Sumo Newcastle is set to release DeathSprint 66, an eight-player on-foot racing video game that takes inspiration from The Running Man, a Stephen King novel, as well as Alita: Battle Angel and Squid Game. The game is set in a dystopian future where extreme forms of entertainment are the norm, and it’s staged in a ruined old world as a game show. The racing is done using clones controlled by real humans, similar to a connected avatar, while the spectacle aspect takes place in front of a crowd.
Game Director Andrew Willans spoke highly of DeathSprint 66‘s style-based scoring system, which requires players to aim for first place while finishing in the most stylish way possible. The pre-alpha footage showed that players need to be skillful in traversing the terrain, avoiding hazards, and using the environment to their advantage to beat the competition. DeathSprint 66 can be played online or offline, with the latter serving as a training ground.
The hype system rewards players for chaining traversals, setting up combos, and using boosters, with tributes serving as catch-up mechanisms to keep players engaged. DeathSprint 66 is similar to Mario Kart and Fall Guys, with a focus on speed and skill checks that constantly reward the player. Each track takes around three minutes to complete, and the primary PVP mode will be available at launch, with a variety of tracks to choose from.
Players will be able to customize their avatars with sponsors, running suits, avatar banners, and emoji sets, which can be unlocked by earning fame in the game. There will be no microtransactions in DeathSprint 66, and all rewards can be earned in-game.
Sumo Newcastle hopes that DeathSprint 66 will become another strength for the studio, building on its Sumo Digitial’s racing pedigree. DeathSprint 66 is slated for a PC release later this year, with a closed beta expected closer to launch. The developers are keen to iterate on the game post-launch based on player feedback.
