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E3 2019 interview: Playground Games designed new LEGO block for vehicles

LEGO wheels don't typically turn, which presented a unique problem and opportunity for the team behind Forza Horizon 4.

Sam Chandler

June 20, 2019 1:35 AM

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Forza Horizon 4: LEGO Speed Champions DLC is the latest piece of content for Playground Games’ excellent racer. Players can take to the gorgeous streets of the United Kingdom in the blocky goodness of special LEGO vehicles. We had the chance to sit down with Torben Ellert, the Game Director, at E3 2019 and talk to him about integrating LEGO into Forza Horizon 4. Please take a look!

An interesting takeaway from our interview was that the team actually had to design new LEGO pieces. In Forza titles, the vehicles all behave in realistic ways, with wheels turning and suspension bouncing. The problem with bringing LEGO to this kind of world is that the wheels don’t typically turn. To solve this problem, the team at Playground Games had to think like LEGO brick designers. The end result is a brand new LEGO piece that allows the wheels to turn. Whether this will make it onto store shelves is another thing.

Forza titles are also renowned for their damage engines, with cars sustaining dints, broken parts, and entirely crumpling. LEGO doesn’t behave this way and it’s translated into the game. Instead of smashing, the LEGO vehicles lose pieces when you hit things.

One new addition, aside from the three LEGO Speed Champions and a barn find, is a new radio station. Called Awesome Radio, this station plays the iconic “Everything is Awesome” track from the LEGO Movie non-stop.

The LEGO Speed Champions DLC for Forza Horizon 4 was made available on June 13, right in the middle of E3 2019. We here at Shacknews were hard at work over the course of the hectic week, and if you missed a second of it, check out the E3 2019 page. This contains all of the news fresh from the show, as well as more developer interviews and exclusive hands-on impressions.

Sam Chandler

Head of Guides

Hailing from the land down under, Sam Chandler brings a bit of the southern hemisphere flair to his work. After bouncing round a few universities, securing a bachelor degree, and entering the video game industry, he's found his new family here at Shacknews as Head of Guides. There's nothing he loves more than crafting a guide that will help someone. If you need help with a guide, or notice something not quite right, you can message him on X: @SamuelChandler