According to an exclusive from VGC, games publisher 2K has secured a LEGO license to develop a range of new sports games based on the colorful toy bricks. LEGO is reportedly looking to “broaden its games output beyond the expiration of its exclusivity deal with Warner Bros.’ TT Games. Sumo Digital will create the first game in the series by developing a LEGO soccer game. Developers are hoping to launch the new title alongside the FIFA World Cup this coming November.
There has been speculation for days about an upcoming “open-world driving game with a major license” that was teased in a Visual Concepts job listing not long ago. VGC sources have confirmed that this game is to be a LEGO racing game and is currently under development with the company and is aiming for a 2023 launch. The third LEGO sports title was not described, although it will be “based on a major sports franchise.”
The partnership between LEGO and 2K comes as 2K aims to expand its sports offering, with the company setting its sights on the younger generation in order to do so. LEGO has the ability to pull in fans of all ages, but especially young gamers, making it the perfect franchise for 2K to base its new line of sports games on. VGC’s source divulged that the LEGO sports games will have appearances from some familiar faces such as Marvel, Harry Potter, and DC characters.
The company behind the rumored LEGO soccer game, Sumo Digital, has previously worked on other family-friendly titles such as Sackboy: A Big Adventure, Team Sonic Racing, and Snake Pass. The developers seem to be the right fit for the upcoming sports game. Visual Concepts on the other hand has a games library focused on sports such as NBA 2K and WWE 2K. The future LEGO racing game will be geared towards a new demographic for the company.
It will certainly be interesting to see what the future holds for LEGO games now that Warner’s TT Games no longer holds exclusive rights to games based on the playful building blocks.
