 1,000 unique virtual Lego components are available alongside customisation options like colour schemes and stickers.

Where is the best place to pre-order it?

Three editions of LEGO 2K Drive will be available. The Standard Edition will be available for £49.99 on PlayStation4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch, and £59.99 on PlayStation and Xbox Series X/S in both physical and digital formats.

The Awesome Edition will be available for £89.99 and includes a new vehicle, vehicle flair and an in-game Lego minifigure. Players will also receive the Year 1 Drive Pass, which will introduce an all-new biome, in addition to four individual post-launch seasons of Drive Pass content, each with new vehicles and themes.

The Awesome Rivals Edition will be available for £109.99 and includes multiple new vehicles, a vehicle flair and in-game Lego minifigures. Players will also receive the Year 1 Drive Pass which will introduce an all-new biome, in addition to four individual post-launch seasons of Drive Pass content, each with new vehicles and themes.

The game can be pre-ordered through Game.co.uk. Click on the links below to be taken through to your chosen platform:

Standard Edition

• Nintendo Switch
• PlayStation 4
• PlayStation 5
• Xbox One/Series X/S

Awesome Edition

• PlayStation 4
• PlayStation 5
• Xbox One/Series X/S

PC versions of the game can be bought through the Steam digital storefront.

When can I play it?

Lego 2K Drive is set to be released everywhere on Friday 19 May 2023. It will be available for PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.

However, those who have ordered the Awesome Edition or Awesome Rivals Edition will be able to access the game digitally from Tuesday 16 May 2023.

The physical version of the Awesome Edition will also be available while stocks last at select retailers. Note that the Awesome Rivals Edition is a digital only version of the game.