Disney Speedstorm is a free-to-play kart racer for PC and consoles

During today’s Nintendo Direct presentation (9th February), a new kart racing video game was announced – Disney Speedstorm.

Developed by Gameloft, developers of predominately mobile racing game Asphalt: 9 Legends, it will be set across Disney and Pixar-inspired race tracks with you driving famous characters.

Your favourite Disney characters

During the initial gameplay footage, Captain Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean is shown, alongside Mickey Mouse. Each is said to feature their own special ability, so Mickey is quick, while Sulley from Monsters, Inc. has powerful weapons and Mulan ‘explosive manoeuvres’.

You’ll be driving around these tracks against rivals, collecting power-ups and utilising ‘powerful ultimate skills’ which remind us of the blue shell in Mario Kart.

Locations revealed so far include Pirates of the Caribbean’s Pirates Island track and The Jungle Book’s Jungle Ruins map.

Free-to-play with seasonal content

This new arcade racer will be free-to-play, with optional in-game purchases and seasons that bring new characters, karts and circuits.

Local split-screen multiplayer is a given, plus online multiplayer is an option, with cross-platform a touted feature.

PC and consoles

While Disney Speedstorm has been announced during a Nintendo Switch-focused event, it’s been confirmed that the game will be released for ‘PC and consoles’, and so the cross-platform element of the multiplayer starts to make more sense.

We don’t think, then, that it’s too unreasonable to expect Switch and Xbox versions, as Asphalt 9: Legends is on these platforms, and we hope a PlayStation launch is also on the cards. Specifics are not available at this time, however.

There is no confirmed release date, but it’s currently scheduled for a summer 2022 launch.