Skip to main content

Warhammer 40,000: Speed Freeks is a twisted metal death rally with Orks coming in August

Waaagh-rio Kart

An ork in a buggy aims weapons at a Stompa in Warhammer 40,000: Speed Freeks.
Image credit: PLAION
I confess that 2018's Warhammer 40,000: Speed Freeks is a corner of the grim dark far future with which I'm unfamiliar, but it turns out it's an Orky death rally. Its video game adaptation, meanwhile, is a free-to-play, multiplayer, with several team-based modes. It now has an Early Access release date: August 6th.
Warhammer 40,000: Speed Freeks' release date trailer.Watch on YouTube

Speed Freeks has several modes, including Kill Konvoy, in which two 8-player teams compete to speed along their teams Stompa and slow their enemy's. A stompa is what it sounds like. There's also Deff Rally, where teams of 8 drive and fight to capture points. I hope there's at least one mode that is about, y'know, normal racing, but it's unclear from the Steam page whether "Intense Racing" is a proper noun.

There have been open alphas and open betas for the game already, but Speed Freeks will launch in Early Access and spend a few months there, launching in full later this year. The final version will add a "new map, new vehicle, new features and enhancements," and it'll still be free-to-play.

If you're looking for an avenue of commerce here, I'm guessing it runs through the vehicle customisation. Kits, rims, tires, and of course paint jobs can all be modified, while real money can be spent on virtual currency you can exchange for in-game items.

Has there ever been a truly great game about vehicle combat? One where the combat involves projectile weapons, not playing bumper cars, I mean? I'd argue cars are an awkward steed to ride into battle, but what do I know. I prefer Split/Second to Blur, so I'm immediately thrown through the front windscreen of this discussion.

Read this next