Announced at Summer Game Fest, Hot Wheels Infinite Rush marks the fifth game based on the diecast toy car line in this console generation. However, it’s only the third entry developed by Milestone, which returns to the franchise for the first time since 2023’s revered Unleashed 2: Turbocharged. Its new subtitle is an important distinction, symbolising a bold new direction for the series. “This is not at all Hot Wheels Unleashed 3,” Milestone’s Development and Creative Director, Michele Caletti, affirmed during a preview event. “This game is very different, while retaining Milestone’s signature over the Hot Wheels IP.” Hot Wheels goes open world What makes Infinite Rush different from the last two games is that it takes the series open world, ditching its predecessor’s linear tracks in favour of four explorable islands. While Milestone’s MXGP and Monster Energy Supercross games let you free roam in small contained areas, Infinite Rush represents the studio’s first fully open-world game. Each island has a distinct theme, from a nature resort to an industrial environment filled with canyons, harbours and machinery that spills hazardous chemicals. Don’t expect these maps to be massive in scale, however. When designing them, Milestone’s goal was to “not let players get lost in a huge single map.” “We split [the map] into four to give a focused experience with a lot of variety,” Caletti explained. “We wanted to present four very specific, condensed environments [that are] very stylish and different.” During our hands-on preview, we were let loose in Wheelswood, the colourful city environment shown in the announcement trailer. While a slew of cars and events were already unlocked, Milestone emphasises that the final game will have a “slower and natural progression” in the first few hours. Each environment will also unlock gradually, with the ability to switch between